Reno
Citizen May, 1998 The Reno Citizen takes no responsibility for views expressed by its
writers. (But we would if we could.)
Reno
Citizen May, 1998 The Reno Citizen takes no responsibility for views expressed by its
writers. (But we would if we could.)
Mills Lane Tells Reno's Next Mayor, "I WANT YOU !"
Mills "His Honor" Lane versus Sam "Reno's best man for Mayor" Dehné
Mills Lane has agreed to put the gloves on for one last time and step into the ring with top Reno Mayoral challenger, Sam Dehné.
Mills, known world-wide as a boxing referee, will show fans that he is more than just a pretty face as he displays his Marine training and tenacity... against Sam Dehne, also a former boxer and former Air Force bomber and fighter pilot.
Why would Dehné take this risk against the former champ? He says because, "I want to prove that I am willing to fight for our city... so I challenged the toughest scrapper I know of to an exhibition boxing match."
These 2 gentlemen will prove that even if you can't beat father time, you can slow him down.
Date and site are set for late June in Reno, Nevada. Ticket information and other details will be announced soon.
Proposed Rules of Engagement:
3 - 3 minute rounds,
Standing 8 counts,
14 ounce gloves,
Standard headgear optional,
Oh, and... no ear biting.
Sam's gonna feel some pain, pain, pain...
Or his name is not Mills Lane...
Mills: "I want you!"
Sam: "Let's get it on!"
Note: Proceeds from ticket sales will go toward... medical bills (and the Sam for Mayor campaign fund).
Click here to read more updates about the bout.
Was it right for city council to take $500,000 from citizens' "Public Funds" (taxes) to spruce up downtown for their beloved mayors conference? Will they ever pay it back? Will any regular folks be invited to partake of the hoopla and the caviar and wine? Not!
Sam Is Credible By Amber Pelicaine
Does Reno mayoral candidate, Sam Dehné, "lack credibility"? The Reno News & Review says the buzz around the community is that he is deficient in this nicety.
Whose community? The community of fat cats who try to pull the strings around Reno? OR the community of citizens who might not be aware of Sam's accomplishments?
Credibility generally refers to believability, reputation, and accomplishments... among other things.
So, in order to objectively analyze the RN&R's subjective portrayal, let's take a look at just some of the things Sam has done for Reno lately... keeping in mind... that he is just a regular average citizen without a big bankroll... AND that he is not a pawn of the giant special interest groups... in stark contrast, for instance, to Reno city hall and the Airport bureaucrats.
1. Sam has lectured (exposing incompetence and/or corruption) at essentially every Reno city council and Reno Airport meeting for the past 3 years.
2. Sam was instrumental in the correction of the Nevada Air Guard mission from the out-of-date and noisy RF-4 to the quieter and more practical C-130 cargo mission.
(The records plainly depict that the Air Guard and the Reno Airport were lobbying for noisy and dangerous F-16s.) NOBODY else in the community was outspokenly working for this mission correction... that also saved some 400 jobs versus the F-16 mission.
3. Sam, with the help of a petition drive, was able to force city hall to back away from its scheme to gouge the citizens of up to $2,000,000 a year at the Parking Meters... and make downtown Reno citizen-friendly
4. "Unfortunately" Sam has been primarily responsible for Reno city hall and airport wasting some $1,000,000 tax dollars each on huge Propaganda Machines that have been created to brainwash the citizens of Reno... against Sam's onslaught of exposés.
(These diabolical organizations did not exist prior to Sam's outspoken arrival.)
5. Sam has been the editor and publisher of the free Reno Citizen magazine (www.renocitizen.com) for 3 years. This publication reports the critical parts of stories that the other media mis-report or leave out.
6. Sam was also responsible for Reno city council's further mutilating of the right to Freedom of Speech... as they, in obvious fear, voted to reduce citizens' input time at council meetings from a measly 5 minutes down to a puny 3 minutes.
Sam did this, and much more, as an ordinary citizen.
Does Sam lack credibility? You decide... now that you have some facts.
Actions speak louder than words that can be printed about a person. And it is the beneficial results of actions that are important. Words on the other hand, when used unfairly and without viable investigation, are sometimes able to wrongly propagandize the citizenry.
Do you want Sam as your mayor?
Or do you want a person who has lots of fat cat money backing him... and who also has a bad habit of nest-feathering... with money from the public trough?
Citizens do have a choice in the next election!
