Davis: ‘I made promises and I kept them’
Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News asked the seven South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates a series of questions. All are the same except for one that is specific to each candidate. The responses are being run in the order LTN received them.
Name: Tom Davis
Profession/work experience: Director of General Services for Heavenly Ski Resort; convention manager, transportation manager for Sahara Tahoe Hotel Casino; executive director of sales and marketing for Sahara Tahoe, High Sierra, Horizon hotel and casinos. Director of sales at the Ridge Tahoe, president and managing partner for Tahoe Keys Resort. For a short time director of marketing, casino host for MontBleu Resort Casino &Spa.
Age: 68
What organizations, committees or groups are you or have you been involved with?: Board of directors of the following organizations:
California Tahoe Conservancy
El Dorado County Fair Board
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care
Christmas Cheer all Year (Food Bank)
Kiwanis Club Lake Tahoe.
Why are you running for City Council?: To make a difference, which I have done.
Why should people vote for you over the other candidates?: Because I have done what I said I was going to do. I made promises and I kept them. My brochure when I ran said we would invest in our future. The following were promised and completed: Highway 50 improvements with Caltrans $43.1 million. That is going on right now. Get the lawsuits settled at Lakeview Commons and get the project complete. That has been done. Get the Chateau project completed. That is finished. Get Harrison Avenue streetscape project going. That is going right now. Fire Station 2, new ladder truck to replace 33-year-old truck. That is done. Linear Park pedestrian lighting and landscaping and repaving of the bike path and pedestrian pathway. That is done. Pedestrian lighting curbs and gutter from Ski Run to Larch Avenue. That is done. New police vehicles. That is done. El Dorado Beach bathrooms. That is done. The Aspens 45 units affordable housing project. That is completed. The Bijou erosion control project that will keep 21,000 pounds of sediment out of the lake each year. That is done. That is completed Class 1 bicycle trail rehabilitation. That is done. I’ve been the common thread through all those projects because I believe in building bridges not fences.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing South Lake Tahoe and how will you deal with it?: The economy, the economy, the economy. Improve the built environment just as we have been doing. More recreation facilities and opportunities and entertainment. Encouraging more retail to locate to Tahoe. Encourage locals to remodel their businesses. This can be accomplished with the incentives in the recently adopted area plans.
If the city cannot reach an agreement with its bargaining units, are you willing to go to impasse? Why or why not?: Yes, but it is my hope we will reach an agreement. Our employees are a valuable community asset.
How would you resolve the CalPERS and health care issues in the city?: CalPERS is a state issue that cities, counties and special districts have no control over. The California rule needs to be eliminated. That is shortages in CalPERS have to be made up by the local governments and special districts. They also keep changing the rules in the middle of the game which only adds to the liability. We have made some progress by our having our employees contribute to CalPERS. The city has been actively working to reduce the health care liability from retirees by having those over 65 go into Medicare. It has reduced the liability from $47 million to $25 million. The health care we provide for our current and retirees is too expensive and will be reduced over the next few years. The council has directed the city manager to reduce this unfunded liability. We have no choice but to do that. Every city is facing the same issues. In addition, all new hires do not receive that benefit. But much more needs to be done.
What is your opinion about term limits for the council?: The voters in South Lake Tahoe are educated and well informed. Every two years they can vote us in or out. And they do.
If the city has positive cash flow, where should the money be spent?: Infrastructure which includes paving our roads, improving our recreation facilities and protecting our citizens.
What are your ideas for increasing the city’s revenues?: This record July shows that our road to success lies with providing quality facilities in our city. Visitors and locals are now saying that the town looks great.
What is your vision for the 56-acre project?: We need to partner with the county because they actually own that property. However, they are working with us and are part of the recreation master plan process. This plan will establish the future of the 56-acre project. Looking forward to seeing the plan soon.
What would you do to improve relations with El Dorado County?: I have always had a good relationship with the county supervisors, most likely because I sit on the EL Dorado County Fair Board which provides me with opportunities to build friendships.
Is the city on the right course with restructuring debt and focusing on recreation? Why or why not?: Yes. We just refinanced and may do more because of lower interest rates which frees up millions for infrastructure and recreation.
Name one vote the City Council made in the last four years you are proud of and one you are disappointed in – and why?: I’m proud of voting to get the Chateau project done that helped fix the hole in the ground.
The hardest vote for me was reducing our workforce and laying off 70 employees which came to about one-third of our entire staff. We had no choice.
What is working in the city and what isn’t; and how would you go about changing what isn’t working?: What is working is that we are getting our financial house in order.
We could do a better job of communicating with the public and transparency in government in the city. To our credit we see the problem and are working on it. For instance you can go to the city web site and get information on the budget and most all of the city programs and all City Council meetings www.cityofslt.us
Or you can call me anytime at 530.545.1168.
