We Want The Truth
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Fri, 05/13/2016 - 7:56am
What do you want from your local Government ? Generally we answer that question with: Provide Fire and Police first. I suggest we have a more elemental need. We want the TRUTH. The residents of this community will see the wisdom of any service or project if it is based in the truth. The more the truth is shaded the more the residents will resist. Without truth there is no trust.
Let’s talk about the truth. Recently the Nevada Appeal published a letter to the editor from a member of my opponents campaign team. The letter stated as fact that 70% of the “Down Town Project” (DTP) expenditure was for “vital infrastructure”. Not the truth. Here are the facts. On February 4, 2016 the Board of Supervisors approved a contract for the 5th St. to William St. corridor totaling $8,123,682.85. That contract included $1,220,572.07 and $48,556.53 for utilities on Carson St. and 3rd St. respectfully. These are facts. No other elements of the DTP are “vital infrastructure” needs. These other elements including landscape, paving, electrical, signage, and sidewalks were functioning as designed. There was no “need” to replace them. This is a natural fact. It has not been contorted or shaded to fit an agenda. The cost of “needed” utilities does not add up to 70% of the DTP cost.
Subsequently another campaign worker for my opponent wrote that the DTP is a “gamble”. Now that is a truth we should consider. Something I consider to be a truth is that we should not “gamble” with taxpayers dollars. Here is another truth. Recently our Mayor was asked what the intended outcome of the DTP was, and how will we know if it is successful. The Mayor’s response was that we will just have to wait and see.
Nobody can deny that the water and sewer systems in the 5th St. to William St. corridor need attention and is not debated here. What is questionable in my mind is this expenditure of tax dollars with out a clear path to success.
Narrowing the existing four lanes to create substantial bicycle paths in the North and Southbound lanes would have provided the desired buffer for Pedestrian safety. The current sidewalks would accommodate foot traffic by removing the fence posts and clutter that now inhabits them. Pedestrian safety and accessibility are issues our Government should address. Thats the truth. We did not need to spend $12 million to address pedestrian and bicycle safety, and real infrastructure needs. This is a fact.
Here are some other facts (the truth). The $8.1 million “gamble” is just part of the $12 million budget for the DTP. At nearly $2 million we still have to consider the Curry St. portion of the DTP. We still need to acknowledge the $1.3 million in back loads I spoke of in my last letter. The Board of Supervisors is negotiating with NDOT to take $5 million in maintenance money instead of making NDOT fix S. Carson St. The Board of Supervisors is proposing to narrow William St. between I-580 and Carson St. All this is without a planned outcome and no way to know if these projects are successful. Without a plan with measurable success there is no truth in these projects.
WE WANT THE TRUTH. WE CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH. We need change in our local government. I can help bring that change. Please visit my website and Facebook. Please, freely contact me any time to discuss your concerns and thoughts.
Maurice White - candidate for Ward 2 Supervisor.
775-297-6484
yourvoicematterscc@gmail.com
- Board of Supervisors
- $12
- Accessibility
- Bicycle
- campaign
- candidate
- carson
- community
- Community,
- Editor
- electrical
- February
- Fence
- fire
- Government
- help
- Letter to the Editor
- local
- local government
- maintenance
- Maurice
- Maurice White
- Mayor
- Mind
- money
- natural
- NDOT
- need
- Nevada
- Nevada Appeal
- Opinion
- Pedestrian
- pedestrian safety
- police
- Safety
- service
- sewer
- Supervisors
- talk
- tax
- Truth
- WARD 2
- water
- website
- White
- Traffic
