David Michae Banuelos

Please share briefly what inspired you to run for this office and why you feel you’re qualified for the position.

I moved to Reno 5 years ago from DC, more and more I am feeling like we do have the power to make life fuller by getting involved at the local level. I have been volunteering with Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful over the years and getting more involved in the environmental politics here.

As more Nevadans are facing homelessness during the Covid-19 pandemic how do you plan on dealing with homelessness in your county?

Candidate declined to answer.

The Registrar of Voters/County Clerk reports to the County Commissioners. With the rise of misinformation regarding the integrity/security of our elections and threatened acts of violence towards our election officials, what would you do to combat the misinformation and how would you provide support to the Election Department?

It is unfortunate, the best we can do is stay honest and not perpetuate sensational sound bites for the sake of exposure. Negative or positive.

Nevada has historically protected the right to abortion, including protecting the right in statute 30 years ago by a vote of the people. However, there remain barriers to access in the state. Do you support not only the right to abortion but policies that improve equitable access to abortion care?

Very good questions. I support, on the surface, the right to abortion. Like all major issues this is a multi faceted problem and needs to be addressed as such. There is the issue that is never discussed with the women's right to abortion and that is the potential fathers rights. I would whole heartedly support policies to to improve equitable access to the medical procedure which is abortion provided we can include within those policies a less ambiguous notion of where the fathers rights/responsibilities fall. Lets have the real world hard to swallow conversations before we get to divided to even have the conversation. In general, when a law is made and there is no support to see it managed properly, it undermines the spirit of said law. If abortion is a right, let's remove the road blocks that would impede it's successful summation.

It is well documented that patients of color face greater obstacles to obtaining sexual and reproductive health care than non-Hispanic white Americans – a pattern that results in worse health outcomes overall for BIPOC patients. Do you not only acknowledge systemic racism’s role in public health disparities but will you pursue policies that seek to rectify the historical harm of systemic racism and advance equitable access to health care?

It is more than just the sexual and reproductive health care where minorities are receiving less that stellar services. It is the entire spectrum of healthcare. There is no question about whether or not this is true, the question is why? There isn't a study that sheds sufficient light on any particular reason, so the next step seems to follow to throw the whole book at the problem. I am not sure what policies we can enact when we don't know yet where to aim them. The structural problem with insurance is a place to start, you cannot legislate an individuals implicit bias, hard enough to get them to see it. There is not one thing that is going to fix this issue, but band aids on the problem make things worse. I would love to see some more data on the side of what makes doctors act in favor of the health of the insurance company over the health of the patient. This is a huge problem and in my opinion the solution lies in this specific dynamic, and at the bottom of it all lies the money.

There is a need for transgender specific and inclusive shelters and housing options that are coordinated and supported by Continuums of Care (CoCs). What can you do to ensure people who identify as transgender, who experience homelessness and who are precariously housed at higher rates than any other population, have dedicated homelessness and housing services to address their urgent needs?

Candidate declined to answer.

LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately represented and undercounted and under supported in child welfare and juvenile justice. Do you support the implementation of LGBTQ+ specific policies and procedures that enforce the need for comprehensive data collection, tailored family reunification services, improved policies and procedures and a transparent and easy to access grievance process for LGBTQ+ youth?

I am not sure what this means, perhaps we need more or better policies in general concerning child welfare. I have friends that work in this area and are constantly overworked. It seems more like an overall problem and a specific group problem? I look for

We have seen rental rates increasing at a very alarming rate, in some instances upwards of 30%. How do you see the County Commission taking action to keep Nevadans in their homes and not being priced out?

Very difficult to address. When out of state development companies started swooping in and buying up rental properties only to immediately push residents out, slap fake hard wood and tile down, and then raise the rent significantly, my first thought was "why do we let these out of state interests come in and do this?" Then of course there is the draw of fast cash to unload these 8 unit, 16 unit, 24 unit buildings etc, who would blame the property owners for selling to the highest bidder. The big problem beyond pricing locals out of housing is where that money goes. It is not being spent in the local economy and adds to bleeding the city dry. Again, lots of angles. I do not know what can be done to protect the local county and residents, but I am cautious of of impeding the free market.

Nevada has one of the largest shares of federal public land of any state in the country, providing important wildlife habitat, places to hunt, camp, fish and hike, and acting as the foundation of a billion dollar outdoor industry. Even so, some lawmakers have promoted policies that seek wholesale transfer of federal ownership of our national lands to states. A) Would you support or oppose these land transfer policies? B) Would should the State of Nevada’s role be in the management and ownership of federal land?

In general I support anything that takes the power from Big Brother and gives it to the local entities. It seems the federal response to maintenance the past few years has indirectly added to the ferocity of the fire season. Perhaps states are better equipped to understand the needs of these areas better. it is worth discussion.

State investments in conservation provide resources for a wide range of public benefit, like the management of wildlife and state land, and the creation and maintenance of trails and other recreational facilities. In 2019, the Legislature approved $217 million of bonding authority for conservation purposes, including for the acquisition of land for new state parks. A) Do you support or oppose state investment in conservation? B) Has Nevada’s investment in land conservation been too little, too much, or about right, and how would you change it?

I support all investment in conservation. I am fortunate enough to be able to get out into these areas and enjoy them. I always feel like the trails are well kept. I would like to see better maintenance on the undergrowth and hopefully prevent the severity of the fires we face.

How will the county ensure that low-income communities of color and impacted communities are centered when writing county climate plans?

Candidate declined to answer.

How will the county address decades of environmental injustices that have placed low-income communities of color in the most polluted and hottest neighborhoods?

Low income communities period. Making this a race issue hides the fact that this is a class issue. People of low income historically have less access to health and community services. The areas surrounding industrial areas are always cheaper, low income families have not many options except to settle themselves in those areas. This doesn't seem to me to be an intentional blight forced upon the low income, thought what matters is the end result. These families have a lower quality of life. I would like to see better efforts to clean up big industry and keep them from having such a negative impact on these areas.

Will you practice a just transition approach to Nevada’s clean energy & sustainability plans while holding accountable those who must consult and collaborate with Nevada’s Tribal Nations on decisions which may negatively impact their indigenous lifeways?

One hundred percent. Far too often their communities are being "railroaded", figuratively and literally. I am against cronyism and back door deals to benefit the few while the rest suffer.

What is your knowledge of the unique needs facing the “urban Native American” diaspora residing in southern Nevada?

I am not very well attuned to the needs of the Natives unfortunately, this is an area I feel we can all be more aware of.

What is your stance on transitioning to all paper ballot elections? And the hand count of paper ballots?What is your knowledge of the unique needs facing the “urban Native American” diaspora residing in southern Nevada?

This doesn't seem necessary and may impede some citizens ability to cast a vote and be heard.

How will you resist official or unofficial, public or private pressure to alter, manipulate, or baselessly reject the results of an election?

Personal integrity is the best policy concerning these issues.

How will you resist and counteract official or unofficial, public or private disinformation concerning the results of an election?

Voluntarily speaking to constituents and promoting the idea of fairness and integrity and not spreading, intentionally or unintentionally, doubt and discord publicly or privately