Elko lawmaker is a real road warrior

Editor's note: This is one of a series of profiles of freshmen lawmakers in the 2011 Legislature.

CARSON CITY -- New Assemblyman John Ellison, R-Elko, plans on working all week in the Legislature, then making the 320-mile drive home to Elko on Friday nights so he can work all weekend on his electrical contracting business, then driving back on Sunday night to do it all over again.

He figures he ought to make the Elko-Carson City drives in about five hours.

"I have been doing 70,000 to 80,000 miles a year on my truck," said Ellison, former president of the Nevada Association of Counties and a member of the state Contractors Board. "I've gone to meetings in Las Vegas and got home at 2 or 3 in the morning and headed back to work. I drive a lot. I work a lot. I get a lot of tickets."

Ellison, who grew up breaking colts and "buckarooing" on a ranch, never has been afraid of hard work and long hours.

As former county commissioner and city council member, he has been getting a lot of calls from old colleagues fearful that Gov. Brian Sandoval will grab money from local governments. Sandoval proposes to take $267 million from counties and cities and require them to pay about $80 million for services now performed by the state.

If that happens, Ellison wants local governments to be given "home rule" including the right to levy taxes.

"I love home rule," he said. "They keep pushing unfunded mandates on the counties and no way to pay for them. Home rule should have been done years ago."

Letting counties or cities levy taxes doesn't mean they will, he said, since local officials would be held accountable by voters for their actions.

During the coming session, he will serve on the Commerce and Labor, Taxation and Government Affairs committees.

He is drawing up a bill to repeal what he believes are heavy-handed requirements for safety training by the state Office of Safety and Health Administration.

"It is getting totally out of hand. I believe in safety, but there are requirements for a week's training. It adds to unemployment at a time when we are trying to create jobs."

He also is a staunch believer in the Second Amendment right of citizens to carry arms. Ellison wants a law requiring reciprocity agreements with other states that have concealed weapons permit laws. He can carry concealed weapons in 18 states, he said, and twice wearing a gun has helped him escape muggings, including once in Las Vegas.

"I have never had to use it," he said of his weapon. "One time a bunch of guys circled my truck when I had my son with me and he was dying of cancer. I wasn't about to give up my truck."

Ellison emphasized he is "not for more taxes," but added he refused to sign a pledge against raising taxes for any reason.

He already has been receiving messages from educators upset about Sandoval's plan to cut education spending.

"I think we should go into the Legislature with an open mind. But look at the DMV and how you have to stand in line for hours. We can't cut some areas," he said. "Throwing money at the problem is not the answer. We have to find what works"

While the booming mining industry has helped rural Nevada, Ellison said, the Elko area still have been hit hard by the recession. He estimates his business is down by 60 percent.

"People are scared to spend a dime," he said.

In his spare time, Ellison likes to spend time with his grandchildren. Most years he also hosts a July 4 John Wayne cancer telethon on local TV and radio. The telethon attracts movie stars and members of Wayne's family and helps families travel to be with their children in hospitals.

The telethon is one of the way the Ellisons honor their son, John Jr., who died at age 19 from cancer that started with a small mole. When he lists his children, Ellison never forgets to name John.

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.