Letter: City Council ruining South Lake Tahoe
To the community,
South Lake Tahoe is an amazing place. We have the most awesome lake in the world, the best tree skiing on the planet, an outstanding hospital and an extraordinary police force that focuses on real crime with real victims.
Best of all, we have the most awesome people you will ever meet. From world-class athletes, to entrepreneurs, artists, musicians and writers, South Lake Tahoe is teeming with culture and vitality.
Steve Kubby
Unfortunately, we also have a City Council that has a long and miserable record of failure. Centrally planned economies have been a failure in places like North Korea, but that hasn’t stopped our City Council from seizing private property and pushing their authoritarian redevelopment schemes down our throats.
When the El Dorado Grand Jury investigated the council they found criminal negligence and a culture of ignoring the public. This is the same City Council that has an annual deficit of $1 million, made illegal transfers and is at least $300 million underwater in unfunded liabilities.
South Lake Tahoe deserves and urgently needs a City Council that is honest and truly represents us. It’s up to the voters in this extraordinary town to elect new council members who can better serve us. We also urgently need a forensic audit to untangle the convoluted and deceptive financial records currently being kept by the city.
Steve Kubby, South Lake Tahoe
While I hardly ever agree with Mr. Kubby, this short letter does indeed hit on some points that need to be addressed.
Even before the heady days of the real estate bubble the city seemed insincere in its goals and activities A lot of smoke was being generated and facades constructed to decoy attention of the public from what was really happening. Like so many cities they always spent the revenue and borrowed more to create a dream which had not been agreed to by the residents.
Sadly, one can substitute “South Lake Tahoe” and “City Council” with most any city or state and most any collection of politicians. None of them do anything that isn’t personally beneficial to them and they seem to have no regard for the public that they “serve”.
His blood type must be b-. Man never says anything positive
Steve The year of the Grand Jury report mentioned in your letter.
The key is the phrase “elected”. Every council member was elected by that group of “amazing” folks you praised.
Can you say, conundrum?
Thank you Steve for a good depiction of the problems the City of South Lake Tahoe faces.
GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS, GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM.
2010 was the Grand Jury report, and few of the recommendations have been addressed.
KAE I accessed the Eldorado County 2009/2010.2010/2011 and 2011/2012
Grand Jury reports! Guess what ? Get ready here it comes The City of South Lake Tahoe is not mentioned in any of the 2010 reports
However it is mentioned in the 2011/2012 the same as the City of Placerville
Nothing like Steve and especially AB says
To anyone who thinks my letter was inaccurate regarding the Grand Jury report on the failures and unlawful actions of the City Council, please see my previous article here: https://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/07/opinion-s-tahoe-officials-stonewalling-the-truth/
It should also be noted that in an editorial dated July 28, 2010, the Tahoe Daily Tribune said, “The City Council’s response to the critical and scathing El Dorado Grand Jury report is embarrassing and disheartening.”
That same El Dorado Grand Jury concluded its report with a stern warning: “This Grand Jury is of the opinion that an accusation for malfeasance or nonfeasance by this City Council may be appropriate … The Grand Jury only touched the ‘tip of the iceberg’ in its investigation and recommends that the citizens of South Lake Tahoe get involved with their City government. It is up to the citizens to establish the kind of governance they desire, to exercise their democratic right to vote, and get a City government that works for the common good and in an efficient manner for its citizens.”
Steve Pull up the 2010 Grand Jury reports or check the SLT Library, copies should be on file!
Who are we going to vote for. I went to a city council meet for development in south lake. What a bunch of worthless group of people. Never saw such unqualified group ever in my life. To put it in terms. A group of Dumb S@#$s. Keep plunging this town in to unproductive poverty. GOOD Job Keep it up. Here was a statement from one of them. ” It took 4 years to get signs up on the 50 to direct people to the outdoor activities. What a joke. Government in Tahoe.= ” Poverty with a View. Keep it Blue.”
It appears the 2009-10 El Dorado Grand Jury Report is not available online. However, an excellent summary, by Kathryn Reed, of the seven pages devoted to the incompetent and unlawful actions of the “bush league” South Lake Tahoe City Council can be found here: https://www.laketahoenews.net/2010/06/grand-jury-chastises-south-lake-tahoe-council-city-manager/
My point is not to drudge up sewage from the past, but to encourage new candidates to run for City Council and give voters an excuse to dump those who have squandered our public funds, ignored the law and continue to ignore the concerns of this extraordinary community.
Kubby has it correct. I read the report and what he and Kae have stated/reported is true.
Don’t always agree with Kubby but a forensic audit would be the right call. Don’t hold your breath Steve waiting for it to happen. This city manager and council will never order it.
Steve Funny thing happened to the 94/95 Grand Jury report. Nielsen Nutting and Upton would not allow it to be printed.
You might ask Judge Suez if the Bush-Leaguer’s had the 2009/2010 report sandbagged.
Steve, I guess you prepping for the 2014 election? otherwise I don’t get it. New Mayor, new City Manager, new City Council and your saying this is the “same City Council” referenced in a 2009 Grand Jury Report? While I believe we must understand the past in order to make the future better – all of this howling at the moon does little to help the community and only serves to sow distrust in this City Council. This town needs some serious help, and this City Council needs some serious support – not blame for some others actions or inactions. South lake Tahoe IS an amazing place with awesome people so let’s have the discussion on how we are going to work together to make this town better for everyone.
BTW – the grand jury Pdf can be found by Googling
“el dorado county, ca. 2009-2010 grand jury report City of South Lake Tahoe” (second Pdf on the list)
We may have a new mayor, mayor pro tem and city manager, but it is my belief that these key city officers were directly involved in a coverup involving the pilfering of $7 million from the general fund, transferred by persons unknown, to salvage the city’s bankrupt redevelopment project. A loan document was created months after the fact and only part of the money was ever paid back. These are the same people who will tell you the city’s finances are fine and get audited each year. However those audits are based exclusively on information provided by the City and I believe the information is deceptive and fails to include at least $300 million in unfunded liabilities. Only a forensic audit can tell us what is really going on and that will never happen with the current city council. So I am sounding the alarm early, giving people plenty of time to consider running for council. Don’t worry though, I have no plans to run myself.
kubby’s comments are just bla bla bla, the same old crap. wonder if he would have the same opinion if he had gotten elected? probably not, but the rest of us would…
Please give us more info Brad.
Due to the transient nature of our residents I don’t think the voters really represent the actual demographic. This dichotomy leads to the same old faces in City Government as their friends and long-term residents vote them in. For better of for worse this saga will continue until we get young people to vote here. Hopefully with an emerging economy we can attract more young professionals and full time wager earners with forward thinking minds to vote. Until then we are represented by rich, spoiled, longtime locals that have caused the decay of this fine city.