Opinion

This following is in response to a previous "Letter to the Editor" published on October 11:

First and foremost, I, Dan Browne, president of the Lake Tahoe Veteran's Alliance, most sincerely apologize for my apparent ignorance and oversight for publically supporting a slate of candidates for various offices in the upcoming November 8 election.

On November 8 general election ballots, El Dorado County voters in the Tahoe Basin will be asked to weigh in on Measure S, a proposal to raise much-needed funds for road maintenance and snow removal by increasing the transient occupancy (paid on hotel stays) from 10 percent to 14 percent.

American Legion Post 795 (South Lake Tahoe) is extremely disappointed that Dan Browne of the Lake Tahoe Veteran’s Alliance made the decision to endorse certain candidates for the upcoming November 8 election.

Mr. Browne should be well aware that his action is in violation of IRS code for qualified 501(c)(3) (non-profit) organizations - they may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Yes, I'm voting for Brooke Laine for Supervisor - and for good reasons.

1) She knows the value of teamwork because of her long years of working on numerous boards & foundations.

2) She is known for her ability to follow through until a meaningful solution is reached.

3) She has done her homework and knows the workings of El Dorado County so she will be ready to go on day one.

4) She knows that being respectful of others is key to building the trust necessary to get things done.

Please join me in voting for Brooke Laine to be our next El Dorado County Supervisor.
 

There is nothing more important in Government than transparency by our elected officials. Without it, abuse of power would never be discovered, there would be no accountability and there would never be a change for the better. It is one of the reasons I take the time to write and send out these emails.

I wholeheartedly agree that, as Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) School Board Trustee, Larry Reilly, mentioned at the September 14th community information meeting regarding Measure K, that we have a “moral imperative” to our children to prioritize school safety and extensive modernization of our schools. However, now is not the time to ask property owners to pay the whopping bill this would entail. Here are my reasons.

I am supporting Brooke Laine for District V Supervisor for El Dorado County. Very rarely do policymakers in positions of influence reach out to learn more, request real facts and data, or ask what they can do to help. Brooke Laine did exactly that, and it surprised me.

I am writing to endorse Brooke Laine for Supervisor. I care deeply about our community and look to what can be done in the next term that really affects our residents. It is why I ran for office in the primary. I now look to the effectiveness of who will be our next Supervisor.

The office of Supervisor is an important executive role and oversees most county departments and programs; annually approves their budgets; supervises the official conduct of county officers and employees; controls all county property; and appropriates and spends money on programs that meet our needs.

The safety of our community is my highest priority. As the Lake2O event was recently announced to take place on October 19-23, residents and business owners understandably have shared concerns that promoters and participants of this event in 2020 failed to respect our community. While the promoters claim they are doing everything they can to ensure 2020 is not repeated, I want to make the City’s position very clear.

Tahoe’s boat inspectors delivered some excellent news this month. This boating season, we experienced one of the lowest years on record of boats detected with dangerous quagga and zebra mussels, these following several years of troubling increases. The even better news is that since mandatory watercraft inspections began in 2008, there have been no new aquatic invasive species (AIS) detected in Lake Tahoe.

To all Douglas County residents. We have an online petition to help us protect you in the future from having Vacation Home Rentals (VHRs) in single-family homes in the middle of your residentially zoned neighborhoods.

In October the Douglas County Board of Commissioners will be meeting to determine the direction Douglas County will take with regards to how VHRs will be addressed within all of our neighborhoods. This is concerning because the board may vote sometime in the future, to expand VHRs into all of the communities in Douglas County, Nevada.

Just one look at the numerous testimonials on Robbe Lehmann’s campaign website shows why he should be voted for. It includes positive comments of strong support from current and former Douglas County School District (DCSD) principals, teachers, staff, and numerous parents of current and past students. These are the people who worked with him constantly and saw firsthand the quality and dedication he brought to the job over the past years. I also have my own personal experience with Robbe regarding an issue I brought up last year.

