The Scoop with Tanya Flanagan

Wesley Knight 0:00
This is a Kun V studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Tanya Flanagan 0:19
Good morning, and thank you for joining me for the scoop with Tanya Flanagan, I'm so happy you decided to wake up and start your day with me here on the scoop, where we talk about life, joy, funny moments, trending topics and so much more. We promise to keep you in the know and find out what you know. So let's get started.

You Good morning to my listening audience. It's so nice of you to wake up on a Sunday morning and join me. Once again, it is a pleasure to come to you from the 83rd session of the Nevada legislative session. As you know, I have been talking with legislators who represent areas of our great state on the show since the legislative session began on February 3, and I am excited and delighted to have with me assembly district 14, great representative assembly woman or member now. Erica Mosca, good morning, assembly member. Mosca, thank you for joining me. Good morning. Thank you so much for having me. For those who are not familiar, you represent assembly district 14, which is down in Southern Nevada, where most of our time these days, up here in Carson, up in Carson City. So I want to make sure people are familiar with the boundaries for your district. I know it's the beloved East Las Vegas area. But can you give us a sense so we can see it geographically in our heads for the conversation today? Yes,

Erica Mosca 1:46
thank you so much. I proudly represent assembly district 14. The district starts on Vegas valley and net list all the way down to Bonanza and Nellis and then down to Charleston and Pecos area, so pretty vibrant, diverse area that crosses over boulder highway.

Tanya Flanagan 2:06
Okay, well, yeah, you have a nice chunk of the history, because I remember as a kid coming into the valley with my parents. We lived in Arizona, and I've lived in Nevada for 29 almost 30 years now, but as a child, coming in, Boulder highway was the road that led you in, and you drove right down it into downtown. So you're just overlaps, you know, the historic road. So thank you for joining me today, just getting to know the legislators here at the session on the show during the 120 days. So tell us a little bit about yourself and how you found yourself in this space, because you have an amazing story, and why district 14 is home for you. Oh,

Erica Mosca 2:53
yes, thank you so much. And I'm so glad you've been doing this. I've been listening to them, and I think they're just so fun, and I hope the listeners are enjoying them too. You know, even if you asked me a couple years ago, I would have never thought I could be elected or legislator. It wasn't something growing up or even, you know, I think one of my early 20s, I didn't even know what a legislature was, right? I'm proud to be the first person in my family to ever graduate from college. My dad is a Filipino immigrant. He came here, he learned English, he earned his GED, and he continues to work nights today. And, you know, growing up, him and my mom had me at a young age, but they always taught me, you know, to work hard, to be empathetic, and they moved around a lot. I always say they grew up alongside me, but they taught me all the values, especially of education. So I went from California, and I went to college at Boston University, and I decided I really saw young people who didn't look like me. I saw people who didn't come from the same socio economic background. So I decided to join a program in 2008 called Teach for America. And that's what actually brought me to Las Vegas, and specifically to East Las Vegas. So I was a teacher for two years. I really loved being in the community that reminded me so much of home. And like so many at that time, during the recession in 2009 both my parents, you know, lost their jobs as folks who who had the hard working jobs, and I moved them here. You know, at that time in Nevada as a second year teacher, especially on the east side, you could have homeownerships. I bought a little townhouse, originally in District 18, is where I lived first, on Boulder and Tropicana, and I moved my family here. And I just love Nevada and East Las Vegas for giving me my first home, and I ended up working for the superintendent for a year, and then I decided to start and run a nonprofit for my former students. I was a fifth grade teacher when they started ninth grade, I somehow figured out how to start a nonprofit raise the funds, and I did that for 10 years before running for office.

Tanya Flanagan 4:59
Yes, well, I don't think I realized you had a nonprofit that focused on you. I didn't realize that this was the things I love about talking to our legislators. It gives the community a chance to take a glimpse, because you see us on the campaign trail talking to you about the issues that we hope matter to you, and trying to find out what issues do matter to you. And we tell you things about you know ourselves. But then there's those interesting details, the bits of trivia that don't always come to light as much. And it becomes second nature to us to know what we've done in our history, but to share it with others, I think, is what's so cool. So that's a cool bit of trivia that I didn't know about you, and that I one of the things I'm enjoying personally learning as I do these segments, because I'm learning details about my fellow legislators that I did not know, and being able to put the spotlight on your other accomplishments and just the different variety of what makes you who you are and makes you fight for the things that you fight for. In that vein, you often talk about the culture and the uniqueness of district 14. Can you share some of that places that you love to go? You know, the things that make it this unique part of Las Vegas. Bucha like Las Vegas, Southern Nevada is a it has like four corners. When I first came I felt like there was Henderson, then you have the South West, you have the northwest, the Northeast, and then you have the center. But within the center, you have these historic areas as well, right the history that goes on in the East Las Vegas portion, the history that goes into the West Las Vegas district, West Side portion. And it's such an interesting blend of history and new development and how it merges together. And I think district 14 is a little bit of that. So can you talk about the culture of your district and the neighborhood that you love, what you have about that?