Being on the council requires working with four others. Give readers an example of how you work well others in difficult situations with differing opinions: I believe in building bridges not fences and even when I’m in the minority on a vote I still respect the majority decision. I always respect the majority vote of the council and never try to undermine their decision even when I don’t agree.
What is your opinion about the following topics:
· Ferry service on Lake Tahoe?: I think it will be a financial black hole. There just isn’t enough demand for it. However, free bus service would be the smart place for the Tahoe Transportation District to seek grant funds. It is common sense that when fares are free rider ship goes way up and greatly benefit’s the working community.
· Loop road?: The city has made it clear that we will not seize properties through eminent domain. If it is possible to have all those who own property there to be willing sellers then if the TTD can accomplish that it is a better project.
· Future of Lake Tahoe Airport?: Airport proved its value in the 2007 Angora Fire disaster. We are seeing an increase in general aviation small plane traffic. What I would like to see is an airport district that would include portions of Douglas County, El Dorado County and our city. It’s a fact that our airport serves a regional market that should help bear the costs of the district.
· Increasing the transient occupancy tax?: Only if it was not going into the black hole. It would have to be for something that increased other revenues for our businesses and city government.
· Changing the vacation rental ordinance to reduce the number of such units in neighborhoods?: No. We have a very comprehensive city ordinance that addresses all the issues such as noise, number of people and parking. The ordinance also provides for elimination of a vacation rental if it is a recurring problem. I am in the vacation rental business and my company has provided many great family experiences. The problem we see is usually from out of town single home vacation owners (VRBO) who rent properties but don’t live here so they can’t supervise them. And local vacation rental companies are responsible good community neighbors and are proactive in policing the units they handle. They have staff that are available for that. Parties in quiet neighborhoods are not tolerated. The biggest complaints that I get are illegal marijuana in our neighborhoods. That is what I will push to have addressed. We must have safe neighborhoods. I was doing a ride along with our police department and witnessed a fire at a house used for a illegal marijuana grow. The renter had bypassed the electoral panel which overloaded the system and caused the fire.
Why do you have a concealed weapon permit? How often do you carry that weapon to council meetings or other public places?: The Second Amendment allows law-abiding citizens to have protection for them and their family. The whole point of concealed carry is just that. No I do not carry it to City Council meetings. The police provide security at our meetings.
Tell the voters something about yourself that they may not know: I hold a 100-ton United States Coast Guard license. (Currently inactive.) When I worked for the Sahara Tahoe Hotel Casino I took out on the hotel’s 42-foot yacht Elvis, Tom Jones, the Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Joey Bishop, Engelbert Humperdinck, Liberace, Mac Davis, Helen Reedy. I met some great people.
You say a renter passed the “Electoral” panel, which overloaded the system and caused the fire. Do you mean the “electric” panel, or did the renter actually pass some political “electoral” panel?
Do not Vote for Tom Davis, He has done nothing for the City, everything he does is for Tom Davis and what will BENEFIT Tom Davis, and not whats good for the people of South Lake Tahoe.
He’s been there to long and it’s time for some new blood.
Tom is right, the City is investing in our community more than I’ve seen in many years. Bring those funds down to the Y this next go round Tom.
The Hwy 50/Caltrans comment struck me as odd since I thought Caltrans had just announced they weren’t going to complete the sidewalk improvements to the Y. If that’s the case, I wouldn’t count that as a positive at all.
In the 15 years I have lived in Tahoe, this is one of the most disappointing candidate statements I have read. Mr. Davis’ bullying nature comes across quite clear in his answers, as well as his conflict of interest when it comes to the vacation rentals. As someone who has several vacation homes owned by these rental companies on my street, I can tell you that I’d rather live next to a grow house. You sir, have failed to maintain these properties, they are overgrown, paint-peeling eye sores. Noise and traffic complaints are quite often ignored. Please DO NOT vote for this self-interested candidate.
Sad to say I made the mistake of voting for him in the last election. I won’t be doing that again. Have a Ta’HO’ day!
Just a curiosity question… I see some do not vote for this guy comments. Is there anybody out there that thinks Tom should be re-elected?
Yo Tom it seems to me that you have the interest of the locals first on your agenda.
voting NO on the parking meters as an example.
it’s to bad that the people behind the curtain don’t want you on the council anymore.
maybe it’s time to ride into the sunset and enjoy life at a better pace.
Tom Davis says that visitors and locals say the town looks great; Wendy David says it looks tired, faded and dated. That’s a considerable spread.
SeaMore, Yes, I’ll be voting for Tom Davis. He’s experienced, knows Tahoe and over the years has done alot for South Shore. He cares about our community and is working on ways to improve it even further.
