WELCOME!
“Thoughtful” … “well-informed” … “dependable” … “open-minded” … “genuine.”
That’s Paul Aizley. Paul believes all PEOPLE are created equal and each is entitled to "LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS." Paul has lived in Las Vegas for 50 years. He is a retired UNLV math professor and Dean of Continuing Education.
Long-time Activist and Progressive
In 2009 Assemblyman Aizley sponsored AB184, an employment non-discrimination bill that protected transgender person in the workplace.
In 2011 Assemblyman Aizley sponsored AB235 legalizing the use of medical marijuana in Nevada.
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FOR SENIORS
FROM STUDENTS
u Calculus 1 student Cristina Alvarez says:
Since I was the first in my family to go to college,
it was like heading into uncharted waters. Professor Aizley
helped me build my confidence and believed I could make it
through. He helped me to get my current job, which I love.
We need more insightful people like Paul Aizley in government
to guide us in developing the potential of our great state.
u Calculus
3 student Vik
Sehdev says:
I would not be where I am today without Paul Aizley. He spent many hours with me … until I understood math problems. I graduated with an engineering degree and went on to a construction management career. Paul goes the extra mile in everything he does.
PAUL’S PRIORITY ISSUES
EDUCATION
Re-examine teacher preparation in Clark County School District.
Improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (the STEM programs) in all of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).
PROTECTING SENIORS
- Potentially dangerous Guardianships. Protect seniors who are targeted for fraudulent guardianships and loss of all assets. Recent legislation has improved this process but it is still a worry for some seniors.
- Scam artists are relentless. We cannot eliminate the scams with legislation but we can make our seniors aware of them. For example – if someone calls and says, “Hello, Grandma I am in trouble and please do not tell my parents.” then ask the caller for his mother’s maiden name and he or she will probably hang up. (The “Hello Grandma” scam cost a friend $9,000.)
PROVIDING FOR EDUCATION
- Improving funding for K-12 and higher education. Nevada’s old way of relying on gaming and mining to pay for everything is not working. The constitution makes us responsible for education, human resources and public safety. Nearly every agency is understaffed and in need of financial assistance. We need a new tax system that is fair to employers and employees, owners and renters, public and private agencies, etc. Then we can build an outstanding system of education for both K-12 and NSHE.
PROTECTING THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR GOVERNMENT WORKERS
- Safeguard retirement benefits for state and local government workers. PERS, the Public Employment Retirement System, has never missed a payment. The money that PERS holds is in trust for our retirees and it is not public money even though many think it is. That money is part of each workers’ compensation. When they sign on, the employer says that they will get their salary dollars and the state will hold their retirement dollars. The system has been tweaked before and if needed, can be tweaked again.
DEVELOPING A PLAN THAT PROVIDES FOR GROWTH AND PROTECTS PUBLIC LANDS
Preserve Nevada’s public lands. Many Nevadans like to hike and fish and hunt and explore all over our Public Lands. Other Nevadans want to use the land for economic gain. Both sides have valid, if opposing views. We all need to take part in a solution that protects independent and economically successful farmers, ranchers and miners and at the same time does not dot the landscape with thousands of NO-TRESSPASSING, PRIVATE PROPERTY signs.
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Former Governor and U.S. Senator Richard Bryan says:
“Paul has a track record as a proven and effective legislator.
The respect he enjoys from his Republican and Democratic colleagues
has enabled him to get legislation that he proposed through the Legislature.”
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COMMUNITY SERVICE LEGISLATION
Ongoing Programs:
- Southern Nevada Ice Age Park Foundation, vice president. This Foundation supports research and tourism within Nevada’s new national monument. In the 2013 legislative session Paul sponsored a resolution that demonstrated statewide support for the new National Monument. The National Monument covers 27,000 acres in Southern Nevada. The Ice Age Park Foundation supports the 315 acre State Park adjacent to the National Monument.
- OLLI (formerly UNLV’s Learning in Retirement), founder. This very popular UNLV program was developed by Paul when he was dean of UNLV’s Continuing Education Division. OLLI grew from 69 members in 1991 to almost 2,000 today — and is still growing.
Paul's other leadership roles in recent years:
- CLASS! Publications. Co-founder of this non-profit organization with son, David Phillips, and wife Sari. CLASS! served 40,000 high school students and many teachers in Clark County for 16 years. It was written by, for and about teenagers and it included a Spanish-language section called Díganos. The Clark County School District named CLASS! its Partner in Education. (Please see CLASS! on this website.)
- Nevada Fair Housing Center, Founding President
- Nevada Faculty Alliance, State and Chapter President (An affilate of the American Assn. of University Professors)
- UNLV Faculty Senate Chair,two terms
- Tropicana Villa Homeowners Association, President, 4 years
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), State President
- Legislature, Assemblyman for AD 41, fulltime, 2009-2014.
- Legislative Committee on the Funding of Higher Education: Chair, Workforce & Economic Development Subcommittee
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PAUL'S YEARS AT UNLV and
IN THE LEGISLAURE
At UNLV (1968-2008), in addition to being a math professor, Paul was the assistant to two university presidents (five years) and, for 13 years, he was the Dean of Continuing Education and Summer Term. In the Dean’s role, he was responsible for multi-million-dollar public budgets with great success.
He’s a mathematician who knows how to count taxpayer pennies! This skill is important in state budget management.
In 2008, after 40 years as an educator and a dean, he retired and was elected to represent District 41 in the 2009 Nevada Assembly. He then was re-elected to serve in 2011 and 2013. Legislative service was his full-time job.
(Please see Legislation and Paul’s Bio on this website.)