Erica Mosca 7:04
Thank you so much. I always so much love this question. And you know, East Las Vegas is definitely, you know, majority person of color, majority minority area, very working class, you know, people like my parents, how I grew up, and it is such a beautiful community. There are folks that I, that I see at the grocery store who are like, Hey, Miss Mosca, because, you know, I taught their their family, like, maybe 14 years ago, you know, when they remember. But it is the kind of place where there's great local restaurants. So come up to ownings on Sahara and Nellis, that is a local Filipina owned restaurant. You can get great lumpia. You can great, get great Adobo. But then you can also go to some of our amazing local Mexican restaurants, abuelas tacos, if you've ever seen them, at Allegiant stadium. They are right in the heart of assembly district 14. That is where they started to some local boba shops. Finally have a mochi nut, which we're so excited about. But there's also, you know, a beautiful part. There's some beautiful parks. The Myron Levitt Park is in my district. The winter wood Park is also there. There are some other things you might not think about. Starboard tap is an amazing local bar that has been there for a really long, long, long time by kale Knudsen middle school and so, oh yes. And then the Italian American Club is actually in my district too. So it's a place you can come to get some pretty good local cuisine. It's a place where everybody smiles at you. And it's kind of funny how I always run into people I know. So I love that it's it has that small town feel.

Tanya Flanagan 8:47
Definitely. Speaking of district 14, this past week, you introduced some exciting legislation that to the Government Affairs Committee on which I serve. And so can you talk a little bit about this exciting legislation that you've introduced, and how it's evolving to address an issue that is not unique to district 14, homelessness, but how, and it's, in some ways, it's affecting all the areas of the neighborhoods and the communities in southern Nevada, but really Nevada as a whole, and the idea behind legislation, Assembly Bill, 263, and how it was, what it is, how it was born, and what you envision in terms of the exponential growth and impact that this piece of legislation may have for the community down there in Southern Nevada, but the state as a whole,

Erica Mosca 9:40
yes, Yeah, thank you. I'm glad you find it exciting. So thank you for that. Yeah, today I was so surprised to have an emotional hearing. And you know, the thing about being a legislator, which I hope everybody knows out there, is, I'm not a lawyer. I don't know how to understand laws, but I know how to make sure I'm in tune with people, and I just talk to them. Whether it's at the grocery store, at the park or at town halls, and of course, on our side of town, the number one thing that whenever I'm at an event or host something, or really just at the grocery store, people talk to me about our unhoused issues, which really, like you said, are pervasive everywhere, because it's a larger societal issue. It's not just east Las Vegas. It's not just Southern Nevada or just Nevada, you know, it's nationwide, but I think in lower income communities, whether it is somewhere like East Las Vegas or other places, I say that we are getting the brunt of the communities issues of a community wide, issue that we should fix. And so whether it's, you know, honestly, seeing young people have to like kids walking to school and they're walking over feces, or they're walking over needles, I've seen that, or I've seen unhoused people, unfortunately, overdose at parks, and my husband even had to help resist recitate someone. You know, these are not the same issues that I see in higher income areas. And I just feel like with someone who has a position of power, it's my job to take voice, even if I'm not even sure how to solve it at a state level. And the thing I really emphasize today, which I really believed, is that even our unhoused constituents are our constituents too. So it's trying to think of a state based solution that would help those who are both experiencing not being housed, plus the residents in my district, especially schools, parks, those around schools, parks and in senior housing. How can we solve this problem, knowing in Nevada, the state is not the most well funded entity. We don't have a state tax. We don't have huge revenues compared to other other local governments. And so what can I do as a state? And something that was really interesting, what I did is I ended up doing bi weekly cleanups for over a year in my district with community members, and that made me really listen and learn, you know, whether it was talking to unhoused individuals who would tell me the reasons why they weren't seeking help, whether it was doing right along with the hot teams or the more teams, which are through Las Vegas metro to, you know, just really talking to both our local municipalities, our county and our state. I really learned, at least in my district, there's a lot of land that is actually state owned because of the Nevada Department of Transportation right of ways, and there was this issue happening where the county owns one side of the street and the state owns the other side of the street, and they weren't necessarily talking to each other. And so really, that's all this bill is trying to do. Is one say we need to support the areas that need it the most, and to all of our governments should really work together. And something I appreciated you brought up with your local government experiences, where the municipalities in that so like, hopefully people are starting to learn, because I've just learned it this year. Really, just because you have a bill, it doesn't mean it's done there at your hearing. You do all the work afterwards. So we'll continue to have meetings with the local municipalities as well as the counties of the state to see if we can get a solution, to really just try to start a solution, knowing it's very complex. There are a lot of things you know that need to be done in this space, but I was just trying to do something very specific, to really acknowledge the people in my district, both housed and unhoused, but

