Opinion: How redevelopment destroyed South Lake Tahoe
By Steve Kubby
South Lake Tahoe Mayor Hal Cole recently described street maintenance as a “300-pound gorilla in the room,” preying on South Lake Tahoe’s streets, and nobody knows how to stop it. It’s a beast that could take more than $300 million to fix, according to city staff estimates on bringing the roadways up to California’s “complete street” standard.
The issue is “overwhelming,” Mayor Cole said while admitting that the most common complaint he hears from residents is the state of the roads. Meanwhile, Councilman Tom Davis appears to have given up on ever fixing our streets, telling the Tahoe Tribune that the $300 million estimated repair bill for the streets is “an impossible goal.”
Steve Kubby
“City council after city council has heard presentation after presentation regarding the state of disrepair of South Lake Tahoe’s roads,” reported the Lake Tahoe News, but each year funding is put off. Jim Marino, engineer with the city, told the council in 2009 that it would take $5.2 million a year for 25 to 30 years to get the streets up to par. The City Council responded by doing nothing. As pointed out in several stories that have appeared in the Lake Tahoe News, the deterioration of our roads has resulted in more runoff, which pollutes our pristine beaches and creates further loss of lake clarity.
The Tribune reported that road maintenance funding at the city has been unstable, at best, for more than 15 years. Some years street maintenance is not funded at all. So the big question is what happened 15 years ago that precipitated the end of funding for street repairs and maintenance. The answer is redevelopment.
Former Councilman Bill Crawford has said repeatedly, it was the council’s 1995 decision to subsidize redevelopment debt by giving up all of the hotel room taxes in the Heavenly Village redevelopment area, that set the table for the city’s economic woes for the last 15 years. The City Council voted to begin siphoning off $3 million to $4 million per year to keep the failed redevelopment project at Heavenly Village from drowning in red ink.
Two key players in all this were former mayors Hal Cole and Tom Davis, who actively promoted the development of Heavenly Village and who insist to this day that their redevelopment scheme has helped, not hurt South Lake Tahoe. Yet most of the revenue promised by these two redevelopment promoters never materialized, resulting a staggering annual shortfall of millions of dollars that Cole and Davis “fixed” by voting in 1995 to raid the general fund. In doing so, it was these two men who disabled the city from being able to pay for street repairs.
On March 27, 2011, Mr. Crawford revealed in the Lake Tahoe News, “Sometime between the years 2000 and 2002 $7 million was filched from the city’s General Fund and given to the Redevelopment Agency. The City Council didn’t know about it until after it was disclosed. It was then called a loan.”
How $7 million was transferred from the General Fund to the Redevelopment Agency, without the knowledge or consent of the City Council, is still a mystery and deserves to be investigated, especially since that “loan” appears to be a fiction and may in fact be illegal.
Another redevelopment headache is the city garage, which loses more than $130,000 a year. Mr. Crawford questions the way the City Council dealt with this issue as well. “In 2002, bonds were sold to finance the city garage at 7 percent interest when the going rate for muni bonds was 4 percent. The garage is a millstone around the city’s neck and is one of the factors that has led to the city to nearly drown in debt,” said Mr. Crawford.
Since Mayor Cole considers the responsibility to maintain city streets to be “overwhelming” and Councilman Davis has described fixing our streets as, “an impossible goal,” it’s time for some new thinking to replace the failed leadership of the past 15 years.
One solution would be for the city to face reality and declare bankruptcy. That’s pretty drastic, but the most immediate result could be $3 million to $4 million per year in hotel tax money going back into the general fund for road repairs and maintenance. Orange County declared bankruptcy and recovered. Clearly, the time has come for an honest look at our finances and the very real possibility that only through bankruptcy can the we ever hope to restore our broken streets and actually begin living within our means.
