Snippets about Lake Tahoe
• South Tahoe Public Utility District’s board is having a workshop March 3 from 2-5pm to review the proposed 2015-16 budget and 10-year financial plan. The meeting is at the district office, 1275 Meadow Crest Drive, South Lake Tahoe.
• Over the Edge, a mountain bike company, is opening a shop in South Lake Tahoe this year. The company tends to locate where the sport is a destination attraction.
• Foreigner will be at MontBleu in Stateline on June 6 at 9pm. Tickets are $55.50, $65.50 and $75.50, plus fees, and available through Ticketmaster.
• Duane Whitelaw, former North Tahoe Fire Protection District chief, is now general manager/CEO of North Tahoe Public Utility District.
• This is the third time in four years the lack of snow has forced the cancellation of the Great Ski Race. This had been the primary fundraiser for the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team.
Over the edge sports looks to be positioning itself for the Heavenly opening and providing high end mtn bike rentals to people using the improved and expanding mtn bike system. Hopefully this is a great addition to Tahoe reinventing some of itself in the recreation focused arena.
Think it’s about time the city shoved the city boundary up the hill a little to capture some $$$.by including Heavenly within the city limits !!!!!!!!
Didn’t seem to be a problem when the city boundary was shoved out to include the airport ???? Hmmmmmm?
Show me the money !!!!!! What is and has stopped the inclusion of Heavenly for all these years. ????? Enquiring minds want to know , and I bet this multi million dollar corporation would generate just a widdle bit more than the parking meters,thanks Elmer fud .
Steve buttling. The changing of city boundaries to include Heavenly Valley has been talked about for many years. Killebrew’s response to me? “Bob, it will never happen”. He was right!
So the city of SLT loses money and Vail corp. pockets the dough from ticket sales for a mountain with man made snow and only some of the runs open.
A $115 lift ticket? Oh well, Maybe we’ll get some snow soon. and we ‘ll see things turn around, but don’t count on Heavenly becoming part of the city of SLT. OLS
“It will never happen”
BUT WHY NOT ? Killibrews are long gone , so the good old boys connection is gone, do you know something that I obviously do not ?
Is there some kind of lubricating of the palms going on in S L T ?
Something smells here , but nothing ever comes of the suggestion of expanding city limits to include heavenly.
On another note just read an article in the Tribune regarding the Loop road which is fully endorsed by , you guessed it , all of the casinos, AND Heavenly !
all of which are not even in the city……DUH!!!!!
Next thing they will want to do is change the name of SLT to Tahoe South !!
Oh right they already are.do did .
Keep the ball rolling.
Steve the Tribune calls those folks on the Nevada side that support the loop road the “Golden Geese” Harveys, Harrahs, Parks and Heavenly.
Steve buttling, You bring up some good points! I would point out that Vail has some REAL deep pockets and are throwing money around the area like I’ve never seen. So I believe they are getting some “special privleges” thrown their way.
The casinos and Vail see how this town works. Give enough money to the right agencies and you can do anything you want.
That’s one of the reasons the city limits will never include Heavenly… MONEY!!! And Lots of it!
At least that’s my take on it. OLS
Interesting exchange going on here !!
I’m wondering how many locals read this content , or even know about Lake Tahoe News ???
I live in the country which is actually the county but still work shop and inhabit South Lake Tahoe.I have for about 35 winters,
Do you think we could snag a comment from a city council member ? They do represent the local constituents ?? Do they not ?? Or do they represent their own points of view ??Hmmm!
As Jack Nicholson so elequently stated “YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH !!!!!”
Lol Steve .
Suck it up wieners. Don’t you know the Vail pays some of its middle management as much as starting wages at In and Out Berger???
We need more of these kind of jobs in South Lake Tahoe.
That is not the point ! Of course the town needs the jobs
The casinos and heavenly are major employers of locals.the casinos are OBVIOUSLY in another state,but heavenly is geographically “in” the city and California but not in the city of Tahoe South (haha) tax base.
Take a survey of all businesses in SLT to see if the want to be in the same bucket as Heavenly ? The business Licence fees alone would probably exceed the total $ amount of the silly parking meters we had.
