Text of Carson City Mayor's State of the City speech

Read the full text of Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell's State of the City speech, after the jump.

IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE ARE BUT WHAT WE COULD BE

GOOD MORNING.

IT IS A TRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY TO SEE YOU ALL HERE—NOT BECAUSE OF ME, BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE INTERESTED AND INVESTED IN OUR CITY—ITS PROGRESS—AND ITS FUTURE.

I DON’T NEED TO TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING THESE DAYS WITH RESPECT TO CITY GOVERNMENT AND, INDEED, OUR REGION. AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE ISSUES—AND I WILL CALL THEM ISSUES—I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER OUR STRENGTHS—AND IN MY OPINION, ONE OF OUR GREATEST STRENGTHS IS OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY—IT IS WHAT SETS US APART FROM OTHERS.

TODAY I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT THE FINANCIAL STATE OF CITY IS GOOD—NOT EXCELLENT BY ANY MEANS—BUT GOOD.

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2013, WE HAD AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $6,296,544 OR ABOUT $2.2 MILLION MORE THAN BUDGETED, OF WHICH $1.1M IS RESTRICTED OR ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC PURPOSE (CARRY OVERS FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS) LEAVING ABOUT $1.1M AVAILABLE FOR APPROPRIATION. AS YOU KNOW, STATE LAW REQUIRES AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF AT LEAST 4%. OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS ADOPTED A POLICY REQUIRING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF AT LEAST 5% AND AN ASPIRATIONAL ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 8%.

THE EXCESS $1.1M THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR WILL PROVIDE A DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY TO MEET FISCAL YEAR 2015 BUDGET REQUIREMENTS--REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WILL BE ADDRESSING STARTING TOMORROW.

BOND RATINGS AND THE NARRATIVE SUPPORTING THOSE RATINGS ARE ONE MEASURE, INDEED A CRITICAL MEASURE, OF OUR ECONOMIC HEALTH. THEY PROVIDE AN INDEPENDENT RISK ASSESSMENT OF OUR CREDIT WORTHINESS.

OUR BOND RATINGS REMAIN HIGH. BOTH MOODY’S AND STANDARD & POORS LOOKED AT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REFUNDING THREE BONDS. MOODY’S ASSIGNED A BOND RATING OF A1 (UPPER MEDIUM GRADE), A NOTCH DOWN FROM Aa3. STANDARD & POORS KEPT ITS CURRENT RATING OF AA- (HIGH QUALITY).

STANDARD & POORS COMMENTED ON CARSON CITY’S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AS FOLLOWS:

“WE CONSIDER THE CITY’S MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO BE “STRONG” UNDER STANDARD & POOR’S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT—FMA-- METHODOLOGY. AN FMA OF “STRONG” INDICATES THAT PRACTICES ARE STRONG, WELL EMBEDDED, AND LIKELY SUSTAINABLE.”

AND

“STONG FINANCIAL PRACTICES AND POLICIES AND AN EXPERIENCED AND PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM WHOSE EFFORTS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE STABILITY TO CITY RESERVE LEVELS.”

BOTH RATING AGENCIES FOUND OUR OVERALL DEBT BURDEN TO BE A MODERATE 1.7%,

BOTH RATING AGENCIES COMMENTED THAT OUR STRENGTHS ARE OFFSET, IN PART, DUE TO DECLINING ASSESSED VALUES.

THOSE FINDINGS WERE MADE AS OF THE STATE OF AFFAIRS IN EARLY 2013. TODAY, I AM ADVISED THAT OUR ASSESSED VALUES ARE PREDICATED TO SEE A 4.4% INCREASE FOR 2015 COMPARED TO 2014. THE AVERAGE HOME SALE PRICE HAS MOVED UP TO $183K FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AMOUNT OF $150K. (FRAME OF REFERENCE—2006—AVERAGE HOME SALE PRICE $350K)

AS REPORTED EARLIER BY THE NEVADA APPEAL, THE PERMIT VALUE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE FIRST 5 MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR ARE NEARLY THE SAME AS THOSE VALUES FOR THE ENTIRE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.

