Endorsement: LTN says Sass, Conner are best choice for South Lake Tahoe City Council
Publisher’s note: The following endorsement is from Lake Tahoe News after a team of six community members gathered to hash out who the two best people in the field of five are to lead South Lake Tahoe on the City Council for the next four years.
We believe Austin Sass and JoAnn Conner will best represent South Lake Tahoe on the City Council for the next four years. We believe they are stronger as a team – though they aren’t running as that – than individuals. This is because of what each brings to the table.
Sass has the corporate-world experience this town needs. We need someone who can speak the language of big business. Like it or not, there are a ton of corporate entities in town and more are coming – from grocery stores, to department stores, to ski resorts, to hoteliers.
Sass has experience with big budgets. Multimillion-dollar budgets. A budget like the city of South Lake Tahoe has.
The incumbents believe borrowing from reserves and satisfying the state requirement of passing a balanced budget each year means the city has a balanced budget. City Manager Nancy Kerry last month told Lake Tahoe News the city is likely to face more than a $1 million deficit in the next fiscal year – 2013-14. Neither of the incumbents is addressing this reality.
Sass comes from a tourism-marketing background where he worked for Vail Resorts and Aramark. We have a tourism-based economy. We need someone on the council with that background.
On the other side of the spectrum, Conner has a perspective no one else brings. She has lived the non-privileged life of Lake Tahoe. She talks about the whole community. She talks about the people no one else is talking about – the people living check-to-check, small business owners, their employees – the people who truly make this a community.
When Lake Tahoe News put out a call to the power structure to show up at Bread & Broth to mix with those who may only get one hot meal a week, she was there that night. She was sitting beside, talking to and breaking bread with a segment of the population the other four candidates don’t acknowledge. And, yet, with 60 percent of Lake Tahoe Unified School District’s students receiving free or reduced lunches, clearly poverty with a view is a reality for so many.
Conner is the only candidate on the campaign trail advocating for more jobs in this town. She wants this area to have more than a tourist economy and recognizes that a simple thing like broadband would help inspire companies or those working remotely to move to South Lake Tahoe.
She also runs a small events company, so she gets that people want to do more than look at a lake or walk in the woods.
JoAnn Conner
Austin Sass
It may be disconcerting to some that Sass has received money from out of town interests or larger entities. But $5,000 of his donations came from the South Lake Tahoe Lodging Association. This group only represents hotels in South Lake Tahoe. It costs money to get your name in front of voters. He already had to replace signs – and he’s not the only one – because people vandalized them. While $5,000 is a lot of money in some ways, we don’t believe it’s enough to sway any candidate. After all, it’s not like it went into his private bank account.
Combined, Conner and Sass will bring the big and small perspectives to the table that this town and basin need. We need an eclectic mix on the council to move this city forward. We like that both want to promote recreation and both are active.
We can’t re-elect someone who when asked at the Oct. 10 Soroptimist candidate forum what vote he would change he said pot dispensaries instead of anything about the hole in the ground. It is partially Cole’s Hole. After all, Hal Cole is the one who has said there is no such thing as a performance bond.
And we can’t re-elect the other incumbent – a man who seems so incredibly out of touch with the residents of South Lake Tahoe. The depth of Bruce Grego is questionable. Nothing substantive comes out of his mouth.
Clinton Schue doesn’t seem to take running for office seriously, so how can anyone believe he would take the office itself seriously?
While we know Sass and Conner can come across as arrogant, even abrasive, we also know it takes people who are self-confident, a bit opinionated, and definitely self-starters to be successful councilmembers. We also believe the Sass-Conner combo will work well with the remaining councilmembers.
On Nov. 6 (or earlier via by mail) mark your ballots for Austin Sass and JoAnn Conner for South Lake Tahoe City Council.
Conner is 2 for 2 so far. Tahoe mountain news endorsed her also.
Austin Sass is the most well rounded candidate that we have to choose from in this election. Not only does he have the business acumen needed to accomplish the fiscal responsibilities as a council member, he, by virtue of regularly availing himself to many of the recreational activities our community has to offer, has the best grasp on what can be improved in our resort town to make it one of the world’s most desirable destinations to the travelers of the new millennium.
He is also 110% vested in, and dedicated to our community, and has a complete grasp on the time and workload that will be required of him when we elect him as a member of South Lake Tahoe City Council.
