For the Assembly

The abundance of districts skewed to Democrats has left the Assembly unfailingly loyal to public employee unions and openly hostile to taxpayers and businesses. Republicans lack the votes to block tax increases — a course Democratic leaders intend to take again in 2011 — or sustain a veto by the governor.

Six races have the potential to tilt the Assembly’s axis closer to the center.

In Assembly District 5, Republican Tim Williams is challenging incumbent Democrat Marilyn Dondero Loop.

A construction worker turned real estate agent, Mr. Williams says businesses "are scared to death of what might happen in the 2011 Legislature. They don’t know what kind of tax increases might hit them next year." He wants to let Nevadans keep more of their own money, he’s a proponent of school choice, and he defends the 10th Amendment, saying states have a right to be freed from so many federal mandates.

Ms. Dondero Loop, who voted for last year’s tax increases, is a retired Clark County School District educator who defends Nevada’s unsustainable public employee retirement benefits.

Vote for Tim Williams in Assembly District 5.

Incumbent Democrat Joe Hogan faces Republican newcomer Tyler Andrews in District 10.

Mr. Hogan is a public-sector loyalist who’s open about his support for raising Nevada taxes.

Mr. Andrews, a business attorney, is a principled advocate of limited, open government and personal freedom. He wants to reform the state’s budgeting approach and retirement benefits and expand charter schools. He supports extending the open meeting law to cover public employee contract negotiations, so taxpayers can have a say in collective bargaining.

Tyler Andrews is the easy choice in District 10.

In the massive District 13, which is being vacated by the GOP’s Chad Christensen, Republican Scott Hammond faces Democrat Louis DeSalvio.

Mr. Hammond teaches at Indian Springs High School. He says his education background tells him "we can do better and not necessarily spend more money" when it comes to public schools. He’ll go to Carson City with a philosophy of "people need to make their own way in life."

Mr. DeSalvio is the likeable political director of the Laborers Local 872. He favors giving principals more authority in budgeting and operating their schools, but we can’t see him saying "no" to the demands of his union brethren on pretty much anything.

Vote for Scott Hammond in District 13.

Perhaps no race better represents the stakes of 2011 than District 16. Incumbent Democrat John Oceguera, a North Las Vegas firefighter, is expected to be elevated to Assembly speaker if he wins re-election. That would put an employee of one branch of government in charge of another.

Mr. Oceguera says the state must improve its public schools, but he struggles to articulate any differences with the teacher unions. Government worker unions are counting on him to preserve their garish salaries and benefits.

Republican Bob Irwin, on the other hand, is a businessman who has actually created jobs. The gun store owner says the "modified business (payroll) tax is about the dumbest tax ever created. If I hire somebody, I have to pay a fine to the state to do it." He’s staunchly opposed to putting new burdens on businesses, saying they’ll make the state’s unemployment rate even worse.

Bob Irwin gets the nod in District 16.

In Assembly District 21, incumbent Democrat Ellen Spiegel faces Republican challenger Mark Sherwood.

Ms. Spiegel voted to raise taxes in 2009 after she indicated during her 2008 campaign that wouldn’t do so. "I’m not a tax expert," she says. "I wasn’t qualified to talk about that." As for the 2011 session, she says, "I need to see the package. I’m not advocating anything." Great.

Mr. Sherwood is a businessman who embraces fiscally sane policies and education reforms, saying he’s going to Carson City "to play defense." He wants the Clark County School District to take better advantage of its economies of scale, eliminate inefficiencies and more aggressively evaluate teachers.

Vote for Mark Sherwood in District 21.

In District 29, Republican Dan Hill is challenging first-term incumbent Democrat April Mastroluca.

Before winning public office, Ms. Mastroluca organized grass-roots protests in favor of the 2003 tax increases. In 2009, she joined the Democratic majority in punting the tough budget-cutting decisions that needed to be made, voting to raise taxes again.

Mr. Hill is one of the GOP’s best new candidates. A local high school graduate who grew up in District 29, Mr. Hill has experience as a social worker and a parochial schoolteacher. He currently attends UNLV’s Boyd School of Law. Mr. Hill wants the Legislature to embrace policies that will encourage businesses to hire again, and that starts with keeping taxes as low as possible. He favors offering teachers incentive pay for outstanding performance.

Dan Hill stands out in Assembly District 29.