LIKEWISE, SALES TAXES----WHICH ARE IN PART A MEASURE OF COMMUNITY FINANCIAL HEALTH---ARE TRENDING HIGHER THAN BUDGETED FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR—AN INCREASE OF 4.4% YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARED TO OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT OF 3.75%.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LEDGER, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHILE DECLINING, REMAINS UNACCEPTABLY HIGH AT 9.3% ----WHICH TRANSLATES INTO NEARLY 2500 WAGE EARNERS OUT OF WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

RECENTLY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LISTED A NUMBER OF NEW BUSINESSES OPENING THEIR DOORS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IT IS MY HOPE--- AND I KNOW YOURS AS WELL---THAT WE CAN MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN PUTTING OUR WAGE EARNERS BACK TO WORK.

OUR FINANCIAL HEALTH DID NOT COME WITHOUT PAIN, HOWEVER, AS WE TRIED TO MAINTAIN PUBLIC SERVICES AT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL WITH THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US.

LAST YEAR WE RAISED THE PROPERTY TAX RATE TO JUST BELOW THE STATE ALLOWED RATE OR $3.56/100. THAT PUTS US ABOUT 10 CENTS BELOW THE STATUTORY CAP OF $3.66/100.

I MIGHT ADD THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN LEVYING PROPERTY TAX RATES AT OR NEAR THE CAP.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY BY APPLIED ANALYSIS, THE CHURCHILL COUNTY (FALLON) RATE IS $3.64, DOUGLAS (ALL SUB GOVERNMENTS—MINDEN, GARDNERVILLE, INDIAN HILLS AND TOPAZ RANCH) $3.66, CITY OF YERINGTON, $3.66, FERNLEY $3.549, RENO $3.66, SPARKS $3.6163.

ADDITIONALLY, WE IMPLEMENTED NEW WATER AND SEWER RATES DESIGNED TO REMOVE CROSS SUBSIDIES BETWEEN CUSTOMER CLASS USAGES AND PROVIDE REVENUES SUFFICIENT TO REPAIR, UPGRADE AND IMPROVE OUR AGING SEWER PLANT TOGETHER WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR WATER DELIVERY SYSTEM.

THE INCREASE OR CHANGES IN RATES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ARE BY NO MEANS INSIGNIFICANT--- BUT THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE NOT ONLY FOR OUR GENERATION, BUT GENERATIONS TO COME. AS A MANAGER AT OUR SEWER DEPARTMENT SAID---LAST YEAR WE CAME WITHIN A HAIR’S BREADTH OF SUSTAINING A CATESTROPHIC FAILURE AT OUR SEWER PLANT.

TO PROVIDE ANOTHER LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THE SEWER FUNDS ARE INDEED USED FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE, WE HAVE CREATED A UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MUCH THE SAME AS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS DONE WHEN IMPLEMENTING BOND FINANCED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

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TURNING TO SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY LET ME START BY TALKING ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF REGIONALIZATION AND SHARED SERVICES.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I ATTENDED A CONFERENCE ON SERVICE SHARING WITH MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF ALONG WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON AND COUNTY MANAGER STEVE MOKROHISKY. THE PRIMARY TOPIC OF THE CONFERENCE WAS SHARING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES TO GAIN NOT ONLY ECONOMIES OF SCALE BUT EFFICIENCIES IN THE RENDITION OF THOSE SERVICES BY PROVIDING THEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT TWO YEARS AGO THE STATE LEGISLATURE PUSHED THE COSTS OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS TO THE LOCAL LEVEL WHILE LEAVING THE PROVISION OF THOSE SERVICES AT THE STATE LEVEL. PART OF THAT LEGISLATION ALSO ALLOWED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO APPLY TO THE STATE TO TAKE OVER THOSE SERVICES.