Tanya Flanagan 13:34
you brought up something that's really significant to this process and to the conversation, and then I think the very residents that you're up here working on behalf of, that I'm here working on behalf of, but also that I think our colleagues learn by being here. Because when you come up to the legislative session to work in whatever capacity, but if you're coming up as a citizen, to have a voice and share your opinion on an issue that might be on the table. Are you coming up here in the capacity as an elected official, and it's your first time in your learning, and if you just live in Vegas or anywhere, people don't always realize the boundaries that exist and how the boundaries that make up our cities also affect how things are governed. And so I had this conversation this week after you presented your your bill. And again, it's it's a, b6, a, b2, 63, for anyone who wants to go to the Nevada legislature's website and read about this bill and see what's going on, or track it is, you can track bills if you sign up to do that. But the understanding was, I didn't know that one side of the street was the Nevada Department of Transportation, and the other side might be the county, and what goes the same four neighborhoods. And that, to me, is obviously one of the issues with the historic west side, which is near and dear to my heart, for anybody who truly knows me because of the way it is. Drawn up. For example, the old neighborhood Vegas heights sits in the city of Las Vegas, but Delmonico Valley View Estates are both in the city of North Las Vegas. So let's take Vegas heights and Delmonico, which is basically Martin Luther King and Carrie. On the north side of Carrie, you're in Delmonico, so you're in the city of North Las Vegas. But on the south side of Carrie, you're in Vegas heights, so you're in the city of Las Vegas. But when you start to look at it as a community of citizens, you feel like, I've always felt like it's what they feel, and we feel it's one community from Bonanza to Cheyenne, from Rancho to I 15 on the on the East End, Rancho and the West End, but within it, you have two different cities. Now on top of that, there all of it is within a Clark County Commission district. But when it comes down to the code enforcement issue, when you want to call about graffiti, or you want to call about trash, or you want to call about an abandoned vehicle, or you want to call about anything that should not be where it is that is a code enforcement or even a law enforcement response and responsibility, it's knowing which jurisdiction, because for code enforcement, for example, for graffiti, you might call the county, but the county's not your first line of response. If you live in Vegas heights, it's the city of Las Vegas. And if you live in the Delmonico community, it's the city of North Las Vegas. But that becomes very challenging, and so when you present it AB 263, I felt it important to bring up that as we're working on an issue of dealing with homeless encampments and keeping neighborhoods clean and giving the unhoused resources and the homeowners around them resources and support. It's a collective response, which is what prompted my conversation to ask about not just the county and the Nevada Department of Transportation participating in this effort, but also the municipalities being on deck as well, because it is collected. And I think someone talked about the silos associated with these types of conversations, and trying to find some resolution to issues with this magnitude. So that is, we learn, you begin to learn how the boundaries and the city limits, the county boundaries, the state, how it all and the different to government agencies, how it all overlaps and the overlay, and how that affects the citizens, because a lot of times you don't know, and you call for help and you wonder why you're spending your wills and not getting anywhere. That's because you may not realize that that issue doesn't lie with who you call. And we had to help in a perfect world, that person would refer you to the correct place. But that doesn't always happy. Yes,

Erica Mosca 17:40
that's exactly it. And as a citizen, especially in places like East Las Vegas, Vegas, I think of my my parents, you know, who they're just trying to work. And they try when they're done working, you know, they're 4050, hours, they go home and they just want to rest like they don't they? You know, my dad always watches the news. He's a Pressman at the RJ, so at night, he's the one that, you know, runs the paper through. He's done that so much of my life. He's very well read and loves the news. I think that's why I love the news. But when they get home, they're not trying to think about, you know, like all these issues and societal problems, they're just trying to survive. And so I think when people don't like government, it's because they don't feel as if we're solving a problem for them, and they just know if I went on to Clark County fix it, or I called my city council person, or reached out to my assembly person, they don't care. What's the difference? And I think that's okay. I think there shouldn't be a difference. I think we should be able to work together to find a solution. And the silos I know is no one. It is not anyone's fault. I don't think it's on purpose, but I hope that the more collaboration will just help us have more of a one stop approach, so our constituents can just feel like we are truly working for them and that we can solve issues for and with them. Absolutely,