We are a group of neighbors who want to ELIMINATE Douglas County VHRs. The name of our group is Tahoe Douglas Neighborhood Group. Our goal is to eliminate Douglas County VHRs in our residential zoned neighborhoods. We are gathering names on a petition titled “OPPOSITION TO VHRS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS We the undersigned residents of Douglas Township want to eliminate vacation home rentals (VHRs) in residential neighborhoods. We find this commercial use of residential homes incompatible with the residential zoning and character of our neighborhoods.”

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is the nation’s largest public employee pension fund. CalPERS is also the second largest purchaser of healthcare in the country. Only Medicare is larger. The fund manages nearly $500 billion in assets. It serves more than 2 million members and families.

From late August through late September, more than 650,000 retired CalPERS members will have the vitally important chance to vote for the one seat that they can directly elect to the Board.

Even with a light haze of wildfire smoke creeping into the Tahoe Basin, the joys of summer in Tahoe are in full swing. Following a challenging couple of years full of wildfire, evacuations, severe smoke, and pandemic unease, we have a lot to be grateful for. I hope you will take some time this summer to enjoy the lake for the gift that it is.

The Lake Tahoe Basin owes Joanne Marchetta a debt of gratitude. In her 13 years leading the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, she brought on a talented team of expert staff; reengaged TRPA in the community; worked with a wide range of private, public and nonprofit groups; and rolled out long-term strategies that are helping preserve everything Tahoe is known and loved for.

In El Dorado County, keeping students and schools safe is a top priority for every educational leader and law enforcement agency. Increasingly, families are asking about planning and preparedness for school emergencies, as well as prevention efforts. As a county, we have developed strong partnerships between schools, law enforcement, and school community partners to improve campus and community safety.
 

The Laine family has had a cabin in Christmas Valley for 88 years (!) which the family enjoys each summer. When the Calder fire roared up the canyon, Brooke and a neighbor didn't wait for help. They cleared 85 bags of duff from the forest floor and built a firebreak the length of six cabins. No one else was doing it, so they did.

The Tamara Wallace for County Supervisor campaign is proud to announce
recent endorsements:

El Dorado County Sheriff (ret), Hal Barker,
The El Dorado County Association of Realtors
Former Mayor of South Lake Tahoe, Kathay Lovell
State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley
Concerned Citizens of Cameron Park
The South Tahoe Republican Women’s Club
The El Dorado County Republican Central Committee
Trans-Sierra Investments, The Shops at Heavenly Village

Vail support enables our Club to have an ‘epic’ impact on our members and working families.

It is hard to believe that another summer vacation is approaching and another school year has come to a close. However, at the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe (Club), the change from school year to summer just means longer hours and even more time for fun and education.

Dear District V Residents: I am running to serve as your local County Supervisor.

As a lifelong El Dorado County resident, I have years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Together we have survived fighting COVID and fires. We have supported one another in our communities making them a purposeful place to live, work, and play.

I am writing to endorse Brooke Laine for El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, District 5. I’ve known Brooke both personally and professionally for many years. I’ve worked with her on projects and issues and have seen her leadership firsthand. She’s not only the best choice to represent District 5, she’s the wise choice.

In March 2022, the county group known as Residents for Tahoe conducted interviews with the four candidates vying for El Dorado County Supervisor, District 5. After each candidate left, the panelists discussed and scored the answers to each of the six questions.

As one of the panelists, I have come to the conclusion that the scores don’t lie, and Jeffrey Spencer, with the highest score, is the choice for Supervisor.

The Tahoe Mountain News has also concluded this, for many of the same reasons, and I agree with all of the assertions in the TMN’s endorsement.

I have listened to two Board of Supervisor District 5 candidate forums. Each of the candidates was given tough questions to answer. But hands down, Brooke Laine is the one - who gave the most thoughtful & coherent answers – who had the best understanding of the District 5 issues – who had the best handle on how the county government & independent agencies work. With her years of experience working respectfully with others to solve problems, Brooke is the one candidate best suited to working with the other El Dorado County supervisors to find real solutions.