While it is true that the city’s finances are audited each year, these audits are solely based upon “facts” presented by the city’s own finance department. What is really needed is a forensic audit to expose the true scope of the fiscal debacle that has been dumped upon South Lake Tahoe in the name of redevelopment. It is time for the distinguished members of the El Dorado County Grand Jury to open a new investigation into the City Council and into the questionable activities of redevelopment promoters Hal Cole and Tom Davis.
Steve Kubby is a resident of South Lake Tahoe.
NICE
No more truthful words were ever spoken.
This factual representation accurately matches my memory of the events described. There are people involved who should be held accountable for the damage they caused. Including the convention center debacle.
Heavenly Village is now a community unto itself, in that the clientele seems to stay within, and not venture very far out into the “wasteland” beyond. . . while this may satisfy corporate bottom lines, with occupancies upwards of 90+ %, the rest of the community lies fallow from the machinations of earlier lack of vision.
Redevelopment needs to be revitalization of the entire community, not just particular interests, which are always self-serving, in this case to ownership that is derived elsewhere.
In the rush to do “something”, limited experience and hubris pushed them into agreeing with whatever the development needed, with results we are now living with . . .a case in point was brought up by Mr. Grego, in wanting to look closer at the “within the City” arrangements with Heavenly, which were apparently ‘grandfathered’ in with Vail’s purchase.
Let’s continue to look at the issues made necessary by such myopic thinking – which may indeed require an operational audit (differs from a forensic audit in that it is not necessarily geared to proving a “case”, Federal or otherwise).
Mr. Kubby is to be commended for broaching a subject other that Prop.215, as an operational audit may also show the “backwater” nature of earlier “leadership” decisions that need to be aired out, if we are not to continue on this path – another path is necessary.
Santa Monica adopted road maintenance programs which use innovative interim measures, whereby if a $1 is spent it is actually $2 in services rendered, or, to put it another way, “better bang for the buck”.
Lack of road maintenance has very real additional costs beyond the shabby, annoying experience of “potholes” – it drives up car repairs, tire replacement and realignment, in further detriment to community household budgets.
Redevelopment is a wonderful way to raise propery values and improve infrastructure but it must be done carefully and with the best interests of the entire community. But alas, politics always gets in the way, wouldn’t you say and our little community was and is not immune.
I am glad to see/hear Steve talk about anything other than the M.J. issue, he makes sense when he does and is actually listened to by many more people whom would otherwise had looked at this article and said, “not that again”. In this case I agree for the most part with Steve, and am happy to have this info out here for the locals to read. And though I do not care for Hal Cole and would like for Tom Davis to rethink part of his position on the redevelopment disaster, still, I have watched for 3 or 4 decades this good ‘ol boy local council, and I have seen so much more than Steve touched on. The logic behind what Steve has said is true, but it does not stop there, nor did it start there, this financial issue has deeper roots than just the redevelopment and I recomend people interested, to dig deeper. The core group of people that have made up our local council has mis- managed issues from way back when, but no one group of people are solely responsible for the financial woes South Lake Tahoe has. The regular march of time and the typical advancement of society has taken it’s toll on so many small towns and such, that Tahoe just seems to fall victim to it as any other place has across America & beyond. It is not our silly under qualified City council that has any influence over weak winters devastateing the tourism for those years, so many reasons for the loss of gaming, so many problems it is responsible for… Hotel/Motel bookings down, Airport losing carrier’s, the list goes on and on. The Council has no part of the Digital, internet age and changes in commerce that forced so many buisiness to shut thier doors. How brilliant the guy on the North shore was for turning his ski shop into his internet warehouse, too bad many others on our side of the lake did not have the foresight he had. The Council could do little for the housing collapse and Indian gaming. Our Tahoe certainly could have been managed better, no doubt, please though, keep in mind many issues the good ‘ol boys had no control over. The roads were wrong from the very get-go, I once asked a key figure at the parks and recreation,(a friend), I asked this person about the roads, and their answer was