New advocacy group starting in Nevada
A new grassroots organization is starting in Nevada that will advocate in the public policy arena to advance limited government and fiscally conservative values.
Priorities Nevada will be led by Ciara Matthews, a native Nevadan and political operative who has worked on the campaigns of GOP Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, when he faced and won a recall in 2012, and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Priorities Nevada is a 501(c) 4 nonprofit organization, an IRS classification that allows the organization to do public policy advocacy.
Matthews said the organization will focus on issue advocacy and won‘t make contributions to political candidates.
"Priorities Nevada is a nonpartisan coalition of citizens, community leaders and other stakeholders interested in promoting a strong economy and an environment of opportunity for Nevada families and businesses," Matthews said in a statement. "Nevadans are becoming increasingly frustrated with the size and scope of government at all levels; we are here to help connect average Nevadans to their lawmakers during all stages of the policy debate."
Its goals include advocating for policies aimed at reducing the tax burden, creating jobs, and educating taxpayers about elected officials.
Matthews said the organization will fill a void in Nevada.
"There isn‘t a coalition in Nevada at this point for people to come together and say, ‘We stand for fiscally conservative values and limited government,‘ " Matthews said.
Its formation comes on the heels of the Legislature passing and Gov. Brian Sandoval signing into law a $1.1 billion tax package this year. Voters in 2014 had rejected a gross receipts tax proposal.
The move has spurred talk of a possible referendum to repeal all or parts of the increase, though legal questions exist about how much of the tax package a referendum could cover.
Matthews said the group hopes it can be involved in a referendum, noting legal questions remain.
The president of the group‘s board of directors will be former Republican Nevada Assemblyman Ed Goedhart, Kirk Lippold, a retired Navy officer and former commander of the U.S.S. Cole; David Edelblute with law firm Kolesar & Leatham; and Trent Harper and Jeff White, former political activists.
For more information, visit www.prioritiesnevada.org.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.