Tanya Flanagan 18:59
absolutely again. I want to congratulate you on, you know, the wisdom to bring AB 263, forward and to get folks talking, but that's just one piece of legislation that you're working on this session. So while we have a little bit more time left, I want to know what other things are high priorities for you this session, and what are you working on and just, you know, what's going on for you? Yeah,

Erica Mosca 19:23
I so appreciate that. And I think that's one thing too that I didn't know till I was elected. You know, you'll have your own legislation. Last session, I brought six pieces of legislation. I passed five out of six. The six piece of legislation I put into a committee bill, which is now a bill this session. So hopefully it will be, you know, six out of six that piece of legislation is really important. It's around j1 educators, the first Filipino to ever represent in our state, and it's the number one issue that the Filipino community talks to me about. So that would be just to support our teachers that come over here on a cultural tourism visa, to make sure that they have. Rights, and that if they are great teachers and the school district wants them to stay, that we can help them with their h1 visa. So that's an example. I have a bill that I really care about my nonprofit. You know, my former nonprofit, I left it in 2022 when I won my election, is located on lamb in Washington, and what's called Leaders in Training, we supported young people to be the first in their family to graduate from college. But more importantly, come back to the community. My attache, who you know, Miriam let Chica, she is actually a Leaders in Training alumni. I've known her since she was a middle school student, and so as assembly member, mours attache, Jesse Cruz, he's also a Leaders in Training alumni. And for us, it's always been about to and through higher education. If they chose higher education, military or trade school, we still, of course, supported, but to come back and be that leader we need. And something I've seen through that work is so many young folks graduating from the Nevada System of Higher Education and maybe not being so connected to jobs, but for sure, not being connected to jobs in the state. So the other bill that I really just care so much about will be heard in government affairs next week. So thank you. It is on the State Service Corps. So really this is this idea of, if I graduate from an entry a state institution, can I more easily get a job within the state? Our state has very high vacancy rates. We know that Gen Z and Gen Y or wherever they are, they really care about service and about helping people. So my idea was, hey, how do we help connect young people graduating from our current state system to work in our state system, even if it is for two years or a time bound time, so that they can feel excited about state service. If you majored in criminal justice, why are you not working at the Nevada Department of Corrections? Why aren't we not highlighting these opportunities for our young people to have great jobs that actually have benefits, have pretty good starting salaries, and they can work in our state government and have the empathy, the diversity and really the skill set to bring back to our state and so that will be heard next week.

Tanya Flanagan 22:05
That's exciting. I am I just love your energy. I love your positivity. It's you're like a ray of sunshine, and then you wear bright color, bright colors. So, you know, it could be cloudy outside in Carson City, because, you know, it's colder up here. It's not warm and sunny most of the time, like it is down in Las Vegas. So you're like the ray of sunshine that is operating through the building. And so I want to say thank you for being like a ray of sunshine with the bright pink and bright greens and yellow and just bringing color to the building and, you know, to conversations, sort of in an unexpected way. Thank you for that. We have talked some previous shows. I've talked with others about just things that they think residents should watch, voters should watch for and listen. And a lot of times it's touched on where we are as a nation with economy and housing, but I just wanted to make sure you interjected as well major topics of focus that you think people should stay tuned into as you've gotten more politically as to what would you say for you those important priorities are in this day and age with politics from the state level to The National level.

Erica Mosca 23:20
Well, I again, also appreciate that question, because this session, I'm learning so much chairing legislative operations and elections. I was not on that committee last session, and I really enjoyed I was the vice chair in the interim. So for our public to know, even though we only come up here every other year, we do work in the interim committee. So that's actually a good time to get your ideas heard, to potentially become bills. And in this interim, I was lucky enough to be the vice chair to Senator orurse in legislative operations and elections. That's a fancy way to say anything that happens to do with elections in the state of Nevada goes through my committees, and we know that this has a lot of national implications with the purple state with some of the most accessible voting throughout the country, and anything that we want to say as a legislature, we want Congress to do, whether it's to act on housing, whether it's to act on immigration, all those things come through legislative operations and elections. I would just tell folks out there whether you care about making sure our ballots are counted faster which our speaker, Yeager, has a bill for ballot drop boxes to ensuring that our clerks have the resources necessary to do their work in all 17 counties. Think that's a really important committee to watch and where all of our election laws go through. That

