Local Musings

It’s great to see the city just finished a strategic planning meeting, which I am all for. It’s a once a year time to figure out a list of projects the city would like to complete on behalf of the community. But it begs a bigger question: All these tasks and projects are great, but what the city (and El Dorado County and Douglas County for that matter) really need to focus on is what their strategy is for generating more general fund revenue to provide the services the community needs and wants.

How will the city generate the millions it will need to take care of community needs? The community has expressed a need for road improvements, improved snow plowing, more recreation, affordable housing, not to mention the environmental improvements that are required etc., etc. Where does that money come from? The city and the community need to focus on how to grow revenues. They don’t just show up.

Every season we see pictures of all the trash visitors leave behind and we express our outrage at how these visitors trash our community and seem to have no regard for the environment. My question is where are all the trash cans?

If you look around town you just don’t see the trash cans we need. I have seen business after business remove them. For a destination that prides itself on protecting the environment and one that has spent over a billion and half dollars on environmental improvements, why is it we can’t find money for trash cans so that we make it easy for visitors to toss their trash? Why is it with all that money floating around and all those grants, the “Take Care Campaign” doesn’t have a much bigger budget to educate visitors. The only way we stop seeing that trash is to educate people and give them an easy place to put their trash. On another note, for a community that is bike friendly where are the bike racks?

Who would have thought South Shore is becoming more art and culture focused? Just this past weekend there were three plays and the Indigo Girls concert. We live in a place that not only has world-class athletes but world-class photographers and videographers and talented writers and artists of all kinds. While recreation and entertainment will continue to sustain us, it’s art and culture that will make us interesting, and a great place to live and visit.

The Big Picture

Have to tell you it’s amazing watching the Republican Party — they just don’t seem to be able to get it done. After years of repeal and replace they got nothing. It borders on political malpractice. There is a valid role for an opposition party no matter who it is. But after all these years of repeal and replace on day one to have nothing … what happened to all those better ideas? It’s just sad, no it’s pathetic. Ronald Regan would have never let this happen.

Wondering if the recent federal health care defeat moves legislation to a more moderate place. The president recognizes the far right won’t compromise so we will see if he forges a coalition of moderate republicans and democrats. This could be interesting …

Recommendation

If you haven’t checked it out yet try out the new Tahoe Club 100 health club on Kingsbury Grade. I have taken a few spin classes so far and the facility and the workout is great.

It’s a Wrap

That was one hell of a winter we just finished up and there were times during the peak that tempers flared about snowplowing, school buses and all the related issues. Now would be a good time for all concerned to review how the season went and look to improve everywhere. Oh, yeah, let’s try and rely on data and facts, not just opinions.

Carl Ribaudo is a columnist, consultant, speaker and writer who lives in South Lake Tahoe. He can be reached at carl@smgonline.net.