What is it with the Nevada Ethics Commission? Why can't they get it right?
By Sam Dehné
Is there a Commission around that can review the Ethics Commission? On 25 April, 1998 the Reno Gazette reported that the current Ethics Commission found no problemma with the fact that a personal friend of the Sparks police chief was promoted over another more senior and equally (maybe more) qualified officer.
The questionable promotion being supposedly investigated was predicated on passing certain college courses ... a feat whereby this officer received 21 credit hours in less than a month (What?) ... a feat whereby the promoted officer received passing grades IN 7 CLASSES even though the Ethcomm was told his teacher could provide "no evidence of homework, testing, studies, readings or other work...".
The Ethics Commission's finding? It was the school's fault. No favoritism. No cronyism. No collusion. No problemma. Hah!
It was deja vu all over again, because...
Just last September, The Reno Citizen tipped off the Ethics Commission about the current Reno mayor's clandestinely-concocted sweetheart Contract with his political subordinates at the Reno Airport.
a. It is fact that in July of 1997, the current Reno mayor voted to appoint aviation amateur friends Sue Camp and Luther Mack to the Reno Airport Board,
b. It is a fact that in August of 1997, Camp and Mack voted to give a publicly funded Contract to the current mayor's private company,
c. It is a fact that this bogus Contract was not put out to bid as required by NRS laws, and there was no "disclosure" by the current mayor as required by the most basic code of ethics,
d. It is a fact that the current mayor and his Airport subordinates attempted to call the deal a Professional Services Agreement... even though it was plainly depicted as a Contract on official Airport documents,
e. It is a fact that the Contract was drawn up by the mayor's company on his own company's letterhead... in contradiction to Airport (and normal honest business) procedure,
f. It is a fact that the Contract was to ONLY establish a Foreign Trade Zone at the airport. (But instead the mayor went far beyond these bounds and designed the contract to give his company the exclusive right to operate "subsequently authorized subzones". (This is a plot that, if successful, will likely make the mayor a millionaire.)
Don't you agree that any person with a regular IQ and an ounce of ethics and common sense would perceive that something is terribly wrong with this picture?
However, after listening to the facts, the Ethics Commission merely slapped the current mayor's hand... telling him that he (after the fact) must abstain from dealings with his subordinates at the Airport.
No collusion? No Cronyism? No violation of ethics? Sure... and "the glove didn't fit either"... and "he didn't have sex with that woman"...
It should be noted that the airport director and his assistant, who participated in this sham, were subsequently terminated... with huge publicly-funded $$$$Golden Parachutes.
WHERE IS HONORABLE JOURNALSIM? Guy Felton
When a monopoly daily newspaper in an area such as Reno misinforms its readers about political matters, democracy suffers.
We need a second, strong daily newspaper in Reno to provide voters and taxpayers with vital information about public business. The Reno Gazette-Journal can not be trusted to always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Newspaper competition and second opinions are in the best interests of giving citizens facts and views we need to know ... and have a clear right to know ... about the successes, failures, and corrupt practices of those public officials who make government what it is.
u. What fair reporting about gambling ... our area's economic keystone... can be expected from a newspaper whose publisher, Sue Clark-Johnson, sits on the board of Harrah's parent company?
u. What fair reporting about growth ... a very pronounced public concern ... can be expected from a newspaper that depends for significant revenue on the growth industry?
u. What fair reporting about political lackeys of the gambling and growth industries can be expected from a newspaper that is itself a lackey of gambling and growth interests?
To counter the absence of a competing daily newspaper, I challenge the Gazette-Journal to run a continuing series of articles on the ideals and realities of journalism. This to include informative pieces on the ways that public opinion can be swayed and skewed by the use of words in devious ways. One such piece could look at the propagandist's tactic of not putting certain facts in responsible context. An example: Gazette reporter Sue Voyles recently wrote about a man who won few votes when he ran for mayor a few years back; Voyles failed to mention that the candidate was fighting a serious health problem at the time and could not mount a serious campaign. I was the candidate in question.
In the current mayoral race, Sam Dehne is going to give Reno's present and controversial mayor a run for his money. Sam is unpopular with Mayor Griffin and Gang for good reason. Among other concerns, Sam is on the attack against Griffin's repeated failure to disclose conflicts before voting on issues of self-interest.