SLT has made some big steps forward lately and Tom has been involved in all of it.
Yes, as Wendy David said the town does look tired faded and dated but we are SLOWLY getting better!
Okay… now let the insults begin! OLS
Tom is the only one who gets out there and talks to the locals at a great many events, you never see any of the others out there. Melissa the vacation management companies do not own these rentals they just manage them for the owners, they can make recomendations to the owners on what repairs can be made but they do not have the power to spend money that the owner does notallow them to spend. In other words if the owner does not want the to repaint they cant. When a vote comes before the council that involves vacation rentals Mr Davis always leaves the room as it is a conflict of interest for him to be involved in the disscussion or vote and may even be illegal. Steve i think he may have misspoke when he said looks great, it would have been better if he said things are looking so so much better.
what about the promises that he made to the employees of the City of South Lake Tahoe that he is a part of the reneging on! He as part of the council when those promises were made. Whether or not you agree with them, that should be part of your decision making promise when deciding on who to vote for. Personally, I’d like to see an entire new council.
This dude is bragging about what we taught our kids at an early age.
what about the promises that he made to the employees of SLT that he is part of the now taking apart of. Regardless of your personal opinion of those promises, the made them and he is now breaking them. I personally would like to see an entire new city council with a little integrity seated.
Name one vote the City Council made in the last four years you are proud of and one you are disappointed in – and why?: I’m proud of voting to get the Chateau project done that helped fix the hole in the ground.
Hey Tom, you may want to take a look at what is behind the newest highway 50 strip mall. If you consider the Chateau project done, then hopefully the voters consider you done on the council.
I second the comment on the Chateau project. IT IS NOT FINISHED! Please take a walk on Cedar Avenue if you think it is. How will you get local businesses to remodel when you can’t even enforce a signage ordinance? Taking credit for all of the changes in SLT is ludicrous.
Paul
He always takes Credit. He and Hal Cole are two of the worst people on the Council, I hope that the voters see the truth in these two men soon or Tahoe will be doomed forever.
And exactly why, Tommy, is that health care benefit “unfunded?” It was proposed by the City in the ’80s as a substitute for salary increases; every year you added your signature to Memorandums of Understanding continuing that benefit. Did you and your fellow council members actually think it was going to be free.?
Your employees paid for it with reduced salaries. Now you blame them for your pissing away of the savings.
Mr Davis, concerning the chateau being done.. There are still former property owners out there who have lost millions of dollars from decisions the city should not have made. Giving Lane a building permit without consolidating 29 parcels into 5, no financing in place, no performance bond required was the stupidest thing any city council could have done. Are you a friend of small business? Not when it comes to big city projects. Eminent domain is always a tool the city will use, so loop road business’s don’t be fooled by city words!
I think Tom carries his gun all the time because he(and JT) have a Napoleon complex and fear what will happen if he doesn’t keep their ‘promises’
Well Tom Davis, judging from the comments here on LTN it looks like you will have an uphill battle to retain your seat.
Being in politics can be a thankless job no matter how hard you try to do the right thing. You can never make everybody happy and some people just like to finger point, pick apart statements and put the blame on others. Good luck Tom, OLS
Personally, I think Tom is an ok guy. However. He has shown to be on the wrong side of many issues: (ex.) Years ago when California said ok to Indian Gaming, he wanted to fight it rather then plan ahead. He fought against getting rid of the airport tower and associated costs. He is against the plastic bag ban.
PS. I really do not understand the negative comments about the Chateau Project at all. It sounds like some people want the Hole back for some unknown reason.
Tom will once again be receiving my vote as he is the only candidate who seems to actually care about our community and it’s locals. Last election I voted for Tom and Claire, the latter was a wasted vote as Claire would never return phone calls and then left office only after she fast tracked herself to the Mayor seat. Tom may not be perfect but he sure works hard for the welfare of this City. Anytime I have had questions, concerns or problems, Tom has always answered his phone or made himself available to talk. For those of you that post on here with negativity and name calling all I ask is what are your solutions to solve these issues? You reek of negavity yet never offer ANY solutions, I’m an adult and don’t take much to resorting to name calling and offer not one idea…. Tom will be the first to tell you the Chateau project has more phases to go, but the Highway 50 side is done, the fence is down and it looks much better than it has for the past several years… As I recall Tom was not a council member when this was approved and maybe if Tom did have a seat at the table this project would have taken a different course all together… Tom, keep your head up and treck forward, you have more support out there then these people realize and the experience to back it up!!!
