The owner of a closed-captioning service said partisan politics should be irrelevant when selecting a county commissioner.
A 14-year resident of Saratoga Springs, Nancy Epstein, 49, faces engineer George Theil in the first Democratic primary for county commission in 16 years. The winner in the Commission District 5 primary will face the winner of the Republican primary in the general election.
Epstein said she didn't feel the candidates were offering anything new.
"I felt all the candidates were offering the status quo with a focus on growth," she said. "I have a lot of respect for anyone who serves, but I didn't feel they were speaking to me or for me."
Epstein said her was main concern is the budget.
She said the long dry spell since a Democrat was elected to county commission won't slow her down.
"I'm not letting that deter me," she said. "I'm asking people to vote for the candidate and not the party. We're all friends and neighbors here. I have the same cares and concerns as anyone else. I don't see the county commission as being a partisan office. We need a candidate who will put best interests of Douglas County first. Party doesn't play into the factor there."
Epstein is the owner of Captivision, a closed-captioning service provider that subcontracts with networks such as CNN, CNBC, C-Span, C-Span2 and Fox. She describes herself as a moderate.
Epstein said she has spent years listening to other communities deal with growth, budgets and quality of life issues while covering broadcasts of local government meetings.
She and her family have lived in the Carson Valley since 1994.
"I protect and promote the best interests of the residents of Douglas County," Epstein said. "Many Carson Valley residents want a commissioner who will be independent, look at issues on a case-by-case basis, and someone who is not beholden to special interests. I am that candidate."
Epstein said she is interested in diversifying the county's economy by attracting new business.
"The funding and protection of infrastructure can also stimulate jobs and improve quality of life," she said. "Growth and change in our County should be managed effectively while making efficient use of the County's resources."
While able to balance the budget without the use of reserves, Epstein said she felt that teen and senior services need to be protected and restored to the budget.
"I plan to focus on quality of life issues," she said. "This election brings an opportunity to unite our community. I'm a candidate who can build consensus. My allegiance and loyalty is to all residents of Douglas County. Let's work together to get through these tough economic times and look forward to a brighter future where we can address growth without fracturing our Commission and dividing our community. If you want a County Commissioner who is fair-minded and independent, I'd appreciate your support," said Epstein.
For more information, call 267-5107 or e-mail nancy_epstein@charter.net