If elected, Sam intends to reform Reno government to win back the public trust which Griffin constantly insults. Public discussion of major public issues will precede public votes to decide those issues. This is the only way that Reno can be rescued from its current city hall curse: government of, by, and for special interests ... including the mayor's own private company. ###
SPARKS TAXPAYER ALERT !!! By Ernest Walker
Grab hold of your wallets and purses, Sparks taxpayers! Some Sparks City officials want to raise your property tax and not even ask your opinion on the subject.
At this time, the law requires the city to place questions of a property tax increase on the ballot, which must then pass by a simple majority vote of the people before the tax can be imposed.
In 1994 I wrote that law and placed it before the City Council for a vote. After much debate and the looming threat of an even more restrictive tax measure, the council unanimously adopted my new
ordinance (ordinance # Chapter 3.06.010.) This states no tax rate may be increased and no new tax enacted by the City Council of the City of Sparks unless ratified at the next regular election by a majority (50% + 1) of voters who cast ballots in the City of Sparks.
Taking anybody's personal wealth can be an uncomfortably difficult and sometimes messy process, so it is understandable that some people with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo would like to deal with only 3 to 5 impressionable politicians instead of the taxpayers.
As a child, I was raised to ask permission before taking anything that was not mine, and I fervently believe this principle should apply to the Sparks Mayor and City Council. I formally ask each council member to immediately disclose their position on the issue of this law. Have any of you council members changed your mind, or do you stand by your past word? My position remains steadfast, as it was when I wrote the law.
I am presently the Northern Nevada Representative of the Libertarian Party and a former Sparks City Councilman for Ward 2 from 1991 to 1995. I can be reached at my home/office phone/fax number at 702-359-6754 , 24 hours a day.
I can also be reached at my E-mail address at: lpnvnorep@aol.com
Newspaper's "antics" raise Reno activist's "Ire"... Sam Dehné
Reno's biggest newspaper recently dedicated several pages to the current mayor... as a transparent promotion for his attempt to get re-elected.
Within two days, the paper then ran a short article on me that departed from straight news reporting... painting value judgments on my conduct at the April 14th Reno city council meeting... referring to my behavior as "Activist's antics".
As the only other announced candidate for Reno mayor this year, it seems my opponent is not just Jeff Griffin, but also the Reno Gazette.
Democracy can not function well without an informed electorate. When the most powerful newspaper promotes one candidate for a given office and demeans another candidate for that same office, public opinion suffers and democracy is short changed.
As a community activist concerned with corruption and incompetence at top levels of Reno city hall, I have attended almost all city council meetings for the past three years.
I have observed, studied, and challenged insult after insult against voters and taxpayers perpetrated by elected officials... who repeatedly abuse the public trust. The realities at city hall make it very difficult to not challenge Griffin and Gang.
In this mayoral race, a major issue is Jeff Griffin's muddy record... at the airport, at EDAWN, at the RSCVA, and at city hall... where his fingers are stuck in the cookie jar:
* Is it right for this mayor to vote on appointments of Reno Airport Trustees who then almost immediately vote to give a plush Airport contract to the mayor's private company?
* Is it right for this mayor to vote to give city tax money to that government-subsidized EDAWN that does business with the mayor's private company?
* Is it right for this mayor to dispense large sums of tax dollars directly to political cronies who were and are instrumental in his election campaigns... effectively causing citizens to fund his campaign in tax dollars?
* Is it right for a mayor to think he has a "mandate" when he was elected by only 16% of the registered voters?
THE RENO CITIZEN is a free magazine about Reno politics that I have helped publish for 3 years. It is filled with stories about city hall "antics"... that raise my "ire"... from a citizen's perspective.
Computer savvy citizens can read it at (www.renocitizen.com).
Please call 828-1245 for a straight-forward recorded message.
Retired Air Force officer, Sam Dehné, is a 31 year Reno resident.
And We Tell Our Children To Just Say No! by Jackie Decker
Has anybody noticed that it is not politically correct to vote in opposition to the majority of your colleagues? How effective are Councils, Boards, Commissions and the like? There exists this attitude that solidarity must prevail if a decision-making, policy-setting bunch is to be effective. Our governmental entities even conduct Consensus Building Retreats to achieve it. If there is to be no difference of opinions, ideas, or options, I frankly don't see any need for these bodies, or juries either, for that matter.
On the other hand we tell our children not to succumb to peer pressure, dare to be different, stand up for what is right, don't go along with the crowd if it is contrary to your convictions, and the like. It is no small wonder that we lose so many of our kids to drugs, smoking, and illicit sex; they tend to follow example rather than what we say.