Mr. Sass, you have my complete support, and my vote! And I would urge anyone yet to decide for whom they will be voting for on November 6 to join me by voting in Mr. Sass as one of our next members of the South Lake Tahoe City Council.
Good choices. I completely agree. I like your incisive but common sense approach, Kae – not just on this but on most of your reporting and opinion pieces.
Yep, Conner and Sass have my vote as well. Buh-bye Cole and Grego!
I cannot vote in city elections so you don’t need to worry about my vote but I have concerns with Conner as a choice. Why you ask? Because time and time again in this forum she is all about us versus them, the Y versus Stateline, big versus little. She’s complained that people go to Nevada to spend their money.
In order to get anything done and allow the community to move forward you need to be able to work together, see the big picture and learn to compromise to get things moving forward.
No matter who wins I hope people can put personal agendas aside and work for what’s good for the WHOLE community, not just bits and pieces.
I believe Sass and Connor to be the best choices as well. A vote for Grego and Cole is a step backward into the past.
Excellent article, and great choice’s, Thank you Kay
Next, is the removal of Tom Davis and Clair Fortiner and then we will have all of the problems gone.
Let the re-building of the City of So. Lake Tahoe begin.
Bye Bye Hal the “Hole Cole” and Bruce Greco.
$10.00 says that Hal and Bruce get elected
THANK YOU, Kae! I take this responsibility seriously and, if elected, will do my best for our community as a whole.
Good call Kae. I was at the forum and came to the same conclusion. Both Sass and Conner responded well to the questions and seemed to be inherently concerned about the “city”. I think it is time for SLT to put in new leadership with uncomplicated history.
There weren’t many people at the event, so hopefully many readers will read your article.
Austin Sass is an assertive problem solver who is not afraid to tackle big issues. We need his proactive approach to solve the deficit and get us back on track with the problems facing our community. I think he is an excellent choice.
Congratulations to both JoAnn and Austin on their LTN endorsements. They’ve been my choice from the git go for many of the reasons enumerated above. I’ve shared that opinion with anyone who’s asked me and I’m glad to see that there appears to be strong consensus on that. Now let’s move this community forward so we can capitalize on our abundant natural, historic, cultural, artistic and intellectual resources.
I know Austin well. He’s a good man and deserves our votes. I will also vote for Conner.
$10.00 says that Hal and Bruce get elected and are the best choice right now and both would not take money from the collectives!
$10 bets? I would guess those are good bets. Why? People don’t vote. People talk about wanting change, how bad things are, how the “good ole boys” continue to run this town. And they don’t vote. If you want change GET OUT AND VOTE !
Who gave the collectives a license to be here, David?
WHO’S TAKING THEIR MONEY?
my choices as well! sass having taken contributions from ‘corporate’ sources is of no concern. both sass and conner are motivated, bright, and each brings precisely the right experience set to get our town on the right track.
Bruce was against the collectives from the get go, and still is. A good thing to review everyone’s stance on the issues, review their websites, questions and answers articles on LTN and Mt. News.
A better bet than $10 on who is going to win is to see what % of voters will show up. Since it’s a Presidential race as well there will be more than normal. 46% showed up in the county for the Primaries and I believe SLT had almost 30%. Would be nice to see over half of the people that are registered actually voice their opinion at the polls.
The great think about having the freedom to have an opinion is we still live in a free country. And I thank both my Son’s for their service to keep us free!
I agree with 50% of your endorsement Kae. One of them spends to much time making comments on this site.
Spot on Lake Tahoe News! This article sums it up well. Track history of incumbents dictates a change of leadership and both JoAnn Conner and Austin Sass have what it takes!
Btw, Chief Slowroller and David Kelly, I will take those $10 wagers you put out! Remember BOTH incumbents must be elected.
Scott are you making the rules?
No, David, here’s your quote, “$10.00 says that Hal and Bruce get elected”
I’m just taking you up on your offer. These are your rules. Chief Slowroller put out the same offer and rules. No need to attack me.
David, btw, I appreciate you using your name when commenting. Even though we may not agree on everything it is nice to know who it is. Thank you kindly!
Sorry Was not trying to attack you just asking!
Thank you Scott I’m proud of my name and the low income properties I was able to get build and being President of Tahoe Area Coordinating Council for the Disabled among other community actives!