DOUGLAS COUNTY AND CARSON CITY APPLIED TO TAKE OVER ENVIRONMNTAL HEALTH INSPECTIONS IN DOUGLAS COUNTY AND RELIEVE THE STATE OF THAT OBLIGATION. THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION WE, ALONG WITH DOUGLAS COUNTY, WERE ABLE TO PUT IN PLACE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EMPLOYEES THAT ENABLED CARSON CITY TO CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS FOR BOTH CARSON CITY AND DOUGLAS COUNTY. THE RESULT IS A POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS TO DOUGLAS COUNTY AND MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE IN BOTH COUNTIES THROUGH AUTOMATION OF OUR SYSTEMS AND LOCAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES WITH NO NET INCREASE IN COSTS TO CARSON CITY.

DURING THE CONFERENCE THE WORK DONE IN THIS AREA BY CARSON CITY AND DOUGLAS COUNTY WAS PRESENTED AS A MODEL FOR OTHER STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

IN ADDITION TO SHARING SERVICES, CARSON CITY AND DOUGLAS COUNTY, AND INDEED I BELIEVE ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES THAT CAN BE MORE EFFICIENTLY PERFORMED THROUGH COLLABORATION. FOR EXAMPLE, DOUGLAS COUNTY MAINTAINS CARSON CITY’S GIS SYSTEM AND WE MAINTAIN THEIR STOPLIGHTS.

AND PERHAPS THE LARGEST COLLABORATION PROJECT BETWEEN CARSON CITY AND OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES IS THE NORTH SOUTH WATER SUPPLY INTERTIE LINE WHICH WE HOPE TO TURN ON THIS MONTH. THAT TRANSMISSION LINE CONSTRUCTED BY CARSON CITY, DOUGLAS COUNTY, THE TOWN OF MINDEN AND OTHERS WILL ALLOW CARSON CITY TO PURCHASE AND TRANSPORT CLEAN WATER TO OUR AREA---BLEND THAT WATER WITH OUR EXISTING WATER TO MEET SAFE DRINKING WATER STANDARDS---THEREBY ALLOWING US TO AVOID THE COSTLY CONSTRUCTION OF A URANIUM TREATMENT PLANT TO MEET FEDERAL AND STATE STANDARDS.

LIKEWISE, INDIAN HILLS GENERAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN DOUGLAS COUNTY WILL RECEIVE MUCH THE SAME BENEFIT FOR ITS WATER SUPPLY.

THIS IS CERTAINLY A CHANGE FROM DAYS GONE BY--- BUT WHICH WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR ---- WHERE OUR RESPECTIVE COUNTIES ENGAGED IN A RATHER EXPENSIVE FIGHT OVER SALES TAXES.

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ANOTHER SERVICE WHERE I AM LOOKING FOR A POSSIBLE COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION IS IN THE AREA OF WASTE DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING. CITIES AND STATES ARE MOVING TOWARDS SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING AND NEVADA IS NO EXCEPTION. AN EARLIER ATTEMPT TO CREATE A REGIONAL RECYCLING CENTER AT THE CARSON CITY LANDFILL FAILED BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE WASTE VOLUMES NECESSARY TO OVERCOME THE ECONOMICS.

I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THOSE DISCUSSIONS BY GETTING ALL THE PLAYERS IN WASTE DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING---- SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING THOSE AT SOUTH LAKE TAHOE---AND SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES---TO START A DISCUSSION ON WHAT WE JOINTLY SEE AS THE FUTURE OF WASTE DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING AND EXPLORE METHODS OF REGIONALLY ADDRESSING OUR FUTURE REQUIREMENTS AND RECYCLING GOALS.

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THIS WOULD BE COMPLEX, BUT IN MY INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR POTENTIAL PARTNERS IT IS MY SENSE THAT THERE IS AN APPETITE TO REVISIT THE TOPIC.

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COLLABORATION IS NOT LIMITED TO DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN COUNTIES AND CITIES. RECENTLY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MET IN JOINT SESSION WITH THE CARSON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT WAS AN HISTORIC MEETING ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES. THE MEETING WAS TO SHARE THE STRATEGIC PLANS OF EACH ORGANIATION TO ENSURE THEY WERE MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE AND TO EXPLORE AND IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO PROVIDE OUT-OF-THE CLASSROOM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ONCE AGAIN CARSON CITY LED THE WAY TO CREATE A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES.