true, South shore developed it’s surface streets for small town life, with no regard to the future growth that was to come, this person went on to point out that the North shore looked at our mistakes, improved upon the design and purpose and did a better job. Continuing on to tell me that our city keeps trying to patch over the bad design of our sreets and thus our money keeps getting puored into a bad design, ending in telling me our streets are doomed, we need to do the unthinkable and tear it up and start over, make it how it should have been, that’ll happen! Yes Steve, this City Council has no fix, nor does anyone short of a philanthropist Bilionaire, And yes Steve, this City Council needs to sit back with open minds and learn and listen and have no thoughts of self benefit. But the city surface streets and the highway was not entirly developed by them, the redevelopment hole is too embarassing for them to speak truthfully, but yep, it’s a massive mistake that really delt the final blow to an already suffering local economy, a mistake that people should be held accountable for. With that said, this is what weve got, and it is all we have for now, and this council does a better job than I would, because if it were up to me… We would all be responsibly riding dual sports to work and taking two hour lunch breaks like Italy does. And locals would have exclusive access to Pioneer trail, and the City council would be made up of people that have simple incomes and no land development interests within our local community. I would have a boat ramp that only locals could use and every one of our community members would have the right to do with thier land as they wished, without T.R.P.A. intervention. My Tahoe would inform the corporate office of Safeway & Raley’s to have a reality check as to why locals shop Carson Valley! Finally, in my Tahoe, the giant hole at the stateline would be turned into an international R/C Car raceway that would hold R.O.A.R. and I.F.M.A.R competitions,(you should see the money that generates) and the airport would be open to all r/c flight including 1/4 scale jets. The jeep drags out at the Amaker ranch would not be a thing of the past, but the yearly outing it used to be. Hi- lo’s would continue to hold hill climb competitions out at the “pitt’s”,(only with better enviormental practices), so as you can see, I would suck at thier job, I’m glad someone with any kind of qualifications is doing it. Honestly though, I wish the City Council would invite some well known, “big time” managers with legitimate success in other placesand I would ask them to sit down and help us, we can’t do this anymore, we need people with a history of doing the right thing and let them teach us what to do. I have to say one last thing here, as I do use Hwy 89 at the “Y” often, what a horrible job of repair the contractor did a couple of years back. I could see problems as they were resurfacing it, I said nothing to anyone because who am I to do so, I’m not a street repair guy. Sure enoufgh, here it is but a few years later and that money was an absolute waste, pot holes are as bad as before the repair work, the road isn’t even smooth, never was after the resurface, it has seems everywhere. I hope the people that did this mess will never be allowed to touch our streets again. Anyhow, thank you Steve for talking about something else, I agree!
Sorry, I didn’t realise I wrote that much!!! I will pay better attention next time! Sorry!
So, if I am understanding this correctly, the city does not have even close to enough money to repair the streets? If that is true, why would the city be willing to give $ 250,000 to the school district? That seems like money that should be used to fix streets.
I agree with Brian. Now that Steve is speaking about something other than MJ he makes good senes. If he had taken this approach during the council election he would have won.
It was the same company that did the Rocky Point Erosion Control, the ponds don’t drain, and the curb gutters are so under designed that even the city plows can’t get the snow in bowed surfaces in winter.
V-C WAS THE NAME THAT COMPANY (BRIAN), they got juiced to the project since they did the
Work down here by state line, LOW BID. Out TOWN PEOPLE AS USUAL.
This is a truthful story and city has files on this neighbor who hit the ceiling because they didn’t make his curb lower, plus now we all watch, because they put a holding pond next to his house that does work either.
We are pretty positive this guy getting ready to sue the city.
He actually paid to have the city curb removed, asphalt driveway entrance pad, and a new curb in front of his house, re-poured, re-asphalted out his own pocket. Said it was ugly and it messed with his cars alignments.(we saw Jenkins out here ,with trpa people, the v-c curb makers, engineers, CC people, AND THE BLACK ROOTED COUCIL LADY WITH BLONDE HAIR?.
Lots ACTION JUST TO STAND RUBBER NECK A CURB!!We all sit in our yards; porches, sipping wine; cold beers amusing the big bucks at works, and right next to little old us.
