tax

Motels and hotels being used for long term occupancy is a problem across the country and South Lake Tahoe is no different.

Of the 120 motels and hotels in the city limits, 58 of them are being used for long term occupancy. 1,300 rooms are now rented for long periods of time. These units were not built for people to live in long term as there is no refrigeration or cooking facilities, and many times there are families living in a room meant for just two people for a night or two.

Learn about El Dorado County's Good Neighbor Program, their guide to handing vacation home rentals in the unincorported area of South Lake Tahoe, during a community meeting on March 4.

The County's Treasurer/Tax Collector’s Office has invited everyone who lives in the county, lives near a vacation rental, owns a vacation rental or manages them to their meeing being held at the South Lake Tahoe Library at 11 a.m.

Vacation home rentals are an everyday part of life in South Lake Tahoe, though during weekends and holiday periods their impact is much more noticeable. With the large number of visitors "living" in the area neighborhoods next to full time residents their impact has created tension over noise, trash and parking issues.

In the City limits there are currently 1,574 houses that have a permit to be operated as a vacation home. In comparison there are about 15-20% that number in vacation cities Santa Cruz and Napa.

Legal marijuana was a $700 million dollar industry in Colorado last year, according to a Washington Post analysis of recently-released tax data from the state's Department of Revenue. In 2014, Colorado retailers sold $386 million of medical marijuana and $313 million for purely recreational purposes. The two segments of the market generated $63 million in tax revenue, with an additional $13 million collected in licenses and fees.

All too often, we hear from people who have been victimized by some sort of scam. Before the internet existed these “confidence scams” were frequently perpetuated through direct contact and bolstered by a victim who is too trusting. With the internet and other technology, criminals have shifted their efforts so as to accomplish their rip-off over long distances and without direct contact. Unfortunately, local law enforcement has limited capacity to track and ultimately prosecute such crimes.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county.

The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at press time and the story will be updated when provided.

1/18
3:52 p.m. - Domestic Violence - Wasabe Way - DATING CO-HABITANTS ENGAGED IN VERBAL DISPUTE.

1/19
2:23 p.m. - Dogs off leash - Lily Ave - TWO 23-YEAR OLD MEN WERE CITED FOR HAVING DOGS OFF LEASH WHILE ON CONSERVANCY.

Need help with your taxes because of all the new tax code this year? Worried you won't remember to take all the deductions you need? South Lake Tahoe's H & R Block can help, and to show you how they are holding an Open House on Tuesday, January 20 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new season and new office will be held with the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber) at 4 pm.

There may be a duel this winter over hotel rooms around Lake Tahoe.

Placer County is interested in paying about $3.7 million to buy hotels from private owners and demolish them in the city of South Lake Tahoe, which is in El Dorado County.

South Lake Tahoe doesn't want to lose the hotels, along with the important associated sales and room taxes.

Placer County wants the hotels so it can open development of new lodging along Placer County's north shore of Lake Tahoe, which hasn't had a new hotel built since 1959.

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in South Lake Tahoe may not be opened yet, but they've been busy becoming a part of the community.

On Monday, November 24, their Executive Chef Jonathan Snyder delivered 48 turkeys to Sierra Community Church, who will serve them in their community kitchen and distribute the rest to local families in need for Thanksgiving.

Tahoe Chamber and Barton Health, in conjunction with Small Business Majority and Covered California, will host a free interactive event on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 on the state’s new health insurance marketplace, Covered California, and how it impacts small employers in South Lake Tahoe.

Tahoe Chamber and Barton Health, in conjunction with Small Business Majority and Covered California, will host a free interactive event on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 on the state’s new health insurance marketplace, Covered California, and how it impacts small employers in South Lake Tahoe.

Healthcare Forum for South Lake Tahoe Small Businesses
Thursday, November 20, 2014, 4:00-5:30pm
Lake Tahoe Tahoe Community College, Board Room
One College Ave, South Lake Tahoe

Join TahoeChamber, Barton Health and Small Business Majority for a forum about what the healthcare law means for you, your family and your small business in the coming years. Will include a detailed look at the state and federal rules and an overview of the new coverage options available through Covered California.

Incorporation: what could it mean for your business?

Incorporation could provide your business tax advantages and protect you from personal liability for company debts among other benefits.

Learn the benefits and possible risks of incorporating your business with John Urrutia of Mann, Urrutia, Nelson CPAs and Associates, LLP.

