Board of Equalization candidate Alan Nakanishi has gotten a bit of a boost in his bid to replace termed-out board member Bill Leonard.

The former Republican assemblyman and practicing doctor was recently hired by one of his key endorsers, BOE District 3 Member Michelle Steel, as an "assistant to the board member."

In addition to pulling in an additional $7,852 a month, the new title means Nakanishi will be able to request that his gig with the board be listed as his profession on the ballot and play up the "experience" card in the crowded GOP primary for the safe Republican seat.

Nakanishi could not be reached for comment.

Nakanishi's been running hard for the seat since the outset, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to get his name on slate mailers for the election. The added bonus of his new ballot designation could make a difference in a race where most voters aren't familiar with the candidates, or even what a position on the board, which administers state tax laws, entails.

"The only thing [voters] are going to be aware of is what is their name, what is their party, what is their occupation and did I get a slate card from a group telling me to vote for this candidate," said Allan Hoffenblum, publisher of The Target Book, which handicaps races across the state.

Listing an occupation that suggests experience at the job (as opposed to Nakanishi's current title of doctor) could have an extra impact because one of Nakanishi's main rivals in the race is former state lawmaker Barbara Alby, a longtime deputy to Leonard, the member both are vying to replace.

Steel knows first-hand the boost a staff job at the board can give a BOE hopeful. Early in her 2006 BOE bid, her predecessor Claude Parrish brought her on staff as a deputy. She said at the time that she believed the experience and better ballot designation would help her candidacy against her opponent, former Republican Assemblyman Ray Haynes.

Steel's Chief Deputy Lou Barnett said Nakanishi was brought on board to track legislation, perform outreach to various groups and serve as a policy adviser. He noted that Nakanishi is the second former state legislator to serve on Steel's staff.

"Michelle is very happy to have him on board," he said. "She likes to hire highly competent, experienced people, and a former assemblyman certainly has experience handling legislation, certainly has experience handling constituent groups and certainly has experience as a policy adviser."

Nakanishi's campaign adviser, Tim Clark, said in a statement that the job won't impinge on Nakanishi's campaign time "because he's been campaigning nights and weekends anyway and did not plan to be a full-time candidate. Alan has a passion to serve, and his expertise with state tax and budget policy (gained from his time in the Assembly), will be a tremendous help in Michelle's office.  It will probably help Alan to gain more familiarity with the interworking of the Board of Equalization."