Additionally,
John volunteered his time as a member of the Las Vegas Parks and
Recreation Board. He worked on water issues as a member of the Citizen’s
Advisory Commission of the Las Vegas Valley Water District.
His
business skills and knowledge of government services were put to
good use when John was
first elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 1996. John became
the vice chairman of the
Assembly Government Affairs Committee and served as a member of
the Natural Resources,
Agriculture and Mining Committee, as well as the Transportation
and Taxation Committees.
The
Government Affairs Committee dealt with legislation affecting state,
county and local
government. Municipal airports, general improvement districts, city
charters and much more fell
under the review of this committee. Through his work as vice chair,
John was often called upon
to head subcommittees, digging deeper into complex issues involving
overlapping jurisdictions.
All this gave John a thorough understanding of how government works
in both large and small
committees across our state.
As a
businessman and as a family man, John takes a conservative approach
to taxation. On the Taxation Committee, John emphasized the necessity
of making certain Nevada’s families have control over their
own finances and that their tax burden is kept low.
After
serving as a member and vice chair of the High Level Nuclear Waste
Interim Committee, John was named chair in 2001. John attended every
sort of meeting possible to gain a perspective from all sides of
the issues. John said at the time, “you need to know how the
opposition works if you are to be successful in beating them.”
The Interim Committee has provided the governor and our federal
representatives with additional information and support in their
battle against the nuclear repository.
John
and his family enjoy an active outdoor life. As an extension of
the rafting, mountain biking and hiking the family does, John is
commited to maintaining open spaces and recreational areas. As a
past member of the Lake Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Committee,
John knows that Lake Tahoe is a national treasure needing protection
so future generations can enjoy its beauty.
While
John has not sought the headlines during his legislative service,
his peers know of his
determination and persistence. For example, the rapid growth in
the Las Vegas valley made
previously used shooting sites dangerous. Sport and hunting groups
came to John for help in finding a new, safe location for target
practice.
Nevada
faced a tight budget when John brought his legislation forward to
establish this safe
location for recreational shooting. Undaunted, John turned to the
federal government, enlisting
the assistance of Senator Harry Reid. John traveled to Washington,
D.C. to speak on the issue
and testified before Congress.
Thanks
to John spearheading the effort, Nevadans will soon have a safe
location right here in
Clark County for recreational shooting and archery. Over 2,880 acres
of federal land has been turned over to Nevada and soon a state-of-the-art
facility will be open to the public.
As a
businessman, family man, legislator and community activist, John
Lee has, in his own quiet
way, left his mark. He devotes his public life to the idea of service
for us, our families and
Nevada’s future.