I think the LTN should do an investigative piece on this important issue ??
Kay ??????
OLS if your going to make the claim that someone is getting “special privileges” you need to put up some proof.
Slapshot, The Edgewood developement began after the cut off date for construction, moving dirt,because of excavation for their “lodge” and altering the golf course to make room for the time shares, er, “cabins” as they are called now. Vail does pay next to nothing in taxes to the city tax fund for the gondola which is within the city limits, because? Well they just don’t, and they have connections. Do they employ locals? Maybe.Do the workers spend money earned shop locally? Maybe.
Special privleges? Some get them , but most do not.
That’s what makes them special. OLS
Slapshot… Proof? Remember, this blog is hypothetical and academic in nature.
I’d like to see LTN research what exemptions for paying taxes (sales, TOT, etc.) were given to entice development and which are still in existence today. How much money is the City losing every year?
I believe the Gondola doesn’t collect sales tax by exemption. I believe lift tickets are exempt as well. I know some of the Heavenly Village timeshares don’t charge TOT even though the person staying in the property isn’t an owner of that facility. I’m sure they’re others but whenever the question is asked, no answer is ever given as to why and for how long into the future they’ll continue.
OLS once again you don’t have a clue. You have partial information on all these issues and draw poor conclusions as a result. If your going to pontificate get all the information. Do you understand what the net benefit to the lake is by completing the Edgewood project is? Moving some dirt around after an artificial date is minor compared to the projects environmental benefit.
Mr. Steve Buttling:
I think you should go to the March 3rd City Council meeting and at the beginning of that meeting during Public Communications you should tell the City Council what you think. If it’s not possible for you to attend the meeting then send a letter detailing your thoughts and suggestions and specify that you want it read aloud into the public record.
That should “snag” a City Council Member.
Slapshot, So I don’t have a clue? I draw my conclusions from what I’ve read here and from other news outlets, and in talking with friends and neighbors.
If you disagree with my thoughts on things that’s fine. I ask that you don’t attack me or others personally with whom you don’t agree with.
To each his own I guess. OLS
The following is from the redevelopment agreement for Heavenly when the Marriot was first proposed. I have been writing about this for years.
10.10 Lift Ticket Sales Within City. The Agency acknowledges that Heavenly Ski Resort’s historic lift ticket sales occur beyond the City limits. Lift ticket sales have not been subject to tax within the jurisdictions where the sale of Heavenly lift tickets occurs. In consideration of offering lift ticket sales within the City limits, the Agency and the City covenant and agree that the sale of lift tickets within the Redevelopment Project Area shall not be subject to any City imposed tax or assessment for so long as the Agency has long-term debt related to the Project outstanding without the consent of Heavenly Valley, which may be withheld for any reason whatsoever. Upon repayment of any long term debt associated with the Development, the Agency and the City may, subject to compliance with normal procedure for imposing taxes, impose a lift ticket tax without Heavenly Valley’s consent.
These issues are complicated and there is often more to the story then what is in the press.
Carl,
I agree with your statement, but would suggest that it would be truer if you substituted ALWAYS for OFTEN.
SLT is no different than any city in need for revenue. Unfortunately, the vast changes in effective population a seasonal resort area experiences creates a burden on all services.
A thought:
I travel fairly often on business. I rarely see a hotel that doesn’t charge a “facilities fee” or a “resort fee” of 10 to 20 bucks per day spent.
The Transient occupancy tax the city charges is insufficient in my opinion. It should be expanded or retitled and apply to any tourist activities paid for by non-residences.
If the city can charge hundreds of dollars to send a fire truck “just in case” every time an ambulance is called for a local resident,(the Bill Crawford scenario recently) you would think there would be other ways to fund the excess service costs we seem to feel obligated to pay for just because a few score thousands of people come to the city to play.
Steve Buttling, all of the council members emails are on the city website. If you can’t go to a meeting, write them and ask to meet with them personally. of course since you live in the county they might tell you to see your county supervisor, Sue Novasel.
Which begs the question, per Kenny’s post about Heavenly not having to pay taxes to the city,,,,, can Eldorado County put a tax on Heavenly lift tickets since Heavenly is within the county and the county has no such agreement with Heavenly?