Reno

Citizen April, 1998 The Reno Citizen takes no responsibility for views expressed by its
writers. (But we would if we could.)

Is the Nevada Air Guard Being Downsized?
by Sam Dehné
FACT: The Reno Airport is using $$$millions of your federal tax dollars in an ill-contrived scheme to drive innocent Rewana Farms citizens off of their land... for what the Airport claims is needed expansion of the Nevada Air Guard.
REPORT: Reliable sources (supported by news of more Base Closings and military reductions by the Pentagon) say that there is a distinct possibility the Air Guard will be be drastically downsized.
If true, this eliminates any need for expansion.
CONCLUSION: Folks, it is time to put an immediate end to this diabolical madness and demand an independent Federal investigation of the whole Airport landgrab mess. Demands for an end to this type of cronyistic corruption have been a vital part of Sam's Reno mayoral Platform.
WHY WAS NORRIS BACHO "BOTCHED" BY RENO CITY HALL? By Sam Dehné
The short answer: Norris Bacho refused to be a "yes man", and in fact had become a watchdog... and was about to become a whistleblower.
Bacho was an expert who had been hired to come to Reno to run the operation that was trying to figure out what to do with the valuable property the city (citizens) owned on the downtown river.
But instead of going along with city hall schemes, Bacho was objecting strenuously to the power elite... and was preparing to expose the fact that the River-Theater process was a sham... and that it should be put to a public debate with additional (better) ideas interjected.
City hall potentates subsequently conjured up a plot to rid themselves of this "pest"... and with the help of the news media and other fat cat buddies, they were able to summarily fire him... even though he was doing the job he was hired to do!
Just think of this for instance:
What was the assistant city manager doing... wasting city time snooping through nooks and crannies and the fine print... trying to track down whether or not Bacho had moved from Hartford to Reno? What a bizarre waste of time... of course Bacho moved... of course Bacho had expenses. (The city was lucky to get by with a measly $3,000 reimbursement.)
Here was city hall fumbling around conjuring up... what turned out to be a bogus charge... while right in front of their noses real stink was permeating sane citizens' olfactory senses:
The current mayor and the current city manager were clandestinely funneling huge sums of money to the mayor's campaign cronies.
The current mayor was being given a plush kickback contract from his campaign-contributor appointees at the Reno Airport.
The current mayor was funneling tax money to EDAWN without even a peep about the fact that his private company works with this government-financed clique of "the usual suspects".
Why were these city hall bureaucrats wasting time snooping through fine print to try and find minutia on Bacho... which they couldn't? Now you know...
Isn't this just another example of disgusting abuse of power by this administration?
AN AIRPORT MILLENNIUM PLAN... FOR RENO

by Robert Hubligator
The Reno Airport is right smack dab in the middle of Reno... noisy, dangerous, air polluting... and getting worse all the time.
There is almost no intelligent leadership in Reno... just fat cat special interest groups and govt officials feathering each others' nests.
The Reno airport should be moved north to Stead and a "Reno Millennium Plan" created for the 1,000s of acres of land in the middle of town that would be freed up for better things:
A "Millennium Plan" to replace the Reno Airport would be a 20 year strategy to create a vibrant urban center (since it is smack dab in the middle of Reno) that will enhance the quality of life for all Reno citizens.
It would emphasize high technology businesses with education and technology surrounded by open space, parks, recreation, sports and cultural uses.
It could include, among many other things, the following:
* Education facilities,
* Research & Technology;
* Arts & Culture;
* Sports & Entertainment.
Pollution, noise, danger and blight would be drastically reduced.
For starters maybe a world class zoo...
It would certainly make it easier to get from the east side of Reno to the west side Reno.

A Resolution To Stop Cancerous Growth in the Reno Area
Proposed by Sam Dehne
WHEREAS over-construction of new homes in the Reno area in recent years has affected supply-demand in a manner that has injured market values of existing homes in Reno, and
WHEREAS it is a function of municipal government to protect property including the market values of homes, and
WHEREAS special interests that profit from growth often make heavy campaign donations to certain politicians who then vote on growth issues in a manner that can be perceived as subservient to those special interests, and
WHEREAS growth affects quality of life and the cost of living for all Reno citizens and residents, and
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that a series of town meetings be held at Reno City Hall in the council chamber, open to all interested persons, to (a) define a list of questions regarding all facets of growth in the Reno area, (b) to direct city officials to produce/research answers to such questions in an honest, responsible, and timely manner, (c) to effectively disseminate said questions and answers to all citizens of Reno for widescope public discussion and comprehension, and (d) to define ballot questions pertaining to growth management to be put to the citizens of Reno on the next regularly-scheduled election day for
related policy implementation by the Reno City Council.
A starter list of questions:
1. Who are the entities that greatly profit from new construction?
2. Who are the Reno politicians that the above entities have given significant campaign donations to?
3. By how many billions of dollars have market values of existing homes been reduced through uncontrolled construction of new homes?
4. What state laws need to be changed to permit fair controls on growth?
6. Precisely what percent of growth is the minimum necessary to avoid economic stagnation in an area such as Reno-Sparks?
7. Why were community-wide impact studies (with true citizen participation) not conducted for projects such as Silver Legacy, Double Diamond, and Damante?
MORE BOOMTOWN EXPANSION RUBBERSTAMPS
by Sam Dehné

