Opinion: Do temps mean refund on snow removal tax?
To the community,
The city of South Lake Tahoe was created by popular vote in 1965. The main issues were police, fire, and snow removal. People were not happy with county services.
Presently, because of hard economic times, the city manager wishes to downsize the city’s snowplow crew and use temps to plow city streets. The city manager claims that there will be a sizeable dollar savings for the city by employing temps. Perhaps.
Bill Crawford
Many years ago, a property tax of $20 a year was approved by voters in the city for snow removal. Once a year, the City Council by a majority vote approves to continue collecting the tax. So because the city manger says employing temps will rescue the cost of snow removal, will the City Council Vote to kill the tax?
Bill Crawford, South Lake Tahoe
Once again, Mr. Crawford tickles the chin of the dragon, by posing a rhetorical question for which we all know the answer. Of course the tax will be continued, as the dragon devours what is left of South Lake Tahoe.
The original goal of providing better police, fire and snow removal has long since been forgotten. Instead we have a city council that gives away money to special interest groups that turn around and reelect the same pathetic characters and mentality.
Sadly, our fair city is in the hands of socialists and nannies, who are as dedicated to central planning as their counterparts in North Korea.
I challenge anyone reading this to name one thing this city council has done to make our lives any easier or less expensive.
I belive the state pays the city back for half of the snow removal expences. So between the snow removal tax and the state money is there really a large savings?
It is true that the State of Calif returns 50% of all snow removal cost to the City every year for over 30 years. The $25 dollar fee that is paid each year for Snow removal Services was put in place to provide for a “Snow Removal Equipment Replacement Program”, It is not enough to pay for the new equipment needed but it helps defray the actual cost. The City is still using Equipment that is over 30 years old and is in need of replacement. $20 a year is not enough and should be at least $50 dollars, A small price to pay for the service that you receive.
Just remember that with out Snow removal that the Police, Fire, Tourist, and Citizens would not be able to move without Snow Removal Service.
If the City is so broke, Why did they increase the City Councils Members Budget
Why was the City Councilmember’s budget amended this year to increase their expenses. It is an increase of over $56,318 since 2010 when other departments have made sacrifices and budget reductions. Are they having expensive lunches and dinners out on the taxpayer’s backs? Seems like a double standard here.
The $20 per year property tax to which Mr. Crawford refers is for the purchase of snow removal equipment ONLY and NOT for salaries or employee benefits. The following text is from the April 19, 2011, staff report on this topic and this public hearing takes place annually:
“On September 20, 1989, a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the City of South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County was executed to allow the County to form a Zone of Benefit within County Service Area No.3 (CSA 3), which lies entirely within the municipal boundaries of the City of South Lake Tahoe. The agreement allows the County to levy a charge of $20.00 per improved parcel. The County remits all funds collected to the City, less one percent (1%) for administrative costs. These funds are dedicated to purchase new snow removal equipment for the City of South Lake Tahoe. Due to a ten-year sunset clause in the original JPA, an extension was executed by both parties in March 1999 and the agreement shall be continued in full force and may only be terminated upon 180 days written notice by either party. Upon receipt of such notice, the City and County must meet and mutually agree to the termination of the agreement. Since the inception of the JPA, the City has purchased fifteen (15) snow graders/plows, one (1) snow blower/loader combination, and two (2) snow blowers. The newest equipment purchased in 2007 (three graders and one blower) is being financed and will be paid in full in 2016. There are no funds available for any future equipment until this purchase is paid in full.
Pursuant to the JPA, the City acts as the advisory board to the County Service Area and shall hold at least one public hearing annually regarding the levy. Following the public hearing, the City is required to forward to the County its recommendations and the substance of the testimony, if any, for County review.”
The public hearing related to this $20 tax toward the purchase of snow removal equipment takes place annually and Mr. Crawford served on the City Council when this topic came before them for approval on at least four occasions while he was on the last Council. I find his misunderstanding related to this topic troubling since he was charged with making important financial decisions in the best interest of the City of SLT when serving on that Council.
Since the winter of 81/82 at minimum, we have experienced a significant presence of el nino and la nina weather phenomenon. I’m under the impression places like scripts institute understand these weather patterns months ahead of time.
Seems much more effective to plan plowing strategy by what the weather pattern will be like. If it snows 5-10 times a year, snows on average 1-3 times a week, what plan is more efficient? These are patterns for the last few decades.
What evaluation has been done to use other city employees to drive peak demand plows,eg., during a massive storm, during peak road use hours/days, ect..
You can’t just put a person in a plow and send them out to remove snow. It takes a qualified operator to run these plows and if you wait until it snows to start plowing you will be so far behind that you will think your in first place. You must start plowing when there is 4 inches of snow. It takes 12 hours to complete a pattern and if it is still snowing it will look like know one has been there.
You can’t rely on the Weather forecast how often are they wrong ???? I’ve plowed a lot of partly cloudy THAT DELIVERED 3 FEET OF SNOW OVER NIGHT.
The idea of replacing dedicated employees with temps is very frustrating. Snow plow drivers are imperative to life here and they should be the best that we have, not temps. I am so over this city council and manager, but this has been the case for each new council that I have seen since living in Tahoe for the past eleven years. We need to take back our city from these special interest orientated people and replace them with real people who have the best interest of the residents in mind.
At least the city manager got his raise, right? He is so incompetent it is mind boggling that he is even qualified to drive a car, let alone a city.
Plowing snow in the unique neighborhoods that make up our town takes an equally unique skill and dedication that only an experienced driver can provide. These people are worth the money.
Was doing reaserch and found this story MOst interesting is how Douglas County handles snow removal. It’s at the bottom of the story.
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/02/plow-drivers-deal-with-un-fun-part-of-snowstorms/