Knecht files for second Assembly term

On the second day of filing, all the action in Carson City was at the Secretary of State's Office, where candidates from around the state signed up for the coming election.

Among them was Republican Ron Knecht, who celebrated his birthday Tuesday by filing for a second term as Carson City's Assemblyman.

Knecht, 55, said he will expand his proposed constitutional amendment designed to limit the annual growth of state spending.

His spending cap would limit the growth of state government spending to the growth rate of the economy. It would require a two-thirds vote of each legislative house to exceed the limit.

To counter a July 2003 Supreme Court opinion that said the two-thirds requirement to raise taxes must "give way" to the constitutional mandate to fund public education, Knecht said, his amendment would spell out that, if that issue comes up in the future, other constitutional requirements must yield to the two-thirds requirement.

"I'll also propose comprehensive educational and health-care reforms, protect Second Amendment (right to bear arms) rights and continue to protect and promote Nevada families and business," he said.

Knecht was one of the Assembly Republican tax holdouts who stalled the end of session more than a month by preventing a two-thirds majority for the tax increase plan. The deadlock was finally broken when Battle Mountain Republican John Marvel changed his vote after getting several concessions, including elimination of the gross receipts tax on business.

Knecht is one of the public employees who could wind up removed from legislative service if the Supreme Court rules state workers can't also be lawmakers. He is an economist employed by the Public Utilities Commission.

He is opposed by Bonnie Parnell, the Democrat who served two terms representing District 40 before deciding not to run two years ago. She filed Monday to reclaim the seat, which represents most of Carson City and part of southern Washoe County. She is a retired teacher.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.