The process by which Reno/Verdi citizens have been grossly ignored in their attempts to protect their homes against the Boomtown is nauseating. This is America... regular citizens are supposed to have rights.
It is a very sad commentary on Reno politics that citizens' vehement protests fell on deaf ears (again)... but not surprising. As I stood speaking at the podium, I could see those political appointees greasing up their rubberstamps...
Democracy is not supposed to be the personal domain of fat cat special interest groups.
Is there a chance that, with all the fat cat participation, a little hanky panky might have been involved? For instance:
Sue Camp, appointed to her plush commission job by the current governor, operates a construction company (Inspection Services) that stands to profit handsomely, directly and/or indirectly, from this terrible insult to the people of Nevada.
If I am elected mayor, I will continue to fight against this onslaught upon the democratic process.
By the way, a person can surmise that this mess also has the current Reno mayor's thumbprints on it... but finding his ubiquitous thumbprints is the rub...
And what ever happened to the huge anti-Boomtown petition? Reno will need a citizen rep at city council with Judy Herman retiring.
They should have taken my advice... move the Reno Airport to Stead... and build Boomtown where the Airport is now...
Who owns Downtown Reno? by Guy Felton
Ownership of downtown raises questions which need to be defined and put out to the public.
Name of game is "Stir the Pot!"
If streets are privately owned, why are they maintained and policed at public expense?
How can the city charge for parking on privately-owned streets?
If the casinos (and others) own the streets, how much should they be expected to refund to the people of Reno for past public maintenance and policing of such streets?
If the casinos (and others) own the streets, should they not maintain their own security forces to keep downtown safe and free from panhandlers?
In past years, how many law suits have been leveled at the City of Reno over incidents in the downtown area which should have been leveled at the actual owners of downtown properties? How many tax dollars were paid out for settlements that private property owners should have paid?
Would it not be best for downtown to be privately owned ... so that taxpayers would not have to directly subsidize the profits of casinos in that district?
Would private ownership of the downtown district not solve the panhandler problem there? (Private owners could exclude such persons.)
If casino district streets are privately owned, how can involved owners repay the people of Reno for all public payments to maintain and police such streets in past? Would the dollar amount not be in the
multimillion-dollar range?
If casino district streets are privately owned, what related taxes should have been collected by various governmental jurisdictions over how many years?
What past public officials can be identified as being responsible for this situation?
Will these questions be fairly answered by Reno officials ... or will such officials try to turn their backs on a major problem?
Why has the city attorney not recognized and dealt with this situation before now?
Do the people of Reno not have a lien on each and every downtown property that owes money to the people of Reno for past public services to involved private properties?
Have the title companies been asleep at the switch over many years by not recognizing a very real ownership question for downtown properties that have been bought and sold?
Should a citizens' task force not be formed to fully investigate what the hell is going on?

CITIZEN GADFLY ASKS: Sam Dehné
Click Here to read.

