1. Improving Education Though Transparency and Accountability. 

Nevada currently budgets approximately 48% of it's budget to the school system.

The Clark County School District budget is currently $9 Billion per year. This amounts to about $13,000.00 per year per child. This means that every classroom of 25 students gets $325,000.00 per year. Obviously, the problem is not money but how that money is spent.

Nevada needs greater education accountability at all levels. School administrators should be accountable for the quality of education in a school. Teachers should be accountable for the quality of education in the classroom. Directing allocated educational resources back into the classroom and to our kids. Leonard Foster wants to empower parents and students with control over their education. By allowing them to choose where they wish to go to school creating an atmosphere of competition in our educational system. 

Transparency in the school district budget will empower parents by allowing them to actually see where their tax dollars go. We keep hearing that Nevada needs to raise taxes for education, transparency will show all of us whether or not this is true.

2. Reducing Taxes and Controlling Spending.

Just as all of us have had to reduce our spending and make some cuts, so should the Nevada Government. Nevada needs to take a look at the so-called "essential services" and see what is indeed "essential".

There are legitimate needs that your tax dollars pay for such as police and fire departments. However, Government Officials must be accountable for your tax money, and how it is spent. Raising taxes is not the solution to the budget challenges we face. We need to make all departments accountable on how they spend your tax dollars and cut the unnecessary waste at all levels.

Transparency in government is a top priority and will achieve these goals. For the past 6 years our current elected officials have told us that there is no where to cut the budget and taxes must be increased. Transparency in Nevada government will empower the people of Nevada by allowing Nevada citizens to see the Nevada Budget, online, where they can search and see for themselves how every tax dollar is spent. With hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Nevada citizens looking over the budget with a fine-toothed comb, Leonard is sure that he can make our essential services more efficient and find the "fat" that needs to be cut.

A Zero Based Budgeting System sets all budgets to zero and makes departments or government agencies justify all of their expenditures. Money is then allocated to the various departments or agencies based on what is currently needed, not the previous year’s budget.

3. Economic Growth.

Nevada had traditionally been a great place for business due to its' low taxes. However, recent tax increases on businesses has changed this. By placing the tax burden on businesses, we have seen higher prices, employee layoffs and slower growth.

Leonard Foster will fight against job killing regulations and tax increases, support tax reductions to help spur development and job creation, improve our education systems so employers have the educated workers they need and a top-notch school system to send their children.

4. Investing in Renewable Energy.

Nevada has plenty of open space and plenty of sunshine. We can be leader in renewable energy which will create jobs and bring money to Nevada.

Developing high efficiency and renewable energy technologies in Nevada is the key to creating high quality jobs in Nevada, reducing the river of money to corrupt Middle East oil kingdoms funding radical Islamic terrorists, preserving our planet for our children, and lowering power and gasoline prices. We need a national commitment to invest in Nevada's solar, wind and geothermal energy resources to make that dream a reality. I will provide the leadership to make the dream a reality.

One company, Enviro Mission, manufactures a Solar Tower which generates electricity through solar power. There is one planned for Austrailia and another in Spain. Technologies such as this are a natural for Nevada and we need to look into these options to bring Nevada to the top of the renewable energy issue.

View an Artist Rendition of the Solar Tower (6.7MB in Windows Media format)

View Video Clip of "Beyond 2000" (12.5MB in Windows Media format) - a 5 minute presentation on the Solar Tower.

View Video Clip of Discovery Channels "Building the Future" (32.6MB in flv format) segment on EnviroMission.

View Video Clip of History Channels "Modern Marvels" (14.7MB in flv format) segment on EnviroMission.

5. Healthcare.

The ability of one to choose their own doctors and make their own medical decisions is crucial to preserving personal liberty. I will oppose any attempts at government run healthcare on a state or national level. We must do more to ensure adequate access to quality healthcare. The answers to many of the healthcare challenges facing Nevadans can be found by leveraging the private sector and non-profit organizations in our state, by providing healthcare consumer choice and transparency, and decreasing regulations while safeguarding patient care.

Illegal Immigration.

Nevada currently spends over $630 Million per year due to illegal immigration. Nevada spends $470 million annually to educate the children of illegal immigrants in public schools and an additional $45 million for limited English program. Eighty five million goes to healthcare for illegal immigrants and $31 to incarcerate them. This is an amount that we can no longer afford to bear. You can download the full report here. 

The Las Vegas Review Journal reported on August 17, 2009 that 80 illegal immigrants are costing you and I over $24 MILLION per year for dialysis treatment! That's over $25,000 per month in FREE treatment. Wonder why healthcare costs are so high? You can read the full article here