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Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Henderson Mayoral Candidate Addresses Anthem Opinions Inquiries in Great Detail

Henderson Mayoral Candidate
Rick Workman's Letter to Anthem Opinions

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Anthem Opinions
Mr. Dick Arendt
Anthem Opinions
scaopinions@gmail.com

Sun City Anthem

March 15, 2017

Mr. Arendt,

Thank you for the opportunity. Unfortunately, I was not able to review your emailed invitation until late yesterday, and ask for your consideration to allow me to address these critically important questions.

First, I must emphatically state that in any of my statements or activities related to running for a political office, I do not represent, nor purport to represent, the opinions of any government agency. I am speaking as a private citizen of our community.

I served our country for 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, both in the enlisted ranks and as a Commissioned Officer. 

I served as a nuclear weapons technician, supervisor, and manager. 

I inspected U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine units; and NATO units worldwide; and was credited with improving the U.S. nuclear weapons program. 

I commanded all F-117A Stealth Fighter personnel responsible for the aircraft maintenance, launch, etc., and munitions during the latter part of Desert Storm.

I’ve spent the last 23 years serving our local communities, directly leading efforts to solve and prevent crime, and save lives. 

I started the Henderson CSI section and forensic laboratory (crime lab) in 2000, and am still employed in that capacity. 

It has not been easy, and I am still fighting for all of you… fighting to keep us all safe.

I think my experience and successes give me the right to make the statements I will make here.

Low Taxes

It is quite apparent and well understood that the City of Henderson has one of the lowest property tax rates in the state. Many tax payers saw their property taxes decrease during the long recession and rightfully so because of the steep decline in stated property values. By the way, I’m not implying that the recession is completely over yet (but our President Trump is definitely making huge, positive changes), 

Now, while so many are on fixed incomes, or have little to no income, the government wants to make up for lost time.

I sat through briefings during the tenure of former City Manager Jacob Snow, whom our elected mayor and city council members (including a current candidate for mayor) lauded and embraced for his role as manager. 

One of his efforts included testifying during the State Legislature in 2013, alongside the current mayor, and certainly with the direct approval and full support of the entire council. 

Their testimony resulted in the legislature’s approval to remove the 3% annual property tax increase cap, and subsequent removal of that cap in Sec. 23, Section 8.010 of the Charter of the City of Henderson, which is in Chapter 266, Statutes of Nevada.

During that taxing (pardon the pun) process in 2013, Snow’s team provided briefings to numerous departments in the City. They showed PowerPoint slides explaining the “small” 20-cent increase (from 71 to 91 cents per $100 in assessment valuation). 

That equates to a 28% increase in property taxes! 

Do you know that only 25% of the property taxes we currently pay go directly to the City of Henderson? 

Don’t worry, if the 2017 State Legislature has its way in removing property tax increase caps, with the well-known support of local governments, we’ll pay more. And if they pass the changes to our law that are now being discussed, and the Governor doesn’t veto them, there will be no tax increase caps. 

In fact, some legislators are promoting the establishment of mandatory minimum annual tax increases.

Elected officials talk in circles about low taxes, not supporting tax increases, writing “low taxes” when the text below mentions only “commerce tax”, etc. 

The City of Henderson Comprehensive Annual Budget Report for Fiscal Year 2015 – 2016, Economic Challenges on page 134 states: 

If a prolonged economic downturn occurs and annual revenues are unable to support the costs of essential services, the City will consider several options. These options would include increasing revenues from existing sources such as property taxes, or creating new taxing sources and/or service reductions.”

 What is very conspicuously absent in that document, is any mention of cutting costs, cutting waste, etc.

Why is it that the first reaction is always to raise taxes? 

Believe the rhetoric or not during this campaign about not raising property taxes. I don’t. 

I have always said that I am willing to pay my share of taxes, but I hate any proposed tax or tax increase while government officials fail to first cut waste, increase efficiency, and cut costs. 

Try to get a career politician to describe that. Better yet, try to get one to provide some real-world, concrete, realistic and relative examples. 

How about a firm, and honest, commitment?

Finally, if there is any doubt… no, I will not vote to increase your property taxes. And I will steadfastly, and very publicly, fight against it. I realize that persons running for elected office will say that. Heck, I’m saying it. The difference is that I know where there are millions of dollars being wasted in the city. I know where we can reduce costs without reducing services. I know where we can be, and must be, more efficient in our city government. Much more efficient.

Maintaining a quality retirement lifestyle that provides a safe environment alongside stable property values.

Crime

As so many of you in Sun City Anthem, and other parts of Anthem and the city know, we are not immune to crime. We had a lot of burglaries in the Anthem areas, a home invasion/robbery of a lady who was fast asleep, and other crimes including an apparent drive-by shooting/murder. 

