By Rich Dunn, 2012 Democratic AD40 Candidate
In his October 19th Nevada Appeal column, Guy Farmer endorsed “PK” O’Neill for State Assembly, but described O’Neill’s opponent, Dave Cook, as “a perennial candidate who should have remained on the State Board of Education.” Farmer offers no rationale for his support of O’Neill or for his dismissive attitude toward Mr. Cook, whose term as Northern Nevada’s representative on the Board of Education ends in 2016, not 2014.
Cook and O’Neill are about the same age and are both retired state employees, Cook in education and O’Neill in law enforcement. But calling Dave Cook a “perennial candidate” disparages a distinguished record of public service rivaled only by Pete Livermore himself. Mr. Cook has run for office seven times over the past quarter century, won five of those races, and has served his city and state in 21 of those 25 years. Even in the years out of office, he has devoted extensive time and effort to helping elect others who share his values, especially when it comes to education.
All that Guy Farmer could say on Mr. O’Neill’s behalf was that he is “personable.” Such weak praise is hardly surprising considering that O’Neill is a complete political novice. To my knowledge he has never served in a single public office, elected or appointed, nor has he participated in the political process, save for voting. This void of experience has been reflected both in his campaign literature and his public appearances. He says he wants to spend more money on education and state employee compensation, but in the same breath he promises never to raise a penny of revenue. He’s even come out against lifting the mining sector’s 150-year-old constitutional exemption, so where he thinks the money is going to come from remains a mystery.
Not so for Dave Cook, who understands that fiscal responsibility means having enough money to pay your bills. Drawing on his extensive experience in public life as well as his expertise as an emeritus professor of economics, he has put forward a detailed tax proposal that promises to raise significant revenues for education and other vital services without adding to the burdens of Nevadans still reeling from the after effects of the Great Recession. If elected on November the 4th, Dave will hit the ground running, just as Pete Livermore did four years ago. I’m confident that he will make a real difference, both for Carson City and for the Silver State.
