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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Andrew Martin |
| Address | 7345 S. Durango Dr.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89113, United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
February 19, 1964
(60 years)
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| Contributor | ArmyDem |
| Last Modifed | RBH
May 21, 2020 11:31pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | A bit about me…
In 1964, I was born in Newark, NJ. At the age of three, my family moved to East Northport, NY. At a very early age, my parents instilled in my two older sisters and me the values of respect, responsibility and reaching out to those in need.
Las Vegas, NV has been my home for several years, where I live with my life partner of over 20 years, Dana Barooshian. We work together in the CPA firm I started in 1994, Martin & Wall, P.C., and enjoy bowling in our free time. Our firm, which operates out of Las Vegas, Chicago and Washington, DC, has more than 1,300 clients, including federal agencies, public charter schools, non-profits, entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens trying to cope with a complex, overbearing tax code. Those same values that my parents instilled in me are principles that I have carried into the business world.
My parents also taught me the importance of grit and determination. In order to obtain my B.S. and M.S. from the Sate University of New York at Binghamton, I worked as a teacher’s assistant and as a school janitor. I went on to become a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner and start my own company. I am proud that my determination to pursue an education has resulted in a successful company that provides jobs. I feel like I am living the American Dream and feel a call to service to make sure others have the same opportunities I did.
Today, I find myself stunned at the lack of integrity and accountability in the federal government, which is contrary to my core values and professional training. In looking at how I might be able to best use my skills to change that, I decided to run for public office. As a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner with 20 years professional experience, I have developed expertise in tax policy, entrepreneurship and auditing small federal agencies and public schools. I believe this skill set is exactly what is needed to get our country back on track by setting priorities and holding people accountable.
After talking with family, friends, neighbors and government leaders, I decided to start a dialogue with the voters on the critical issues facing our nation as the starting point for my bid to be the next Congressman from Nevada’s 3rd District.
Learning the value of a dollar…
When I was five years old, my family took a vacation to Miami Beach. One day while there, I walked into the ice cream shop at the hotel. The assortment of colorful flavors was too much for a kid to handle, but I knew I wanted that ice cream. Unfortunately, I had no money. With sad eyes and puckered lips, I looked at the man behind the counter, hoping for a solution to my predicament. He told me I could charge the ice cream to my room. What a great deal, I thought. I get my ice cream now, but don’t have to pay for it. So, I came back to that ice cream stand every day while on that vacation. Not until vacation was over and my father was checking out did I realize what paying later meant. It was a painful lesson to say the least.
Restoring integrity and accountability…
Since the 1980s, the Republican leadership in Washington has abandoned fiscal responsibility and handled our nation’s finances much like a five year old child. Their “put it on my tab” policies are diminishing our role as the world’s economic leader. According to our country’s audit report, we currently owe more than $50 trillion. This is four times the national output and 94% of the total net worth of all Americans. Such childlike spending behaviors must be modified and America must redeem herself in the international arena as a respected economical system that first takes care of domestic obligations, thus creating an economy that solidifies its place as the leader in the world market. We cannot allow the federal government to become the next Enron, Worldcom or Global Crossing financial debacle.
Where I was on 9-11…
On the morning of 9-11, I arrived early in my office in Washington, DC, about half a mile north of the White House. As the morning unfolded, I watched the news with horror as buildings I worked near when I was 22 came crashing down. I sat on the front porch of our building seeing smoke rising from the enflamed Pentagon. I saw hundreds of people fleeing up the street from like a giant exodus as the Secret Service yelled “run.” I wondered where Dana's sister, Margo who works about 14 blocks north of the towers was. By Noontime, we received an e-mail that she was walking to work that day and saw the second plane slam into the towers and explode. I also wondered where one of my relatives, who worked in the towers was? I received word the next day he was out of the office during the attack and unharmed. I wondered where two of my best friends from college were, who work blocks away from the towers. The next day I receive word of how they picked up their little boy at day care and ran across the Brooklyn Bridge to safety. They told me he innocently asked: “Mommy, are the planes going to hit our building tonight?” The best they could say was “no, our President is going to protect us” with an uneasy feeling in their stomach knowing that this was not true. Several months later I saw a young family member, who loves his rescue heroes action figures, as he watched the rescue heroes cartoon show in admiration of firefighters, policemen and EMTs. Unfortunately, I read the 9-11 hearing transcripts and realized those rescue workers did not even have the basic communication tools they need to respond to that emergency. Living through this experience changed my attitudes and helped spark my call to service.
Why I am running for office…
The values my family instilled in me as a child and the values that were reinforced as I worked my way through college are the same that we should be expect from our lawmakers.
There is a complete lack of accountability of our federal government to its citizens. State and local governments must balance their budgets and pass annual audits. Similarly, so should the federal government.
The Bush administration has mishandled the war in Iraq, failed to implement the 9-11 Commission recommendations and has continuously failed to act in our country’s best interests, putting our health care, education, pensions and jobs at risk.
Our government is also swamped with special interests. Their constant presence undermines the needs of the American people. We need new leaders who simply want the right thing for all their fellow citizens.
I have thought for some time now how to best serve my fellow Nevadans and truly be engaged with our political process. My experience in tax policy, promoting entrepreneurship and job creation, and holding public organizations accountable has prepared me to consider public service as an elected official. Now is the time for real leadership and real change.
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