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A MOMENT AGO I MENTIONED THE NEED TO UPGRADE OUR SEWER TREATMENT FACILITIES. AS YOU KNOW, WE USE THE ALFALFA FIELDS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND OUR LOCAL GOLF COURSES TO DISPOSE OF TREATED WASTE WATER.

AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT ABILITY LEST WE FACE EVEN COSTLIER ALTERNATIVES.

CURRENTLY EMPIRE RANCH GOLF COURSE IS IN BANKRUPTCY AND OUR BOARD HAS DIRECTED OUR STAFF TO LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF ACQUIRING THAT GOLF COURSE—WHICH--- IF WE DID--- WOULD NOT ONLY GIVE US A GREATER DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN DISPOSING TREATED EFFLUENT BUT POTENTIALLY MIGHT ALSO ALLOW FOR THE RETIREMENT OF THE NUMBER OF GOLF HOLES IN OUR COMMUNITY THEREBY ENHANCING THE MARKET FOR EXISTING GOLF COURSES.

WHETHER WE CAN DO THIS DEPENDS UPON THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THE GOLF COURSE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN STRUCTURE A TRANSACTION AROUND THAT VALUE. WE WILL SEE---BUT I AM HOPEFUL.

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ANOTHER AREA WHERE OUR COMMUNITY IS MOVING FORWARD CONCERNS OUR MILITARY VETERANS.

I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNOR’S DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN’S AFFAIRS TO IMPLEMENT THE GREEN ZONE INITIATIVE. THAT INITIATIVE SEEKS TO CREATE VETERAN COMMUNITY COUNCILS TO SET LOCAL OBJECTIVES AND COORDINATE BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL. IN TURN, COUNCIL CHAIRS WOULD MEET REGULARLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS TO ASSIST OUR STATE IN DEVELOPING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING NEEDED SERVICES TO OUR VETERANS.

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TURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF THE POSSIBLE 1/8 CENT INCREASE IN SALES TAX—THIS INCREASE, IF APPROVED BY TWO-THIRDS OF THE BOARD—OR FOUR MEMBERS---- WOULD BE USED TO COMPLETE THE FUNDING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE MULTI-PURPOSE ATHLETIC CENTER AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SITE, ACQUIRE THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER AND ACQUIRE THE FUNDING NECESSARY FOR UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR DOWNTOWN AND THE ENTRY CORRIDORS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

THE USE OF SALES TAXES FOR COMMUNITY UPGRADES WAS ORIGINALLY BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY THE 20/20 GROUP AND OTHER BUSINESSES OPERATING IN OUR CORRIDORS.

SOME WOULD SAY IT PUTS THE BOARD IN THE HOTSEAT—AND TO A DEGREE I GUESS IT DOES---BUT FOR BETTER OR WORSE---WE WERE ELECTED TO SIT IN THAT SEAT—OR AS A BUSINESS OWNER TOLD US DURING A BOARD MEETING ON THIS SUBJECT----THE BUSINESSES WANT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS----BUT THE MANNER OF SATISFYING THAT REQUEST WAS UP TO THE BOARD.

THE ENABLING STATUTE FOR THIS TAX PROVIDES THAT IT MAY BE IMPOSED BY THE BOARD ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS SET FORTH IN LAW. THIS TAX WAS ORIGINALLY AUTHORIZED AS ¼ CENT BY THE LEGISLATURE SOME TIME AGO. ONE HALF OF THE ¼ CENT, OR 1/8 CENT, WAS PREVIOUSLY USED FOR THE V&T RAILROAD. THE 1/8 CENT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE REMAINING HALF OF THAT AUTHORIZATION.

IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE PROJECTS CONTEMPLATED TO BE FUNDED BY THIS PROPOSED INCREASE ARE NOT ONLY QUALIFYING PROJECTS UNDER THE STATUTE BUT NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE WE ENJOY IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

IN MY OPINION BOTH THE IMPOSITION OF A SALES TAX INCREASE AND THE PROJECTS PLANNED TO BE CONSTRUCTED BY THAT INCREASE SHOULD BE VIEWED THROUGH THE PRISM OF PRIDE IN OUR CITY TODAY AND OUR VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY TOMORROW.

LET’S TALK A BIT ABOUT THESE PROJECTS.

THE ATHLETIC CENTER, OR MAC, HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING USING QUESTION 18 FUNDS. TODAY THERE IS APPROXIMATELY $5.7M IN QUESTION 18 FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THAT PURPOSE. OUR PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE HAS SETTLED ON A DESIGN THAT WOULD COST ABOUT $8.5M.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS KNOWN OF THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL RECREATION CENTER FOR SOME TIME—ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW. WE HAVE SPENT SOMEWHERE NORTH OF $1M IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT DESIGN COSTS BUT WE HAVE YET TO PUT A SHOVEL IN THE GROUND.

OUR CURRENT RECREATION CENTER IS AT BREAKING CAPACITY AND HAS BEEN FOR SOME TIME.

IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, I WOULD PREFER TO USE Q18 FUNDS TO BUILD OUT THIS PROJECT. UNFORTUNATELY, WERE THAT PATH SELECTED, IT WOULD BE SEVERAL MORE YEARS WHILE WE COLLECTED SUFFICIENT Q18 FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE.

WE NEED TO MAKE GOOD ON OUR COMMUNITY PROMISE TO BUILD SUCH A CENTER NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN RESIDENTS BUT TO SUPPORT OUR GROWING DEMAND AS A SPORTS COMMUNITY—SPORTS THAT BROUGHT NEARLY $20M TO OUR COMMUNITY LAST YEAR ALONE.

OUR AGING ANIMAL SHELTER IS NOT JUST AN EMBARRASSEMENT FOR THE CAPITAL CITY—IT IS A DISGRACE. WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

CONCEPTUAL PLANS HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP FOR A LEED CERTIFIED ANIMAL SHELTER TO BE BUILT ON CITY OWNED LAND. PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $4M.

MY HAT IS OFF TO CASI—THE NON-PROFIT GROUP SEEKING PRIVATE DONATIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS NEW ANIMAL SHELTER.

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT DONATIONS SECURED BY CASI WILL ALLOW US TO LOWER THE POTENTIAL PUBLIC FUNDING REQUIRED—BUT THE NEED IS PRESSING AND OUR BOARD HAS BEEN ADVISED BY CASI THAT ONE OR MORE FOUNDATIONS LOOKING AT MAKING A DONATION ARE WAITING TO SEE IF WE STEP UP AS A COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY.

WE NEED TO DO JUST THAT—STEP UP.

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WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE BYPASS IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE DEVELOP AND PROMOTE REASONS FOR PEOPLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND MAKE IT A PLEASING EXPERIENCE—HENCE THE NEED FOR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS.

WE ALSO NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE CONCEPTS EMBRACED IN THE 2006 ENVISION PLAN TO MAKE A MORE WALKABLE AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN. NEARLY EVERY STUDY I HAVE SEEN ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT HAS AT ITS CORE A PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT. CITIES ACROSS OUR NATION ARE ENGAGING IN JUST THE SAME DIALOGUE WE ARE HAVING IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

WHY? THERE ARE MANY REASONS RANGING FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT TO CREATING A SUSTAINABLE AND LOCALLY DESIREABLE QUALITY OF LIFE.

A GOOD ENCAPSULATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR DOWNTOWN IS PERHAPS FOUND IN THE FOLLOWING FINDING OF THE OFFICE OF TRADE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON—THAT STATES:

“Downtown is a reflection of how your community sees itself—a critical factor in business retention and recruitment efforts. When industry begins looking at your community as a possible location, they examine many aspects including the quality of life. Included in quality of life is interest in downtown — is it alive and viable, or does it represent local disinterest and failure?”

