2020 Primary election: Assembly District 40 – Democrats

Sena Loyd

Occupation: Information Professional - Director of Research and Workforce Development, emerging high tech company

Age: 36

Contact: senafornevada@gmail.com; www.senafornevada.com; 775-430-5033;

Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: @senafornevada

Record of Service:

I was appointed as Director of the Carson City Library in 2014, managed a balanced budget and staff which supported an average of 1,300 visits each day. Under my leadership, the Carson City Library was named among the top 14 libraries in America by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in 2018. As a registered lobbyist for the Nevada Library Association and the City of Carson City in 2017, I helped secure $500,000 for Nevada’s public libraries statewide. These funds helped libraries across the state integrate emerging technology and virtual learning into their communities, this evolved into a premier workforce development tool connecting rural learners with good living wage careers. In 2017 I was named Nevada Library Association Librarian of the Year. I also served on the Nevada Commission on Educational Technology appointed by Gov. Sandoval in 2015. I currently serve on the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada advisory council, the Western Nevada College Foundation and am the 2019 Emerge Nevada Graduate Student Representative on the Emerge Nevada Board.

Education:

San Jose State University - MLIS; Library and Information Science

University of Nevada, Reno - BA; Anthropology; Holocaust, Genocide and Peace Studies

Folsom Lake Community College (Folsom, CA) - No Degree

Oak Ridge High School (El Dorado Hills, CA) - High School Diploma

A statement about your platform and issues the state needs to fix for Carson City

Carson City and the surrounding region is a beautiful place to live. I have seen Carson City grow, sometimes like an uncomfortable caterpillar. Still, the growth always produces a glorious butterfly. I am running because I want to help. I have the energy and drive to serve on behalf of constituents who may not have the time or desire, but who deserve to have their voices heard and represented. I promise to be present and accessible to you throughout the legislative process.

COVID-19 has shown us that we were unprepared to address a significant healthcare situation in our state and nation. But what can we do? We can start to have a conversation about investing in and caring about our collective healthcare and scientific discovery. Our health depends on the health of the person next to us, and the person next to them, the country next to us and the country next to them.

The upcoming legislative session is going to be rough. The COVID-19 global health crisis shutdown of our state’s economy is going to hit home. This is a problem that spending cuts and tax increases aren’t enough to be the sole solutions. We need to think about our state budget and our state services, not just outside of the box, but like there is no box. I am the candidate that will work for Carson City. I promise to fight hard to ensure that Carson City does not receive a disproportionately large amount of cuts and that together as a community, we can continue to repair our economy.

The last legislative session ended with Nevada knowing that we had to figure out a way to better fund K-12 education and address the gaps in learning. I’m confident that even amid the COVID-19 global health crisis “... a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” (Margaret Mead). Economic solutions will evolve from the entrepreneurial spirit of our citizens and communities. This work will be my priority.

We have already seen the spending cuts requested by the governor, as high as 14%, next fiscal year, this alone has the potential to devastate our community colleges. Community colleges have continued to answer the call for local and regional workforce development repeatedly. They are offering and graduating record-breaking numbers of credentialed and certificate earning students into good living-wage careers. I will work with fellow legislators, State and public agencies, nonprofits, and private sector leaders to continue to drive resources that serve Nevada’s workforce to help people reinvent themselves and find economic relevance in our global marketplace. I will emphasize the need to support our community college programs that are beyond a high school diploma but do not require a 2-year degree. I will fight to expand apprenticeship programs that allow for high-quality work-based learning with post-secondary earn-and-learn models. I will continue to support Nevada library services for upskilling and retraining community members to get people working.

Derek Morgan

Occupation: Software Engineer

Age: 31

Contact: DerekMorganNV.com; DerekMorganNV@gmail.com; Facebook.com/DerekMorganNV

Education:

Silver Stage High School, Silver Springs NV

Computer Science Engineering University of Nevada Reno

A statement about your platform and issues the state needs to fix for Carson City

When elected I will be the only legislator in Nevada to not take corporate money. I will champion this issue for Nevada’s future because even the appearance of corruption is too much corruption for Nevada. I will never blindly vote with any party. Instead, I will fight for the working class in Nevada and do my best to fix issues like healthcare, education, climate change, infrastructure, and corporate welfare.

Nevadans want a single-payer healthcare system instead of our current system which is driven by profit and greed. Imagine how much money we could save on healthcare costs if our goal was to make everyone healthy and keep everyone healthy! Nevada consistently ranks last in education year after year. I will fight to double per-pupil spending in Nevada immediately. Education is the absolute best investment Nevada can make for its future economy and well being. I will propose free college for all Nevadans which will produce more doctors, scientists, and engineers which will strengthen Nevada’s economy even further. I would like to see Nevada invest in renewable infrastructure which would create jobs and allow us to be energy independent while at the same time battling climate change.

Nevada needs to make ultra-wealthy corporations like Amazon and Walmart pay their fair share of taxes as well as pay their employees a living wage. Visit derekmorgannv.com/issues/nevada-corporate-welfare-2020/ to learn more about the hundreds of millions of dollars Nevada loses to corporate welfare every year. I envision a more transparent government with up to date technology. Nevada should have a secure communication system that borrows concepts from social media. Voters should be able to communicate with each other and their representatives, allowing for popular ideas to be seen by everyone. Representatives could poll their constituents to determine what the majority think about an issue. I have very ambitious goals that will bring the fundamental change needed to Nevada.

I will never bend the knee to corporations and will always fight for the working class. Please check out DerekMorganNV.com for information about my policy and beliefs. Thank you for your vote and I wish you a long and happy life!

Sherrie Scaffidi

Occupation: Retired

Age: 70

Contact: sherriefornevada40@yahoo.com

Facebook: Sherrie for Nevada Assembly District 40

Phone: (775) 721-8135

Record of Service: Nonpaid Lobbyist for LGBTQ, Women’s, and Veterans’ Rights, in the 79th and 80th Sessions of the Nevada Legislature. I am President of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Carson Region and Board Treasurer of Transgender Allies Group (TAG). I am a Nevada Veterans’ Advocate and a US Navy Seabee veteran.

Education: American Gunsmithing Institute.

A statement about your platform and issues the state needs to fix for Carson City

Healthcare for all should be a right. We need better healthcare for LGBTQ individuals and our veterans. This also includes better mental healthcare. Our teachers need better pay and more respect. People who are making the current minimum wage cannot afford to pay for housing, food, and medication. Raising the minimum is paramount to promoting a healthy citizenry. DACA individuals should not be deported and they should have a clear and easy way to full citizenship. I believe in equal rights for women, immigrants, LGBTQ individuals, and all marginalized people.

As a nation of immigrants, we need comprehensive immigration reform, making it easier for those individuals seeking asylum and wanting a better life to be able to become citizens.

We need to protect our environment by paying attention to science.

As a gun owner and a licensed carry-permit holder, I believe in limited gun rights, and discussing these issues in a calm and quiet manner to enact legislation that is enforceable to lower the violence caused by those individuals with firearms.