Cole, Cole, Cole, Cole, and more of Cole. He’s got the vote of everyone I know personally. We know he can lead and he’s got the experience we need. I could support one or the other of these two , Conner/Sass, but two inexperienced people sitting next to Davis, and Swanson will mean they’ll be fighting with each other just to bring everyone up to the same level of understanding. Cole’s right, experience does count. We were at the forum and he’s right on every question. Sass and Conner simply don’t know enough although Sass would be a better choice to hit the ground running. Cole plus one. Grego, we all agree with the assessment of LTN. His stance all around is all wrong.
Frank,
I’m a bit concerned about the attention span and/or memory of many SLT voters. The following was posted on LTN on October 5 by former City Attorney Jacqeuline Mittelstadt:
“What Mr. Cole fails to mention, is that EVERY development project also ALWAYS has a performance bond (especially one of this magnitude!)–which Mr. Lane could not secure. The City opted to move forward without one, putting at risk the Segal’s and every other small business owner that became caught up in this fiasco.
Mr. Enright’s comment about it being unclear what the Board knew… dont believe it. In fact, Jenkins and the former Finance Director commenced their campaign against me as City Attorney (supported by Cole, Grego, and Lovell) when I refused to sign off on their reports to the City Council behind the scenes and in hearings, that this deal had “no financial risk” (as to later proposed bridge financing) to the City”
Now, I personally like Mr. Cole but all the problems associated with the hole and all the back-room dealings have tainted the entire previous council and anyone else that approved it.
Thank you, Tom! The actions of the previous council and members who participated are inexcusable with regards to the “hole” doings. As I see it, there is no way it should have gotten started and as a result it has created a big hole and many problems.
Mr. Kelly,
Need we remind you that it was Hal the Hole who teamed up with the gangsters from City of Angels to write an ordinance. This ordinance did nothing but favor drug dealers and increase the black market, you see where it got us. The net result is more empty buildings, more people out of work and another black eye on city council.
Medical Pot is here to stay. I would prefer a cannidate who has some knowlege and compassion of this industry. On a national level 2 states are likely to go to full legalization this year leaving us at a competative disatvantage in ski toursim markets as they are Colorado and Washington.
Moreover just listening to Hal and Bruce talk at the forum was completely underwhelming and unimpressive.
Well I can find significant fault with both Connor & Sass, but man, they’ve got to be better than Grego & Cole!! The bar is so incredibly low! Grego, the attorney who repeatedly illustrates he doesn’t know the law. And Cole, the contractor who doesn’t know construction-his great ‘experience’ gave us the hole!
600 votes from the no bodies gets someone in office,if you can call it that?
I think it should be Conner/Sass though. That’s just alphabetically correct.
Out with the old, in with the new!
Hal Cole running for a FIFTH term?
I’m sure some who post here would be completely for term limits on the state or federal level, yet might look at a an elected official at the city or county level serving 16 years as being a good choice by virtue of experience.
Others might view this person as self serving, only making sure decisions made would benefit that person and those that person is beholding to.
I won’t even weigh in on either side of THAT coin, BUT I will say that under Mr. Cole’s guidance the city council embarked on THE BIGGEST DEBACLE THIS TOWN HAS EVER SEEN!!!! Of course I’m speaking of the hole.
AS far as I can see his “experience” has not come in to play up to this date, so why would we expect it to within the NEXT four years!
COLE AND GREGO OUT, SASS AND CONNER IN!!!
Sass has my vote! He would be an asset. Conner, however- never! She’s not equipped to handle the demands of the city… She struggles to run her own
business. Not to mention Conner is only in it for self interests.
I applaud Lake Tahoe News for a thoughtful, reasoned endorsement. I’d like to see a link to this page stay on the Home page until Nov. 6.
Tahoe Mom – most small business, in fact most business period, is struggling in the US today. Small businesses, however, employ a significant number of people in our area. I know their struggles; I have owned and operated two in Tahoe, one for the past ten years and a second for nearly a year. That is one of the complaints I hear – the current make up of the Council does not listen to them. That results in wasted time: ordinances are enacted without the small business perspective, then after businesses are fined and complain, the ordinance is adjusted again. That is a waste of staff time and impacts those who can afford it least.
I am confused by your comment “Conner is only in it for self interests.” What would those be, please?
JoAnn, the biggest problem the city has is nobody can stand to work with them. Yes, your point is true. But it is much deeper, El Dorado County, Douglas County, Nevada, large and small businesses in the area. All find it perfectly awful to work with city government. The city has a terrible reputation. We cant continue that at a time where the financial health of the city is “interdependent” with the health of the region.