We all watched last week as the guy went round, round, with city street supervisors or engineers about the holding ponds not draining. The next day, the city guy showed up with a water pump to pump the holding pond into a city drain,(8 foot away -clogged drain-still a clogged drain)),4 hours of butt kissing, then the next day, another city guys shows up to review the blue prints of yesteryear genius works of art. They walked over couple streets on Keller to see the drains that work. Of course they were redesigned cause we all told the trpa they didn’t work.
The neighbors tried to explain why they wouldn’t work before they pour the curbs, we all watched the next year, and they are useless to what they suppose to do.
To any resident that has that crew curb makers in the neighborhood behind Rojo’s, “BEWARE”. You need to speak up before the concrete poured and sets up. Or is that project done yet??
I will say it looks better but it doesn’t do what they said it would.
• Ride on Steve…Any old local that’s been here during the downfall of this once successful city knows exactly where you are coming from.
We all knew one way or another they were going to screw it up and they did. None of us have forgotten their names, faces, knifes they shoved in our backs. We all still have some good jokes about the tribune’s pictures in the paper with the “Big Shots” holding shovels to turn the few shovels dirt at the crater. We knew it was a big mistake.
There’s quite few people who think there should be term limits, and none of the council; should be involved in new projects and sit on other agencies to agendasize their private group of friends or investors to spend tax payers money, grants, without a proper vote on the matters that go forth without residents approval.
If they want have all these new ways of adding more pipe dreams to our tax stub ,we all should have the right to review this ,vote on what it pertains to before any shovels are turned into sad stories of haste’s.
Thank you Clear water, V.C…. I remember now. Yeah, I saw them running around trying to figure it out… Trying!
The problems with the retention ponds is that even though they are required to be built, nobody factors in maintenance! They have be dug out every now and then ’cause the drainage clogs up! It’s classic government “planning”. Just like the new schools that have to be built and the other govt. buildings and roads that fail because NOBODY does basic maintenance. That little detail never gets figured into the budget, does it?
Financially redevelopment may not have worked and has put us into a bad situation, but I feel what we got is 1000 times better than what was there before.
I love seeing people enjoying the Heavenly Village area by walking around, taking pictures and having fun shopping and enjoying Tahoe. Remember what was there before? Dirty old motels and a corner store that never encouraged pedestrians (but if you dared walk you might have ended up wet from the cars going by or turning an ankle on the broken cement). The opinion tourists got of Tahoe was what they saw when crossing the state line ….why would they have taken a chance to venture further? Bike paths, greenery, enjoyable places to walk are a great benefit.
I enjoy catching a movie there and spending an hour or so walking around…4 hrs free parking with the movie, so take advantage of it!
What I find interesting is that these opinion pieces continue to point fingers instead of working on a goal. We can’t change what happened in 2001 or 2009 but we can sure take care of what happens now.
Enjoy our community!
dogwoman, maintenance is factored in. I see counties and cities maintaining drainage systems all the time.
To correct misstatements in the article and postings, the following information is offered:
Since the adoption of South Lake Tahoe Redevelopment Project Area 1 in June 1998:
$58 million in tax increment revenues have been collected. Tax Increment is the property taxes collected in a redevelopment area that is above the baseline assessed tax value prior to redevelopment.
Property Tax Increment is one source of funding used as a financing tool for redevelopment of the area at Stateline. The other funding source is Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) (aka hotel taxes).
Signature projects developed in Project Area 1 include:
• Embassy Suites (1991) provides 400 quality hotel rooms.
• Ski Run Marina (1997) remodeled the marina area providing beautiful lake-front commercial property, open space, unique retail spaces, and improved lake views.
• Ski Run/Diamond Resorts (1996 and 2008) is another beautiful resort.
• Heavenly Village includes Heavenly Ski Resort Gondola Base Station, 199 units at Marriott Grand Residence Club, and 261 Marriott Timber Lodge units, a multi-screen cinema, retail and commercial space.