SAM FOR MAYOR:
INNOVATIVE:
a. SAM Dehné designed Air Force aircraft Fuel Conservation Procedures that have saved America more than $1,000,000,000.00 .
b. SAM Dehné played an instrumental part in correcting the Nevada Air Guard mission to the C-130.
c. SAM Dehné took on the Reno Airport and the Air Guard bureaucratic establishment that wanted more noise-polluting and dangerous fighter jets (the F-16) in Reno. It also saves 400 Air Guard jobs for Reno... versus the F-16.
RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY:
a. While a pilot in the Air Force, SAM Dehné had the responsibility of flying B-52 Strategic bomber deterrence missions - with 10 MEGATONS of nuclear weapons in the bomb bay.
b. While a pilot for Pan Am, SAM Dehné was elected chairman of the New York union of pilot/second officers for 3 years in a row.
A few other things SAM has done in the last few years:
SAM has published the free Reno Citizen magazine (in print and on the internet) for 3 years... bringing the truth about Reno government to Reno citizens.
SAM exposed, and is fighting to thwart, the diabolical landgrab of private homes in Southeast Reno. Your own government is attempting to waste $$hundreds of millions of dollars of your taxes for this unauthorized extortion of private property - to build a huge military complex in Reno.
SAM foresaw that the Reno City Council would have problems with its attempts at "slam dunking" eminent domain policies; mostly created for the benefit of big campaign contributors. He has challenged this.
SAM was the first to expose the terrible problems at the Reno Airport. The heavy-handed way those bureaucratic appointees conduct business must not be tolerated.
SAM recommended that the City Charter be used as the guideline for conducting city business; seemingly a no-brainer. The City Charter has been "dusted off" and used for guidance... now and then.
SAM has reported in the past that a vital part of the City Charter (Sec. 2.020.2) is continuously disobeyed. City Council members are not to be involved in decisions involving their own interests... directly or indirectly. And they must not be involved in any actions pertaining to their major campaign contributors. IT IS WAY PAST TIME FOR THE CURRENT MAYOR TO START DISCLOSING ALL OF HIS CONFLICTS WITH CRONIES!
SAM exposed city hall's attempt to gouge the citizens of Reno of up to $2,000,000 at the Parking Meters. Because of his vigilant efforts, city hall was forced to rescind its scheme... and downtown Reno is a slightly more citizen-friendly place to visit.
SAM advocated the use of Auxiliary Police to reduce the burden to Reno's undermanned police force. Finally, the fruits of his recommendations are being realized.
SAM investigated and exposed the fact that the current mayor's private companies (Nevada Foreign Trade Services and Griffin Transport) have unethical contracts with publicly-funded Reno governmental agencies... the Reno Airport and EDAWN. These contracts are gross violations of section 2.02.02 of the City Charter and... and of honorable government.
SAM investigated and exposed the fact that the current mayor has been diverting large sums of city money to his campaign advisor and campaign fund raiser.
SAM has proposed SAFE flight techniques for mitigating the terrible noise the airport creates. Thus far his suggestions fall on deaf ears of aviation amateurs and aviators too arrogant to listen to the desires of citizens.
SAM vigilantly and in a patriotic manner pointed out to the Reno Airport the absurdity of having dozens of noisy and dangerous transient fighter jets "visiting" Reno's civilian airport each weekend. This type of unjustified military activity has been greatly reduced thanks primarily to SAM's tenacity. (The civilian Airport personnel objected to what they considered to be more interference by SAM - but they now recognize his wisdom.)
SAM helped solve the Soccer League dilemma by advocating that the players could police themselves. This relieved the police and saved the Reno taxpayers.
SAM has patriotically recommended that the Nevada Air Guard be moved out of Reno. He has provided evidence to support such a postulate - from the standpoint of tax savings, welfare of the community, and reduction in noise and blight. Not to mention the preservation of innocent citizens' rights to keep their homes in historic Rewana Farms.
SAM has attended virtually every Reno city council meeting for the last 3 years. A person can learn a few things by doing that.
SAM has attended virtually every Reno Airport meeting for the last 3 years. A person can learn a few things by doing that. As might have been predicted, others are trying to take credit for some of SAM's innovative ideas.
The record proves, though, that over and over again, and on his own time, and at his own expense, SAM has worked diligently to make Reno a better place for ordinary citizens. He has been a staunch advocate for the citizens - imploring officials to correct these, and many other, Reno problems.
Reno City Manager Does Not Deserve More Money by Sam Dehné
With no viable explanation, Reno's Rubber-Stamp city council gave our 2-year city manager a huge
$16,000 pay-raise and bonus... up to a total package of more than $120,000.
An objective observation clearly reveals that no increase was justified.
An analysis of important parameters of livability poignantly portrays their blunder.
Compare a few current and on-going problems... with 2 years ago:
* Blight... worse.
* Air and Noise pollution... worse.
* Traffic congestion... worse.
* Increase in gang activity... worse.
* Proliferation of catering to Special Interest Groups... worse.
* Ridiculous taxpayer-funded propaganda machine... worse.
* Cancerous growth... worse.
* Violations of the Open Meeting Law... worse.
* Potholes and lousy roads... worse.
* Funneling of tax dollars to mayor's cronies... worse.
* Violations of the City Charter... worse.
* Reno Airport kickback contract schemes for the mayor's private company and other numerous violations of the Law... worse.
(These last 3 were so nasty before... that it is hard to conceive of them getting worse... but they did.)
Readers should be getting the point by now... most important areas of the city are worse. The CM was very lucky to keep his job... period.
If any areas of livability have improved, the excellent rank and file city workers deserve the credit. If there is any spare money in the tax coffers, give THESE workers the bonuses.
Click back to The Reno Citizen Front Page.