You dont get it. You will continue the us vs. them attitude that has ruined the reputation of this city. You have repeatedly and directly commented that you would analyze transactions to determine if Douglas county or El Dorado county would benefit and if they would then consider the transaction suspect. You have never not once even hinted that you would work to attract events or organizations that would benefit the region and thereby also benefit the city.
John,from the article above: “Conner is the only candidate on the campaign trail advocating for more jobs in this town. She wants this area to have more than a tourist economy and recognizes that a simple thing like broadband would help inspire companies or those working remotely to move to South Lake Tahoe.” That’s more than a “hint.”
Also doesn’t sound like you were able to attend any of the forums (where you would have heard my thoughts on bringing jobs and events here), so please take a look at Lake Tahoe News candidate profile, the September and October editions of the Mountain News,the October 5th edition of the Tribune, and the October 1-15 edition of the Tahoe Business Monitor. I do indeed repeatedly speak to bringing jobs and money to the City and list ideas that I think would work, based on conversations with the citizens and entities in Meyers, Stateline, and South Lake Tahoe.
I have also stated repeatedly that I believe we all need to work together, but that we need to feed the children of South Lake Tahoe before we feed the children of Nevada. I look for solutions that are “win-win,” not solutions that would only benefit another entity to the detriment of SLT. That’s not a partnership. Most people would take care of their own family first.
Good grief, fast broadband (we do have broadband) does not create a highly educated workforce. Tahoe is not going to compete with Salt Lake, Portland, Seattle or the Bay area where there are world class universities kicking out endless numbers of near geniuses. The people coming out of Wharton, Chicago, Cornell dont necessarily want to live here. Its highly unlikely we are going to attract meaningful numbers of those types of people. Without the workforce, you dont have a business. I had a client that tried to create an incubator corp to support budding internet and computer businesses in Reno and it failed because they could not attract talent. In the future when you are looking at jobs, start with a SWOT analysis. If your major weakness is talent, maybe think twice about whether the business will work here.
I am open to ideas, John, do you have some for what we should do/bring here? I found, walking the neighborhoods, that people were shocked when we asked their ideas, but I really do want to know. I have heard some great input and I would like to hear yours. You could have the gem we need!
Its pretty simple really. Change sources of entertainment. Our strength is we have a workforce that is service oriented. People will laugh at that but its generally true, people are friendly and service is what we do well. First we need to get the city to actually work with Vail to attract World Cup events. That is easy and doesnt require anything but working with them. Second, we should flagrantly rip off Reno’s ArTown. We should publicize it. Over the next five years we should get the loop built and get the highway out of the entertainment district and put together real festivals. Snowglobe is probably fine. Jazz festivals bring people with money.
The road through downtown Reno has been open for a couple weekends this summer. Do you know why? Because every weekend they have something going on. Ribs, beer, farmers market, music, art…every single weekend is booked.
Tom has a point, we have to figure out transportation and bikes ain’t it. I dont have the answer there. I know we have to have the loop or have a smaller economy and we need to bulldoze some buildings. But I dont know what to do about parking and Lahontan is not going to budge on that no matter what TRPA does.
My vote is for JoAnn. SLT first. It apperas that some of the folks citisizing her are from the Nevada.
I suppose that if South Lake Tahoe can survive their recently departed City Manager they can survive other city leaders who are likewise “arrogant and abrasive.” Although the greatest service the past City Manager ever did for the citizens was leaving; perhaps not an option being considered by either Sass or Conner.
I’d be mostly concerned about Sass’s financial connections with the Lodging Association folks. Jesse Unruh once said, “If you can’t take their money,drink their whiskey, screw their women and vote against them anyway, you don’t belong in the legislature.” The City Council is not the state legislature, and I’ve never met any of the Lodging Association women, but we’ll see where the Association money went the first time Sass has to confront the Lodging Association fiction that Transient Occupancy Tax is supposed to promote tourism.
To Kae, her selection committee, and the many supporters of the endorsement I received from LTN:
Thank you. Every bit of support is appreciated and needed. I thought LTN’s endorsements were well thought out, fair and candid.
I am ready to do what I can to move this city forward. As Kae said, all contributions go to paying campaign expenses. I am beholden to no one. I will vote and work to improve our future, period, end of story.
If you want change and think we need an experienced business person on council who is an avid recreationalist, I ask for your vote. If you think the current incumbents have done a good job, I will agree to disagree with you and I repsect your decision.
Thank you and I hope you vote for me,
Austin Sass