• Heavenly Village Parking Garage with 422 parking spaces to complement the area’s commercial/retail development.
• Village Center is a remodel of the old Crescent V shopping center providing new and improved commercial/retail across from Heavenly Village.
• New Fire Station (at the end of Ski Run Blvd. and Pioneer Trail).
• Variety of Environmental Improvements, particularly in the area of water quality.
In addition to these signature improvements, 20% of redevelopment funds are dedicated to affordable housing. Since Redevelopment was adopted in the City approx. $11 million has been spent on affordable housing providing:
• 296 Affordable Multi-Family housing units have been built.
• 62 homeowners were provided low-interest loans to purchase their single family homes
• 57 homeowners were provided low-interest loans to rehabilitate their homes;
• And the new 48-unit Aspens project currently in final funding phase.
TOT (Hotel Taxes):
It is inaccurate to claim the City is financially harmed by using the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue generated in the Project Area to pay the debt that funded some of the signature improvement projects listed above.
The fact is that the opposite is true. The hotel and timeshare projects developed as a result of the redevelopment projects (listed above) represent approximately HALF of all the TOT collected in the City. The Project Area has been so successful that the Embassy Suites, Marriott Grand Residence and Marriott Timber Lodge alone produce 36% of the City’s total TOT revenue. Without these hotels being built, this revenue would not be generated.
Any hotel taxes (TOT) not needed for debt payment reverts to the General Fund. Over the past five years, the City’s redevelopment TOT revenue has generated $3.1 million over what the Redevelopment Agency needs to pay its debt and operating expenses. Without those hotels, the revenue would not be generated.
Property Values:
In addition to TOT, the property value growth in the Project Area has increased from $155 million in 2002 to $784 million in 2010, or 407%.
The RDA Loan:
The issue regarding the loan from the City to the Redevelopment Agency in the amount of $7.2 million dollar has been inaccurately reported. The Redevelopment Agency incurred a deficit between 1999 and 2003. The deficit was reported from reduced revenue as a result of the delayed start of the Heavenly Village project and overruns at the Heavenly Project and Transit Center. To shore up its finances, the Redevelopment Agency entered into a $7.2 million dollar loan agreement with the City in 2004, of which $4 million of the loan has been repaid and the balance is being retired at $500,000 and interest annually. It is a common practice for City’s and Redevelopment Agencies to enter into loan agreements.
Parking Garage:
It is inaccurate to state the Parking Garage is losing $130,000 a year. The Parking Garage is breaking even and has been for some time. Previously, parking enforcement expenses for the area surrounding the garage were budgeted with Parking Garage expenses, which have since been removed. The Parking Garage is not losing money. In addition, the City Council recently took action to reduce parking enforcement expenses by terminating the contract and bringing enforcement actions in-house.
Streets:
The City Council and City Manager have for the past many months been stressing the importance of fixing the City’s streets. It is inaccurate to say otherwise. The City Council as a whole and each individually are on the record of stressing the importance of fixing the streets, advocating for the fixing of streets. The City has recently adopted a Five-Year Financial Plan where throughout, the importance of fixing the streets and improving the built environment are declared priorities.
Leadership:
The City Council has shown leadership by facing the financial crisis head on and by taking the following actions in recent months:
• Right-sized the City organization through department consolidations, layoffs and early retirements saving the South Lake Tahoe taxpayers $10.2 million over the next five years;
• Adopted a Strategic Plan that addresses and prioritizes the needs of the community for the next five years by focusing on Fiscal Sustainability, Economic Development, Improving the Built Environment, Improving Public Trust and Accountability, and Partnership Development;
• Adopted a Five-year Financial Plan that eliminates a projected $17 million budget shortfall over the next five years by right-sizing the City organization to live within its means and investing $25 million in public roads, sidewalks, drainage, lighting and community facilities;
• Have begun developing the first Capital Improvement Plan since 1999 to improve STREETS, sidewalks, lights, bike paths and community facilities;
• Adopted the City’s General Plan Update;
• Reviewed the First ever Business Plan setting the course to implement the Strategic and Financial Plans (will be presented for adoption June 7).
