Opinion: June Skibum

Loop road poop road, you do realize that the state is going to do what they want, how they want and when they want with concerns to the Loop road. This is probably the best chance we have to get out of our financial obligation with regards to pensions, healthcare, unsound financial decisions, raising taxes, giving away the keys to the city to every con artist around and quite possibly the clap. Think about it for a bit, if the city council decides to NOT use eminent domain which would take a 4/5th’s vote to even consider, the state agency’s will have to take over the city in order to push their agenda.

This might save us the embarrassment of a bankruptcy which is surely going to happen as we cannot sustain our current level of spending. Here are some of the drawbacks to the loop road project that I have noticed after reading the Notice of Preparation / Notice of Intent paperwork provided by the Tahoe Transportation District. First off I have to wonder where the snowplows are going to turn around when they hit the Stateline behind Harrah’s. Can you really see California plowing Nevada or Nevada plowing California? Second would have to be the speed limit on the loop road as it’s 25 when you hit Nevada coming from California which is 40.

The Caltrans raising the speed limit against everyone’s objection including the TRPA and forcing it down our throats should be our first clue. If the TTD is moving Highway 50 around the back of the casino’s what will it say on virtually every map ever produced? Is it the new Highway 50 or will the old Highway 50 be the business loop Highway 50 and the old loop road be the new Highway 50 or the new Highway 50 is actually the 50 loop road. Crap, my head is going to explode. And most important, will there be a crosswalk or pedestrian / skier crosswalk light installed so I don’t get whacked when I cross the road after skiing under the Gondola which, by the way, probably needs a special permit to cross over an interstate. Any way you slice this Nevada special interest pet project it smells, hence the poop loop road name. If it tastes like it, if it looks like it, if it smells like it and feels like it thank your lucky stars you didn’t step in it.

Marijuana collectives contribute to the community how?
Everyone is entitled to operate a business in this town, make a profit and fulfill their civic duty to pay their taxes. Now what I can’t figure out is when the Lawyer for the (marijuana) collective said “My client has contributed to the community” I have to ask myself, how? None of his employees pay taxes as they are “volunteers”, they are not covered under workers comp so if they get hurt we taxpayers will foot the bill which brings up a question of mandatory drug testing if there is an accident which is an oxymoron if I ever saw one. There is no city sales tax being paid which is supposed to go up and most of the towns product is shipped off the hill anyway. There is an amusement tax that is going to be implemented soon by the city which might be a way to tax them. I have often said that if the city just taxed the pot stores and ticket sales at the Gondola we could fix our streets, hire our workers back and get this town back on track. Why is it that the two biggest revenue producing business’s don’t pay taxes.

2012 and the Mayans
If I hear another economist say that we are recovering I just might have to climb Tallac and ski the rocks down. Is there anyone doing better than they were before this crisis started? I am talking about real people with real jobs without benefits, a pension, health care or guaranteed 40 hours a week and whether or not you get paid by just showing up. Most of the people in this country are going back to work at ½ wages, half or no benefits, part time with no possibility of advancement. I am starting to believe the Mayans were correct.
We need a full time paid city council with a full time paid mayor. I heard someone at a council meeting say it best. “ You have $400.00 a month council member making $400 Million dollar decisions. Where did we go wrong?

Between the lines
Nevada Fire Safe Council has still STIFFED everyone by not paying them. By them I mean several of our local Tree Service and Landscape Contractors as well as virtually every Fire department around the lake. Stiffed as in I just got a letter from them explaining the situation but hey, I can read between the lines as well as the next sucker and we got STIFFED.

Finally
Still think we should name the peak “ Veterans Peak” but have been pretty much blowen off by Mr. McClintock and our local committee. El Dorado Beach should remain El Dorado Beach. Hopefully TJMAXX will sign by the time this article comes out.

As Usual: skibumfamily@sbcglobal.net / facebook/sltskbm
Later:
Skibum

— Opinions expressed are those of the author.