NLV Councilwoman Garcia-Anderson and business owner, activist, running for Ward 2 seat

A local entrepreneur and community activist is campaigning to oust North Las Vegas Councilwoman Ruth Garcia-Anderson, who’s been endorsed by her fellow City Council members.

The Ward 2 position — which previously sat Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown — is the only city seat up for grabs during November’s election.

Robert “Twixx” Taylor bested Garcia Anderson by 38 votes during the June primary which sent the top two candidates to the general election. He’s a “serial small business owner” whose ventures have included a barber shop.

Garcia-Anderson, who was appointed in late 2022, became the first Latina to ever serve on the city council. She was appointed to the position after Goynes-Brown became mayor.

Now-experienced incumbent

Garcia-Anderson’s foray into local government was influenced by her desire to improve children’s safety in her neighborhood, which she said lacked crosswalks and flashing beacons.

She said the city’s continuous growth will demand more infrastructure improvements, such as roads and their safety mechanisms. The councilwoman has been working for six months to bring traffic lights to a dangerous intersection in her ward.

“As we grow, we have to adjust,” Garcia-Anderson said. She said that the 10 parks in her ward are undergoing improvements.

To address the critical shortage of affordable housing, she said the city will need to continue ensuring that federal dollars for affordable housing projects continue to be used appropriately.

She cited the building of a 156-unit housing complex that includes wrap-around resources.

Public safety is paramount, and she would like to see the North Las Vegas Police Department, which the city funds, continue its crime prevention programs, she said.

She wants to help bring a hospital and other health care facilities to the city so residents “don’t have to travel far distances for access to medical services.”

Garcia-Anderson was born in Mexico and migrated to Nevada at a young age. She earned degrees in national business and Spanish, and a minor in marketing, from the University of Nevada, Reno.

She and her husband moved to Oregon where she managed apartments and helped house refugees.

They moved to North Las Vegas, where they started a family, about 12 years ago. Prior to joining the council, she helped manage her husband’s chiropractic practice, and was a regular at city-run facilities and community events.

“I just want to ensure that North Las Vegas continues to thrive,” Garcia-Anderson said.

‘300,000 bosses’

Taylor was born and raised in the ward he’s vying to represent.

As a business owner, he’s learned what “it takes to hire the right people,” Taylor said. Being an activist taught him sympathy and empathy, he added.

“I feel like North Las Vegas needs someone in Ward 2 to represent all Ward 2,” he said. Citing the city’s population, he said that if he wins, “I’ll have 300,000 bosses.”

Taylor previously ran for North Las Vegas mayor in 2022, missing the runoff election by fewer than 1,000 votes in a seven-candidate race.

He is grateful for the public safety agencies, crediting the North Las Vegas Fire Department who he said helped save his life after a bad bout of pneumonia, he said.

Still, the city needs to hire more police officers and it needs to recruit younger generations in innovative ways, said Taylor, adding that as a promoter, he’s up for the task.

“People want to see more of them,” he said.

Taylor also would like to see the police department offer incentives for officers who live in the city.

The $450,000 median price for homes in the city is unacceptable, and Taylor would work with state legislators to address the issue, he said. “I think we have priced our own citizens out of the market.”

Out campaigning, Taylor said he’s heard complaints about there being too many storage businesses and warehouses.

Instead, he envisions helping bring more arts-centered entertainment and sports venues, as well as a facility where long-haul drivers can safely rest, and a “state of the art” complex for elective surgeries.

Taylor said North Las Vegas can, too, become a tourist destination.

Taylor has been recognized by the police department for providing annual free haircuts to students before the first day of school.

“Usually, if the incumbent has the support of the council, it’s usually a guaranteed win,” he said about Garcia-Anderson.

Mentioning his slim lead in the primary, he said, “That clearly tells you the people of Ward 2 and North Las Vegas want a change.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.