A complete review of the City’s 23 year history of redevelopment can be found through the following link to an April 5, 2011 City Council Staff Report, beginning on page 8.
http://slt.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=425&meta_id=40839
Nancy Kerry
Public Affairs and Communications Manager
530-542-6043
Thank you Nancy…that explains everything perfectly! “high 5”
To claim that the garage isn’t loosing money is a perfect example of the kind of fraudulent accounting that needs to be investigated. Furthermore, to claim that there is a plan to fix the streets is an insult to our intelligence. The numbers don’t lie, but the City would have us believe otherwise. You can’t take a million dollars a year shortfall, throw in millions of dollars of unfunded liabilities, add hundreds of millions of dollars to fix the damage done already by this council and then claim the City is solvent. Sorry Ms. Kerry, but your claims are without foundation or substantiation.
Not comfortable Ms. Kerry with my tax dollars going to pay for someone who instead of just giving info. to the public, is acting as an ‘agent’ for the Council and City Mgr! Hopefully the current Council and City Mgr. end up doing many good things for our City! And I understand the need to provide information when someone writes an opinion story.
But I don’t like my tax dollars paying for someone to give the public info. that I disagree with! Ms. Kerry you’re clearly crossing the line from just giving information, to instead giving opinion, when you claim certain projects are ‘beautiful’ when many disagree with that!
Also, Yes, I understand the need to point out that the City has cut expenses! (Though it required hush money buyouts!) But to claim the City is now ‘right-sized’ is your opinion and something I and many others disagree with!
And hopefully this highly-touted Strategic Plan does lead to Community Improvements! However, it’s sure sounding like a document that will provide an excuse for a tax increase? The City has, and has had, sufficient money in its coffers to improve our infrastructure! However, the City has wasted, and still wastes, many dollars as it’s still not ‘right-sized’!
Nancy Kerry, Well, how about the 50 plus business displaced by redevelopment, and only two remaining. Lots of help from the city, there was none.
“To shore up its finances, the Redevelopment Agency entered into a $7.2 million dollar loan agreement with the City in 2004, of which $4 million of the loan has been repaid and the balance is being retired at $500,000 and interest annually. It is a common practice for City’s and Redevelopment Agencies to enter into loan agreements.”
Is there an actual loan agreement? I’d like to see it. We still don’t know how the Redevelopment Agency raided the general fund for $7.2 million and we still don’t know who approved it.
However, the real point is that the $4 million repayment came from funds that should have gone to the general fund to begin with. So the “loan” is being repaid with tax money that was originally promised to the city and goes to pay the bonded debts instead, while wiping out our funds to maintain and repair our streets. Another example of how the city cooks the books.
“It is inaccurate to state the Parking Garage is losing $130,000 a year.”
Really? That’s the number you reported last year in the budget.
This year, you kept the same miserable revenue, but deducted out expenses to magically create a garage that was breaking even.
This is exactly the kind of phony accounting that needs to be investigated and brought to light by the Grand Jury.
Nancy Kerry, you are still missing the big picture, I have been here for the big picture and looking back, you sound like every other person ever in your position. Same logistic referances and same upbeat outlook, which will more than likely lead to the same results. I like your homework, I just don’t trust it. I understand your information, but the reality of our circumstances are more accurate than the projected numbers being bandied about as if they held some truth, it’s all good on paper, it’s not all good on the streets. I want your numbers to work, I want our Council to be successful, I want Tahoe to thrive, but looking out the window of my car as I drive through the town, I see a different place than what your logistics and reports are talking about. I see the reality of people crunching too many numbers instead of opening up to the honest truths and accepting help to overcome something bigger than they are. I hope you understand that I am for you, not against you, However, I am not so stupid about these things, so as to look around and consider the past and say it’s working, because it’s not. And all the nubers you can put on paper wont ever change the truth of yhe matter, we all know the redevelopment is a failure and we all know the streets need more than “planning” to fix them, they need money and action… and good weather!
