Homelessness
Homelessness is a local issue to Las Vegas, one that has become front and center since the past few years has seen revival and gentrification in many of our cities older areas. Homelessness, at its core, is interrelated with not just poverty, but mental illness and addiction. It affects all of us as health, social, and economic issues. Dave has a plan to pull the community together to focus on solving the complex problems that arise when people don’t have homes. We can join with other cities who are gaining amazing strides in getting the homeless, and those suffering from mental health and addiction, safe and off the streets. Dave has the 30-year, proven background to successfully work with the Mayor, Council, and citizens to solve these issues. Dave will support the current, proven operators to expand the capacity for dealing with homeless people through housing, treatment, rehabilitation, and intensive case management methods. Learn more about Dave’s 3-tier approach to solve the local homeless issue here.
Education
Our community has an education crisis. No matter which side of the voting aisle you are on, all can see that our schools need proper funding and reasonable accommodations that will ensure our youngest population has access to top-notch resources. Sadly, a high percentage of Ward 1 students are considered “at risk” – some of these students are second language English learners, while others are struggling from poverty and homelessness; many are impacted by both. Per-pupil funding for our area is far too low and these scenarios need weighted funding, in addition to adequate funding for all students. I will partner with the School Board in helping address our children and parents’ needs. The City of Las Vegas and the school district overlap on several programs to support our children. Dave supports these programs and will be an outspoken advocate in supporting proper funding of our schools, our children, and our teachers.
In addition to more funding, Dave will be advocating for a forensic audit in order to demand more accountability and more transparency from the current system. The Nevada legislature passed a $1.5 billion tax increase in 2015 to fund education, yet the average per-pupil funding in the City of Las Vegas schools did not materially change. This shows that there is a large problem that needs addressing and fixing. Learn more about Dave’s views on education here.
Energy and Environment
Energy for our city shouldn’t be a touchy, bipartisan subject. Our city and its citizens deserve to have sustainable, clean, renewable energy that will power our homes for years to come, without the possibility of hurting our environment. Mayor Carolyn Goodman and the current City Council have taken great strides and have succeeded in leading Las Vegas to become the 1st city of its size in the nation to achieve 100% renewable energy for its city operations. While this is a strong step in the right direction, we need to be doing more.
Dave’s experience in helping thousands of citizens get off dangerous, addictive chemicals will come in handy when he helps push for legislation that will help our city get off its dependency to fossil fuels. Unlike the previous administration, that tried to run solar energy, rooftop solar companies with jobs, and forward-thinking ideas out of the state, Dave will be working hard to raise Las Vegas to a 5-STAR certification for sustainable and renewable energy.
Part of the process of making sure that our city has the best is to make sure that we’re consulting with the brightest. Dave’s sister, Jennifer Marlon, Ph.D. and her husband lead Yale University’s Program on Climate Change Communication. Staying up to date on the latest science coming out of one of our nation’s leading academic facilities is part of the reason why I’m so passionate about making sure our city is prepped to not only do its part but to thrive during these upcoming decades of change.
Learn more about Dave’s thoughts on Energy & Environment in Nevada.
Crime and Safety
No one should have to worry about their safety, or the safety of their family, in their neighborhood. We should all feel safe going to our local supermarkets, parks, and schools, and we should definitely feel safe in our homes. We need focused efforts NOW in dealing with the key factors the feed into local crime rates: homelessness, drug addiction, unemployment, and more. Violent crimes and burglaries should be dealt with swiftly and successfully by local law enforcement in order to protect our neighborhoods for the long term. Dave will expand the police and law enforcement presence by adding more officers, neighborhood watches, and technological assets such as cameras to protect our communities. He will advocate for increased funding for local emergency responders and updated training. Part of Dave’s mission is to help eradicate homelessness and increase treatment for substance abuse, which will lower crime rates in our local area.
Learn more about how Dave plans to address local crime & safety rates.
Development and Jobs
Dave will join the Mayor and members of the council to use redevelopment support to attract new businesses and new jobs to Ward 1. Just as the council has worked with private businesses in the massive clean-up of Downtown Las Vegas, we can revitalize the empty shopping centers throughout Ward 1.
It’s important that our residents earn a livable wage. Dave Marlon will always be an advocate for well-paying jobs and high-level training that help bring a high quality of life to families and the community. During his time as CEO, he has championed and supported equal pay, employee benefits and employee leave policies that provide for a happy and healthy workforce. Dave has been endorsed by the Operating Engineers and Laborers Union.
Fire and Rescue
We all want to know that when help is urgently needed, city fire & rescue teams are there for us. Dave knows from first-hand experience we have an excellent team at Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. Our City Department has one of the best records in the nation when it comes to saving people from heart attacks, which is America’s biggest killer. “I’ll support the working men and women of our fire department every step of the way because they provide a high level of safety and protection to each person and every home, business, and school in our city.”
Financial Responsibility
Dave is the only candidate with 20 years of experience managing and understanding a multi-million dollar budget – a budget even larger than the City of Las Vegas. His years as a successful CEO in private industry have prepared him to address complicated budgets and hold the line on municipal spending. Dave is prepared to review and scrutinize the budget starting from day one, making sure we curb special interest spending and direct the funds towards issues that affect the community.
Infrastructure
Many residents are concerned that the infrastructure has not kept up with the rapid growth Las Vegas has experienced over the past decades. As your councilman, Dave will focus on connectivity, efficiency, and safety. He will ensure we repaint the bike lanes and will support alternative and public transportation as much as possible while working on improving bike and pedestrian safety.
Hunger
Although we try our very best to provide for our families, sometimes we need some support to make sure mouths are fed. An issue close to Dave’s heart, our local families should not be overlooked simply because they are not on the street. Social programs should be funded for lower-income families and our senior citizens and veterans that do not have the ability to fully provide for themselves.