Opinion: Tahoe needs to have more control, TRPA less

Dear publisher,

People want to know what can be done about the blighted appearance of our city. As a candidate for City Council, I’ve taken the time to speak to business people and homeowners about their perspective on the problem. What they tell me is that the problem of blight is a direct result of our city being the most regulated real estate in the United States. Consequently, investors are put off by such harsh regulations, businesses are reluctant to upgrade their properties and homeowners face endless fines, penalties and added construction costs.

I’m a longtime tree hugger, but I question the validity of using the decline in lake clarity as an excuse to deprive homeowners of building a garage or adding a deck. Sure, there has been a serious decrease in water clarity, but we cannot ignore that over the past few decades, the lake has been warming and our winters are now up to a month shorter. As a result of both of these trends, it would be perfectly natural for us to expect more sedimentation and more algae, even if there were not a single human living in the Tahoe basin.

Steve Kubby

To fix the blight, we have to restore the property rights of businesses and homeowners. That means the city of South Lake Tahoe has to challenge the authority of the federal government and the TRPA to regulate us. I believe we have the authority to do so, if we can muster the courage to do the right thing.

Those who would like to dismiss me as a one-issue medical marijuana candidate totally miss the point. I helped lead and direct a voter initiative that challenged the supremacy of the federal government on the issue of the medical use of marijuana. Despite all the propaganda and raids, the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld our right as a state to make our own laws regarding medical marijuana, regardless of federal law.

Based upon my experience and track record of success in taking on the federal government, I believe that beginning right here in South Lake Tahoe, we can redefine politics in a revolutionary return to common sense and smaller government. The time has finally come for us to take back our power, restore our property rights and force government to become our servant, not our master.

Here are the details of how this can be achieved.

Steve Kubby, South Lake Tahoe