Tanya Flanagan 24:38
is good information to have, and even as a freshman, helps me better understand exactly, you know, a little bit more specifically, what legislative, operations and elections takes a look at. We have a little bit more time, I like to make sure before, though, the show comes to too much of a close, if there's any social media, because sometimes, you know, we try to be as accessible as possible. So. So if you want to share how you know people can reach you or follow you to see what you're doing, what you're working on. If it's social media handles, feel free to share them. All right,

Erica Mosca 25:11
yeah, share them. Yes, yes. I'm at air at Erica Mosca 14 on both my, well actually on my Instagram, and then I think it's Erica Mosca for Nevada State Assembly 14 on Facebook, but very accessible via my email. And one of these weird people, I like email, like I don't lose it as much as I lose text or calls. So if you email me, I promise I'll respond. Even if it's a couple months late, I will respond. So that's a great way to get in contact with me.

Tanya Flanagan 25:40
I love the disclaimer that he's if it's a couple months like because, you know, it's the truth. Sometimes we do, we just get overwhelmed, and you look up and you go, I didn't respond to this, but this is a really important email, and so you take the time to to have to engage in that conversation. So I want to say thank you for that very much, and I appreciate that you have taken the time to talk to me and be on the show, The Show this morning, and allow people to get to know you a little bit better. I look forward to continuing to work together and learning more about you. We have a few a couple more minutes, and so sometimes I do a little rapid fire, just so people can get an unexpected glimpse of guests. So for you, we're going to do that, and it's just like one liners, favorite song or music right now? Oh,

Erica Mosca 26:27
you know, I'm a big J Cole fan. So anything J Cole, I met him. I gave him an award once, because he's a first generation college grad. I don't know what new songs he has out right now, because, you know, he was trying to get out of the Kendrick battle. But I listen to everything J Cole. You

Tanya Flanagan 26:44
know what? He's one of my favorites, too. And I'm not even rap fanatic, but I do love J Cole. And then if you had to, I do. My nephew is 32 and Okay, so I'm much older than he is, not much, but older. He was like, okay, you know about J Cole. Mind your business, young man. I know things. I'm not so old. And then if you're not reading legislation, anything that you're reading? Oh,

Erica Mosca 27:06
that's a good question. I'm embarrassed to say not read as much, but I do listen to the daily podcast religiously every day, the new york times daily. So I feel like that's how I get my reading in. That's what's

Tanya Flanagan 27:17
up. I can appreciate that we have to do what we have to do, favorite food. If you had to choose something, what's your favorite

Erica Mosca 27:22
food? Stop? Food? Oh, yeah, favorite food is Thai food, even though I love Filipino food, you know, pad seeing you, or some yellow curry with chicken, that's my favorite. Yeah,

Tanya Flanagan 27:29
and I have so much in common, but I do love tacos. I think that's my favorite actual food. Um, best place to vacation.

Erica Mosca 27:37
Oh, you know, I'm a weird person. My Well, Hawaii, of course, is the best place. My husband's in the military, so we get a good discount. But I also love staycations in Vegas. You probably name it. I've probably been I

Tanya Flanagan 27:48
was about to ask you another question, and my last question to you in two seconds or less, so to speak, most beautiful place, or favorite place in Nevada, oh, Fauci,

Erica Mosca 27:57
oh in Nevada. Well, but favorite place in Nevada, it's not my district. It's in Assemblyman Carter's district, well up to the mountain on Sahara in Hollywood, you can see the entire strip and be with some amazing working class and diverse individuals that make the state run.

Tanya Flanagan 28:12
So Frenchman mountain. Okay, I can appreciate it. Yes, yes. Thank you for tuning in this morning. I hope you've enjoyed the show. I hope you've enjoyed getting to know Assembly Member Erica moska. She represents assembly district 14. Erica, thank you for being here.

Erica Mosca 28:28
Thank you for having me, and I hope everybody is a great Sunday brunch. Thank

Tanya Flanagan 28:31
you, and until next time, stay safe, stay hydrated. Goodbye. I want to thank you for tuning in to the scoop with me. Tonya Flanagan, and I want to invite you to get social with me. I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My name is my handle, T, a n, y, A F, l, a n, a G, A N. You can also find me on Instagram at Tanya almond eyes Flanagan, and if you have a thought, an opinion or a suggestion, don't hesitate to shoot me an email to tonya.flanagan@unlv.edu Thanks again for joining in stay safe and have a great week. You.