Members have a special opportunity for a FREE one hour consultation with Mann, Urrutia, Nelson CPAs and Associates LLP (new clients only) after attending this workshop.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Dave Brady for Sheriff campaign claims that “public safety dollars are NOT being spent wisely” by Sheriff Perini. I want to say that I believe that this claim is a clearly false and misleading statement. Here is why. The claims expressed in a recent Brady campaign brochure stated the sheriff’s annual budget had “skyrocked” from $3.1 million in 1986 to $16.0 million. While the raw numbers appear correct, Brady’s analysis and interpretation are very wrong. At first blush the increase seems astronomical and that is what Brady wants you to think.

TahoeChamber has endorsed seven candidates for the upcoming election that best portray the values and abilities necessary to serve the South Shore business community. As directed by the TahoeChamber Board of Directors, the TahoeChamber Candidate Endorsement Committee (TC-CEC) used the pillars of the Chamber’s adopted Tahoe Future A South Shore Community Vision 2020 as the foundational criteria for evaluating candidates. The pillars include Economic Vitality, Quality of Life, Sustainability, Infrastructure and Intellectual Capital.

Lake Tahoe Community College gained the support of the South Lake Tahoe City Council today in their pursuit of $55,000,000 in bond funds through Measure F. The Council voted unanimously to adopt the support resolution.

Dr. Kindred Murillo, Superintendent/President of the Lake Tahoe Community College District, was on hand at Tuesday's City Council meeting to provide an explanation of what the bond would mean to the South Shore community and answer any questions the five council members had.

There are a few buzz words that are evidently going to be used during the El Dorado County District 5 Supervisor race this summer and fall.

Economic Vitality - An economy with sufficient jobs, products and services to support the community. A sufficient tax base provides citizens with police and fire, parks and recreation and public services needed by the population.

The El Dorado County Charter was at the center of the Grand Jury's released end of year report last week. Their findings will be discussed at the County Charter Review Committee meeting on Thursday evening in Placerville.

The Lake Tahoe Community College hosts an evening of food, wine and world class entertainment at their summer event, The Taste of Gold. It will be held in the Demonstration Garden at the Ledbetter Terrace on Saturday, July 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

it is a great event held on a perfect summer evening and is Tahoe's BEST outdoor wine and food party! All proceeds benefit the LTCC Foundation, which supports student scholarships and academic programs.

Measure L is the Library Special Tax on the ballot this year. Twenty years ago the South Lake Tahoe voters passed a library tax where those who owned parcels in the area would be charged $20/parcel per year for the next 20 years to fund the library.

Well, that time period is up so the tax is on the ballot once again. This is not a new tax, just a request for taxpayers to continue paying the same.

The Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon cutting at the new South Lake Tahoe business, Welcome Home Shoppe Gifts & Decor on June 4 at 4 p.m.

The shop features unique gifts and home decor.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will feature wine and appetizers. Welcome Home will pay the sales tax on any items purchased at the time.

The new boutique is located in the log cabin at 2777 Lake Tahoe Blvd (in front of Tahoe Keys Cafe and adjacent to the car wash).

Lake Vista Apartments is a 4.6 acre, 64-unit deed restricted affordable housing project on lower Kingsbury Grade in Stateline, Nevada. It was built in 2000 under a special agreement with the TRPA to replenish the Nevada side's affordable housing stock after the number of units at the complex on Kahle Drive was dramatically reduced in order to restore the meadow. The complex was built on a USDA affordable housing tax credit program which specified a minimum of 15 years of affordable housing use.

The recent standoff at the last remaining ranch in Clark County, NV has been widely attributed to environmental protection around the endangered desert tortoise; with the right wing trying to pin the blame on Nevada Senator Harry Reid for his support of the recent Ivanpah solar plant which, generates 392 MW which powers Google servers (See Dana Loesch Radio for an example of the kind of coverage it gets http://danaloeschradio.com/the-real-story-of-the-bundy-ranch/ and http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/04/11/the-nevada-tortoise-war-is-a-right-wing-false-f/198860 for a Media Matters article deb

As we all know, the economy and our environment are fundamentally intertwined. If we ever doubted the connection, those doubts should have been erased through the impacts of the Great Recession on our local economy. We need revenue from tourism to sustain our economy, which in turn helps to fund environmental projects that protect the natural beauty, which draws millions of visitors every year. We cannot have a thriving economy without protecting the environment and we cannot have a beautiful natural environment without money to protect and properly sustain it.