S. Tahoe council backs prosperity center
By Kathryn Reed
Money was the dominant subject at Tuesday’s South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting.
After multiple attempts by the Tahoe Prosperity Center to get $10,000 from the city, the council said yes on a 4-1 vote on Sept. 15. Councilwoman JoAnn Conner was the dissenting member. Conner is against giving any nonprofit taxpayer money.
Mayor Hal Cole noted the city is a voting member on the TPC board and that it is not a traditional nonprofit because of the public input, and that it is a regional body that can do things the city alone cannot do.
Councilman Tom Davis reluctantly voted to spend the money, but said without proven deliverables in the next year, he won’t do so again.
While at previous meetings the council had talked about designating what the money would be earmarked for, this was not the ultimate decision.
—
Resident Jerry Goodman brought forward a desire to institute parking permits for his neighborhood near Heavenly Mountain Resort to deal with vacation home rentals taking over city streets.
Councilman Tom Davis recused himself because his company has rentals in the area.
The vote was 2-2, and therefore died. Cole and Councilwoman Wendy David opposed the permits, while Conner and Councilman Austin Sass were for them.
“I don’t think this is the right solution for vacation home rental problems,” Cole said.
—
Jerry Bindel, chairman of the Tourism Improvement District, and Carol Chaplin, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, gave a tourism report. TID collects transient occupancy tax on top of what the city mandates.
Bindel is expecting a 2 percent increase in 2016 in hotel taxes collected; this is on top of the 2 percent that has been accrued to date this year.
Cycling is likely to become a bigger piece of the marketing story, including the bike park at Bijou Community Park that opens Saturday.
The Tahoe South ad campaign is being re-thought.
Much of what Chaplin said had been covered in that day’s Lake Tahoe News story.
In other action:
· Mark Carlson, who is in charge of the city’s finance department, is now also the assistant city manager. He will receive a 5 percent boost in pay.
· The council approved the budget for fiscal year 2015-16.
· The Oct. 6 council meeting has been canceled so most of the council may attend the League of California Cities conference.
· The council approved the agreement with Lake Tahoe Unified School District regarding ball fields.
Good question, exactly what are the taxpayers actually getting for their $10,000 gift to the Tahoe Prosperity Center? More meetings among bureaucrats, another useless study, followed by a predictable renewal request for next year?
It is always so easy and nonconfrontational to give away someone else’s money. Life at the public trough is good.
Maybe they could fund something local. TPC is located in Incline.
TPC is in Incline ?
SLT should stipulate that the $10,000 be used for bear boxes ! Help Incline to end the killing of our bears !
Just clarifying on the TPC in Incline comment – TPC has an office in Incline at the Parasol Foundation Bldg, which offers office space to regional non-profits. TPC itself is a Tahoe Basin wide organization, not one just for Incline. They focus on projects that will benefit the entire region economically. For example, their big push for getting better broadband infrastructure for our area – something that no one group around the lake could do by itself.
If Mr. Cole is on the TPC Council why did he not have to recuse himself from the vote?
I’m glad the “Tahoe South” ad campaign is being re-thought. It is really annoying – “Summer Rules Your Face” written on a graphic of Lake Tahoe in their newsletter …. REALLY? What kind of a sentence is that? Sounds like they are starting a new language ! Tahoe South is already annoying – We are SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – not Tahoe South! They need to present South Lake Tahoe with class, not slang or whatever “rules your face”.
If you were an out of town tourist, which phrase would more likely cause you to further inquire or visit?
1. “Summer Rules Your Face”
2. “America’s All Year Playground”
Not only should the “Tahoe South” ad campaign be rethought, but so should the decision makers.
I am pleased to see that the City of South Lake Tahoe is supporting the Tahoe Prosperity Center (TPC). When I was working on the issue of upgrading broadband for our local library it became clear that the TPC, with its basin-wide focus, is the organization most likely to be able to bring high quality broadband to more of our area. I’ve long felt that attracting well paid remote workers is a major economic opportunity, but these people need high speed Internet and reliable cell phone service, also a TPC priority.
On the separate discussion of marketing our area to visitors, I can handle Tahoe South, but the emphasis conveyed by such phrases as “Walk on the Wild Side” and “Summer Rules Your Face” is a completely inaccurate representation of our glorious natural setting with its numerous recreational opportunities. One might argue that the casinos, which contribute to fund these campaigns, may profit, but I would argue that the current effort is so unappealing, it doesn’t benefit anyone.
i hope LTVA reads the comments…. I responded to the newsletter with my comments because they need feedback when they spend so much money on a slogan that does not even make sense.
Steve FWIW, my best laugh of the day sir.