@Tea Total, do you personally know Tom or JT? I am curious as to your knowledge they have a napeolon complex. I have seen JT grow into a fine young man and respect him as well, if you have a negative view/contact with Tom or JT please share, don’t just make blanket comments
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO COPPER, AT LEAST SOMEONE KNOWS THE TRUTH, THAT’S A PROMISE THAT HE BROKE, AFTER YEARS OF OKAYING IT EVERY CONTRACT TO THE EMPLOYEES.
I EVEN SPOKE TO HIM AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD LATER SEE A PROBLEM AND HE SAID THAT “THEY HAD FULLY EXPLORED IT AND IT WOULD NEVER BE TAKEN” AWAY FROM THE EMPLOYEES.
THANKS AGAIN COPPER
Tahoe K-I’ve known Tom Davis since the 70’s-I know where many bodies are buried- FYI
Tea Total, then explain your comments and evidence otherwise you hold no weight!!! Are you all hat and no cattle or legit? Just curious
Under Why should people vote for you over other candidates. Who really did the work? I know you signed the papers but, Hwy 50 improvements , City employee’s. Harrison Ave, City employee’s. Ladder truck, City employee’s. Police units, City employee’s. Yet you take credit for all the “hard work” You must be a real Thick Skin Son Of A Gun! Sleep well Tom.
Tom says when he ran for council, (he) “the following were promised and completed-” then lists a dozen accomplishments that happened while he was around. I don’t remember these things being “promised”- fire truck, police units, end the lawsuits, etc. What future “promises” can he now make so voters can hold him accountable if rewarded with another term?
I must admit I admire his being the only council member with the courage and insight to stand up for how citizens felt about the parking meters, and did not fall into lockstep with the city manager’s mistruths and misleading distortions, while the rest of the council did, and may vote for him just for this reason.
Thanks for the upper case endorsement, “Hard To . . . .”
Tommy’s a nice guy. But being a “nice guy” with the employees doesn’t necessarily translate into intelligent politics. Let alone ethical.
I no longer vote in South Lake Tahoe, but I survive on promises made by the politicians who decided, after much discussion from all sides, how I was to be compensated for my career.
In a lot of ways, I’d prefer seeing Tommy returned to the City Council, simply because he is largely responsible for the deceptions that were sold to the employees, and later the voters and are now, at the worst possible economic time, being rejected. And, at some point, he needs to be forced to acknowledge them and his participation in both approving them and failing to fund them. I’d like to seem him as the target for past failings, rather than the innocent retirees who are clearly in the cross-hairs.
But that’s not going to happen. South Lake Tahoe voters, do what you will. But for your own sake, please focus on political integrity.
Tom did listen to the voters on parking, Angela and Brooke tried to keep us from voting. Along with Hal, Joanne, city attorney and city manager. The voters will remember!
I guess my perspective on Tea Total was true and he or she is all hat and no cattle!!!! When someone makes an accusation especially calling some one for example, a liar or corrupt or accusing them of having “bodies buried” then not having the courage to respond with proof and evidence and to not identify themselves is questionable at best!!! As I have stated in the past, is Tom perfect? No. Has he made mistakes, sure we are after all human but he has the heart and compassion and drive and he does his homework, those attributes alone give him my vote!!!! Just my two cents!!!
Buck. Tom Davis and Ted Long did not “listen” to the voters regarding “slow” growth on the West Slope. They sent out flyers in SLT asking for support for the most growth option, which was voted down.
Personally. I hope the bring the parking meters back for out of towner’s and give locals like a free meter card. I am sick of the tourists getting everything for “free” and leaving their trash behind for locals to clean up… for free again.
Rock, I am not really sure where you get the idea that the tourist are getting every thing for free. The top 3 general fund revenues are RE Taxes, TOT taxes and Sales Taxes. Thru renting of Hotels, motels and private residences it allow owners of those properties to pay RE Taxes, these properties account for over 60% for RE taxes collected for the city. They pay all of the TOT taxes and 60% of the sales taxes collected for the city. They pay more of the general fund income than the locals do by a wide margin.
Thanks for all your comments. I will respond soon. In the meantime Hard to understand,Tahoereader,Melissa,Hmmm,Bill Swim, Copper,TeaTotal,please call me to discuss your concerns I always return my phone calls. You can also email me at tomhdavis@aol.com. if anyone else has concerns,suggestions,comment please call. Cell (530) 545-1168 Looking forward to your calls.
Thanks
Tom Davis
Relo. We have built the sewage treatment, highways, airports, hotels, motels, commons, gutters, casinos, street lights, trails, etc for the “tourist” industry. They see a lot of this infrastructure they use as free.
Also. How come nobody paid the “volunteers” to clean up the mess after the 4th? Because it is a “free” cleanup. Tourist’s hear volunteers and cleanup and they think they can just dump their trash; and I have heard them say it to me personally after throwing their trash out of car windows! And YES I was pissed, plates were from Arizona.