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Elvira Diaz, Community Activist, says:
"Paul Aizley es comprensivo y tiene compasión para comunidad
a la que el sirve. El nos extiende su mano para lograr cambios que nos benefician a todos. Me siento honrada de conocerlo y de ofrecerle todo mi apoyo"
(Translation)
“Paul Aizley understands and has compassion for the community
he serves. He reaches out to make changes that benefit all.
I am honored to know him and give him my support."
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QUICK VIEW OF SOME LAWS
SPONSORED BY PAUL AIZLEY
(For more, please see Legislation))
- Sponsored: Bringing movie industry employment to Nevada.
- Sponsored: Ensuring increased subsidies for Nevada government retirees with Medicare when funds are available. Passed. Recipients saw increases starting in 2013.
- Sponsored: Only car buyers have access to the $100,000 bond that car dealers are required to have. Passed.
- Sponsored: A listing of the names of insurance companies that do not use your credit score to determine your premium. Passed.
- Sponsored: Your right to know what you are eating — Required labels be put on genetically modified foods (GMOs). Did not pass.
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Senator David Parks says:
Paul is a the proven progessive leader we need in Nevada Government. He has the legislative expertise, knowledge and ability to make meaningful changes for all Nevadans. I'm prode to endorse him for AD41
From (2016) AFSCME Local 4041
American Federation of State, County\
and Municipao Employees (AFL-CIO)
Your leadership and support in the upcoming session will be instrumental
to not only state and local government employees,
but all of Nevada's working and middle class families.
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FYI: Understanding legislative schedules.
The Nevada Legislature meets for four months (early February to early June) in odd-numbered years. In that brief time, legislators consider more than 1,000 proposed new laws. Many do become law, some fail, some are held over for future consideration.
Nevada needs people in government who understand the process from the first day of the legislative session. Paul’s experience in the Assembly taught him how to make efficient use of these 120 jam-packed days.
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State Senator Tick Segerblom says:
"Paul is a true, proven, progressive Democrat.
He not only talks the talk, he walks the walk.
We need him back in Carson City!"
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EDUCATION
IS THE KEY TO JOB GROWTH
Paul's Education
Harvard - Bachelor's Degree
University of Arizona - Master's Degree
Arizona State University - Ph.D.
(All of his degrees are in Mathematics)
Also
Metro’s Citizens Police Academy
Dealers’ School
Paralegal Certificate
Economic diversity in Nevada will depend upon UNLV becoming a major research university. This will lead to more innovation, ideas, patents, new business opportunities and, hence, more jobs.
Too many families today worry that they will be unable to send their children to college. Paul understands that very well. As a poor college kid in Boston, he had summer jobs in a resort hotel and in a knitting mill. That was how he worked his way through Harvard. Then he headed west to University of Arizona to earn a Masters degree and, later, a PhD at Arizona State University. Paul believes every student should have a secure future, either with a college education or career training — and WITHOUT the crushing burden of student loans or other such debts.
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Cristina Alvarez, former student , says:
“Since I was the first in my family to go to college,
it was like heading into uncharted waters. Professor Aizley
helped me build my confidence and believed I could make it
through. He helped me to get my current job, which I love.
We need more insightful people like Paul Aizley in government
to guide us in developing the potential of our great state.”
___________________________
PAUL FINDS CREATIVE SOLUTIONS …
FOR SENIORS
- Learning in Retirement / OLLI. (Also descrived above) As Dean of Continuing Education, and with the help of interested residents, Paul established UNLV’s popular program now called OLLI for semi-retired and retired Southern Nevadans. It has grown from 60 members to more than 1,300 active participants.
- Elderhoste / Road Scholars. Paul led UNLV to join the national Elderhostel network — now called Road Scholars. This active organization arranges group travel for seniors, into and out of Las Vegas. It brought many visitors to Las Vegas, seniors who may never have ventured here on their own.
FOR THE MILITARY
ROTC education. Students at the community college who planned for a military career needed university level courses and a university degree to qualify for officer status when they graduated. Paul worked with UNLV colleagues to approve the required courses.
FOR OUR TEENAGERS
CLASS! Publications, described above, was foundedd by Paul and, his son and wife. This non-profit organization served thousands of students and countless teachers for 16 years. (See details in CLASS! on this website.)
BUSINESS KNOW-HOW
Paul is a skilled manager of business budgets — public funds and private.
PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERIENCE
- Paul worked with Strip hotels and other local businesses in organizing conferences that brought people to Las Vegas. For example, the international conference on Packaging and Transporting Radioactive Materials (PATRAM) included government officials and scientists from all over the planet. This issue was and still is of particular interest to local businesses as well as to all Nevadans.
- Paul and his wife, Sari, founded and operated a photography-based retail store in Las Vegas.
- Paul coordinated with the local hospitals to expand the radiography program at UNLV.
- For four years, Paul served as President of a local Homeowners Association, where he successfully managed and budgeted for the maintenance and improvement of the community property.
- ALSO:
- Founding chair, Nevada Fair Housing Center
- Member of the governing board of the Financial Guidance Center
- Grievance and Contract Administration training
- Paralegal training
- Outside agent for a local travel agency
- Attended dealers school and dealt blackjack on the Strip briefly
Vik Sehdev, former student, says:
“I would not be where I am today without Paul Aizley. He spent many hours with me … until I understood math problems. I graduated with an engineering degree and went on to a construction management career. Paul goes the extra mile in everything he does.”
SEE MORE ENDORSEMENTS BY COMMUNITY LEADEERS
AND ORGANIZATIONS ON THE ENDORSEMENTS PAGE