“Why even have an RR-I zone?”
The city hands out variances like candy, regularly punching holes in the zoning code.
Category Analyses
Special election on police building’s financing just got really complicated
The people are bound to be confused by the March 4 special election. That may be the point. Low-information voters may pass higher tax and debt measures without knowing it.
Any qualified, savvy volunteers out there who want to be a flood-control director?
Five "directors" will be appointed to run the new flood-control taxing district that was approved by Sierra Countians Nov. 5. These volunteer directors will serve about a year, until the electorate can choose their representatives during local elections, November 2025.
Will spaceport GRT go to new capital projects?
The uses of the spaceport gross receipts tax keeps growing and expanding, as does the spaceport's need for it. Will local taxes forever subsidize the spaceport? Dona Ana County's especially?
Five city managers in five years—T or C city commission needs to change its selection process
If the city commission doesn't sharply define city problems, it can't seek or hire a city manager with the needed qualities to address them.
Lower property taxes for Sierra Countians, Villagers and Elephant Butteans—sorry TorCeans
You'll have a little more cash for stocking stuffers after paying taxes this year, unless your property is in T or C.
What you need to know, November 20, 2024: Got health insurance?
ProPublica investigates more health care problems. It details how UnitedHealth uses its statistical data to find mental health patients to deny payment for care, sometimes forcing therapists and doctors to withdraw care. It’s all part of “saving money,” “efficiency,” responsible sounding terms in corporate PR speak for "profit" and "greed."
Gift horses that made water and wastewater projects possible
Thank goodness the city was not brought to account and punished for bad management, lack of planning and neglect of the water and wastewater infrastructure. Breaking ground on critical waterline replacement is about a year out while engineers draw up plans.
PD recruitment-retention-policy critique answered with fluff
We'd rather have evidence that spending hundreds of thousands on gas and not upping police officers' salaries is solving the police department's revolving door problem.
What you need to know, November 11, 2024: On oxygen?
In this long-term investigation of Lincare, the largest supplier of oxygen equipment in the country, Pro-Publica shows how government regulation of the healthcare industry has been unable to prevent the growth of a new business model that lives by scamming.
The city should change PD recruitment and retention practices
The city has never used the police department's .25 percent gross receipts tax as it was intended, but it should. Give the money to the officers in the form of higher salaries.
T or C asks legislators for capital outlay for four projects
T or C will seek big money for water and sewer projects from the state legislature this year, but it is also asking for $1.625 million in capital outlay from legislators representing our house and state districts for four smaller projects.