It would be extraordinarily valuable and productive if the city would just stop the pretense and face up to past failures and current structural defects in the budget, such as unfunded liabilities in retirement, benefits and deferred maintenance of infrastructure. Homeowners need to understand the enormous hidden debt that has been incurred without any general vote. Either deal with this now, or face horrendous increases in fines, penalties, taxes and fees as soon as next year.
Brian, I think you speak for a lot of us out there. I love Tahoe. I left a good corporate job in Dallas to move here because of all the outdoor recreational opportunities. I moved here 10 years ago this month, and what you said about the truth being visible on the streets really hits home. Tahoe was a vibrant community, but it is not anymore. I don’t know exactly who is to blame, but the people in power, from the city council to state senators, as well as corporate management should be held accountable. Anyone who says Tahoe is better off now than it was 10 years ago needs a mental evaluation. The proof is out on the street.
Thimesnv…there are so many variables that have caused the view you get as you drive through town.
What about the loss of 1000s of jobs in Stateline as gaming spread like wildfire through the states via Indian gaming? Caesars had over 1800 employees, and they are now around 700 strong (and most part time). Harrahs and Harveys had at least 2500 a piece in the haydays. Loss of jobs means people leave, looking for work.
Reduced hours in all sectors, reduced income, yet rents and cost of living continued to rise. People didn’t have the money to spend in town and shops close up.
My idea to help fix the blight? The landlords of all the vacant buildings in town should reduce rents in order to encourage retail…why would they rather hold onto an empty property than have a thriving business? The overhead is just too great for many to try it. They can fix up their buildings, create a nice look so people would want to go into them and shop and fix the visual impact in our town.
Is this the current city council’s problem? No. Is there something that could have been done to prevent the empty buildings? Perhaps. The City is on the right path, people are aware of government and hopefully taking a stronger role. If everyone does their own part to help us become a thriving town again it can work, but it isn’t just the city and council’s job.
“The City Council and City Manager have for the past many months been stressing the importance of fixing the City’s streets. It is inaccurate to say otherwise. The City Council as a whole and each individually are on the record of stressing the importance of fixing the streets, advocating for the fixing of streets. The City has recently adopted a Five-Year Financial Plan where throughout, the importance of fixing the streets and improving the built environment are declared priorities.”
According to Jim Marino, engineer with the city, it will take $5.2 million a year for 25 to 30 years to get the streets up to par. Yet the actual budget now and projected forward is a tiny fraction of that amount. This is not a fix, it is not even a serious attempt at a fix. How much of a priority is something that has no realistic budget or penalties for failing to address that issue?
If the city council cannot come up with an honest budget that includes $5 million a year for roads, then the city should declare bankruptcy and the council should be dissolved.
Great storey by Nancy Kerry! A grand jury now has enough information for an investigation.
The only problem would be the Judge that picks the foreman.
Redevelopment was investigated years ago to no avail.
Nevada got and gets the tax revenue from gambling and CA. the social cost it causes. Hodge get’s 17 million in property from city, in 1989, then files BK after he gets 15 million loan for the property. Nancy, please address my questionn of what the 50 business that went out of business could have done to stay in business. State redevelopment law states that existing business displaced by redevelopment should be able to relocate in the area they are displaced from. If you would like, you could call 541-4653 and explain it.
Nancy Kerry, Could you answer some questions from your comments? Most of the projects you mention are failures. Ex. Ski Run Marina commerical is a failure, Embassy has lost tax value, Diamond resorts is not built out, Fire station was replace by big mac, and only two business in the area, of the 50 plus displaced are still here.
I too was wondering just the other day what happend to all those business and families that were uprooted. Wasn’t eminent domain used by the then City Attorney to get them out? Just about the beginning of the mass exodus from SLT.