The suspect(s) in the latest of three related home invasions tied the victim up and stole many of her belongings. 

Fortunately, the CSIs (actually called Crime Scene Analysts in Henderson) and forensic scientists in the lab solved that, and two related crimes.

Henderson Police Supervisor’s Association endorsement (unedited)

The HPSA is doing its part in the national attempt to drain the swamp! Leadership and life experience are key attributes to running an organization. Rick Workman has shown his commitment to progress the City of Henderson into the future, in a fair and fiscally responsible manner. Mr. Workman understands the public safety concerns of our association and will work to limit the effects of density housing and ad the department in technological advances”.
  • Kevin Abernathy, President; speaking on behalf of the Henderson Police Supervisor’s Association Executive Board
Rape kits

The City of Henderson does not a forensic laboratory large enough to expand current operations, nor to add a DNA analysis capability. In southern Nevada, thousands of rape kits remained untested for years, and thanks to Nevada Attorney General Laxalt, many of those kits are being sent to a private lab in another state. 

Unfortunately, the latest estimates are that the kits won’t all be tested until 2020, a significant change from earlier estimates of completion by July 2018.

More rapes will be solved and prevented through DNA testing. Current outsourcing of rape kits to other states is only a short-term fix and significant additional forensic laboratory capacity is a necessity... lives depend on it! 

We need a new, larger lab in Henderson, and I intend to raise private funds to do it. 

I’ve had discussions with staff of the Nevada State College, in regard to putting the lab on their campus, and their desire to develop a forensic science program. Together, we can provide academic and operational training, experience through internships, and eventual jobs to many in our own community.

Please refer to:

Assembly Bill 55 includes revisions to Chapter 200 of the NRS, by adding criteria regarding the DNA analysis of sexual assault kits (rape kits) and tracking their status from the point of initial collection. 

I personally reviewed that bill and submitted several recommendations to significantly strengthen the legislation including: 

1) decreasing the time in which a forensic laboratory may take to test each kit, providing a recommended transition period to decrease the mandatory testing times; 

2) removing some of the stated exceptions for mandatory testing of the kits, which, in my opinion would decrease the number of kits tested for reasons I strongly disagree with; and, 

3) strengthening the requirements for tracking the kits and their completion of testing/analysis.

Planning and the City of Henderson Planning Commission

Neighborhood master plans and subsequent changes must be carefully and openly developed, implemented, and maintained. The quality of life and amenities that sustain economic stability and growth must not be pushed aside for competing developments that negatively impact residents, businesses, and the local economy. 

A truly open and transparent government provides timely, relative, detailed, and accurate information; and accepts constructive feedback.

Henderson Strong (a similar, potential precursor)

In approximately 2006 or 2007, I was personally involved in the review process after preliminary maps/drawings had been prepared to demonstrate the build out a large area in the western portion of Henderson. 

Perhaps near the area where Inspirada is now. 

We noted that the plans showed many narrow streets, cul-de-sacs with small turning radiuses, and multi-level housing. 

When asked about police getting and out quickly, there was discussion about having to back out (as in the event of a major situation, there are often several first responders from police, fire, etc., most in vehicles. 

Not all fire vehicles would be able to navigate the turning radius, and many would certainly have to back out in the best of situations. 

We asked that the streets be widened. That couldn’t be done without increasing costs to the developer(s)… it may mean less units, or decreasing the size of some. 

The single proposal we received initially was to “add alleys”.

My argument is not about condos versus apartments versus single standing homes. 

My argument has to do with the footprint… in other words, how many people can we house in one area and be able to provide the proper size and number of roadways, and provide the critical public safety services such as police, fire and public works.

Finally

I have been fighting for you since 2000, and I will continue to do so. I have been successful in many difficult areas, many of which I had never been challenged with before. 

As your mayor, I will be much more able to facilitate the changes necessary. I believe that a person’s personal philosophy about government, as well as their history of difficult challenges, hard work, and success says a lot about how a person will conduct business when elected to a critically important position as the mayor’s truly is. 

This is a “non-partisan” race, but that only means that we don’t have members of major parties chosen by those parties to face off in a final (general) election. 

I think it is important for voters to see all of us for who we are and what we believe in. 

That’s why I proudly put my political party on my signs, ads, and flyers. 

I am a lifelong Republican.

I humbly ask for your vote and your support as your next mayor.

Rick Workman
Captain, U.S. Air Force (retired)
Candidate for Mayor of Henderson
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Anthem Opinions sends its sincere thank you to Mayoral candidate, Rick Workman, for sending us this detailed answer to the questions posed in our original article.

Do you have any comments or questions of Mr. Workman?  He has agreed to answer any questions you might have.
Send them to us at:


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