OR AS STATED BY CAROL LIFKIND IN HER BOOK—MAIN STREET: THE FACE OF URBAN AMERICA---

“… Main Street, it was uniquely American, a powerful symbol of shared experiences, of common memory, of the challenge, and the struggle of building a civilization... Main Street was always familiar, always recognizable as the heart and soul of the village, town or city.”

THE 580 BYPASS IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2016. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE COMPLETION OF THE BYPASS WILL NOT CREATE A SHIFT IN TRAVEL AND TRAFFIC PATTERNS IN OUR COMMUNITY. INDEED, AS A PERSONAL ASIDE, HISTORY SHOWS THAT MY FATHER MADE SUCH A PREDICTION SOME 50 YEARS AGO WHEN ADDRESSING OUR CITY GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSING THE CREATION OF THE BYPASS.

THE PLANS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR CORRIDORS, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN, ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES. THEY WILL TAKE TIME TO DEVELOP AND WE WILL NEED ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT—THIS WILL TAKE PERHAPS A YEAR OR SO.

WE NEED TO START PLANNING NOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

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CAN WE DO THESE THINGS?

MOST ASSUREDLY WE CAN.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE 1/8 CENT INCREASE WOULD CONSERVATIVELY SUPPORT A BOND AMOUNT OF $17M AND COST THE AVERAGE FAMILY IN CARSON CITY SOME $12.50 PER YEAR.

IF WE DRAW DOWN ON THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH A BOND IN A SMART AND THOUGHTFUL MANNER, WE CAN START CONSTRUCTION ON THOSE PROJECTS AS THE DESIGNS ARE COMPLETED.

SINCE THE MAC IS 60 PERCENT DESIGN COMPLETE, THAT WOULD MOVE FIRST--- WITH ANIMAL SHELTER MOVING SECOND AND THENCE THE CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT.

REGARDLESS, NO PROJECT WOULD BE STARTED UNLESS THE FUNDING WAS IN PLACE TO COMPLETE THAT PART OF THE PROJECT—AND THERE WOULD BE A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MUCH LIKE THAT CREATED FOR THE SEWER BONDS.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE ALL THESE PROJECTS IN THE PLAN OF EXPENDITURE THAT IS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROPOSED SALES TAX INCREASE?---THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS THAT WHILE WE CAN PUT THINGS INTO THAT PLAN AND TAKE THEM OUT LATER IF WE DETERMINE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD ON A PARTICULAR PROJECT— ONCE THE PLAN IS CREATED PROJECTS MAY NOT BE ADDED.

THAT MEANS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE JUST DETERMINED TO INCLUDE THE MAC IN THE PLAN OF EXPENDITURE WE WOULD BE USING SOME $17M IN BONDING CAPACITY TO RAISE ONLY $3M. WE WOULD LOSE BALANCE OF BONDING CAPACITY DURING THE TERM OF THE BOND PAYBACK.

IF WE ARE TO DO THESE THINGS, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD MAXIMIZE OUR FLEXIBILTY.

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MY FRIENDS AND FELLOW RESIDENTS---We live in a great community with many appealing attributes.  We also have our vulnerabilities.  Earlier I mentioned the fact that we have some 2500 wage earners out of work in our community.  Let me give you another statistic that should be sounding alarm bells--our public schools have seen a decline in enrollment--indeed they dropped by 41 students this past school year ALONE.

What that says, IN PART, is that we have been losing families with children. That in turn raises concerns about the long term sustainability of our community---By that I don't mean to imply that we ARE dying---we are the state capital--and that is just not going to happen.

But what must concern all of us is the ability, over time, of our community to support and sustain the wonderful quality of life we enjoy.

Our decisions today should be made with a vision of what we want our future to look like---what future generations will see when looking at our community.

Those decisions are not easy--they require judgment--and yes they require a degree of risk.

But we can make them easier and WE CAN mitigate risk if we work together--

So as we leave here today let’s all COMMIT TO take a moment to think about what we could be.