A case in point is the recent severance packages of the Airport's two top executives. Did these men suddenly decide to pursue greener pastures, or were they convinced to leave? One thing is certain; they left with a bulging pocketful of money and benefits after such a short time of service. Public opinion was unanimously opposed to such hefty rewards, but Trustees voted unanimously to ignore Truckee Meadow's citizens and award them the works anyway, complete with an array of praise and accomplishments, even two-year consultant contracts. The Board voted for all of this without even seeing letters of resignation from the executives. Such letters were a concern of at least one Trustee, but advised the letters would be provided later, they voted for the package anyway.
This same Board voted for the condemnation of the Rewana Farms Neighborhood for noise. Eminent domain is to be used for the larger public good. What is the public good to be served by condemning for noise? The Airport wants the land that forty year-old neighborhood encompasses to relocate Nevada Air National Guard so they can expand their facilities. That is what they have gone on record as saying, and expanding Airport boundaries is the real reason they voted to condemn, not noise. Only one Trustee voted in opposition despite the fact federal funds earmarked for noise mitigation are being used to obtain the land.
Our kids are receiving mixed signals, from the White House down to where we live. Most of us know right from wrong, but we are looked on so much favorably if we just go with the flow and don't make waves. From the most prestigious government body to the lesser known governing agencies, we are setting an example for the youth that will govern the future. It is past time to take notice of those who are courageous enough to take a stand for opposition and vote their convictions. Opposing views allow discussion to arrive at the best decisions.
Ms. Decker is a brave activist who has been fighting the Reno Airport 's confiscation of land from innocent citizens.
FREEDOM OF SPEECH FURTHER MUTILATED BY MAJORITY OF RENO COUNCIL by Sam Dehné
The Reno city council recently returned from another private Retreat in the mountains west of town... far from their pesky constituents.
Since there was nobody there to challenge them, they plotted to reduce citizen input even more... with the creation of the "Sam Dehne... don't give him one extra second of Freedom of Speech" rule.
They threatened to do this because:
Their $750,000 publicly-funded ever-expanding city hall Propaganda Machine was not getting the brainwashing job done, and
They abhor the fact that those pesky citizens continue to get in the way.
This Resolution was presented to the council... and hastily ignored.
WHEREAS the Reno City Council holds semi-private retreats to discuss sensitive subjects away from convenient public access and scrutiny, and
WHEREAS the Reno City Council has declared it intends to try to further limit public input, and
WHEREAS every American citizen has the right and obligation to challenge perceived corruption and stupidity in government, and
WHEREAS Reno government under the current mayor spends many thousands of public dollars for the purpose of controlling public understanding or misunderstanding of community issues, and
WHEREAS the Reno City Council under the current mayor employs various techniques to circumvent Nevada's open meeting law, and
WHEREAS the current mayor "loves democracy" according to an article in the Reno Gazette-Journal, issue of March 16, 1998, and
WHEREAS democracy is defined in U.S. tradition as government of... by... and... for the people and that town meetings are a long-standing, respected part of such tradition,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Reno City Council shall hold a series of town meetings at Reno City Hall, open to all Reno citizens, to discuss the integrity of the current municipal government and to discuss whether democracy is alive and well in the City of Reno, Nevada.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the current mayor and other appropriate Reno officials shall answer a host of questions regarding Reno government in writing prior to conducting said town meetings, such questions to be raised by any and all concerned Reno citizens.
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that Public Comment at Reno City Council meetings not be suppressed without approval of Reno's citizens.
[Note: Since this Resolution was presented to the council, the 5 male council members voted to reduce Public Comment from a measly 5 minutes down to a puny 3 minutes.
CITIZEN GLADIATOR ASKS:
Sam Dehné
9. You could have expected it: the current mayor gets unethical kickback contracts, funnels public money (lots of it) to campaign cronies (lots of them), ignores and/or flaunts important city charter laws... violations galore. But do city hall and the Reno Gazette care? No! Instead they have to nit-pick on one of the 2 councilpersons people can depend on... about how much time she spends in her apartment. How far away is the Ethics Commission? (See below for an example of their pieces of "work".)
8. The Reno Gazette had it backwards about the cop who got 21 University credit hours in just 1 month. What is germane is that it is beyond bizarre that the so-called Nevada Ethics Commission found absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that this cop got a promotion ahead of more honorably qualified officers... as a result of obviously bogus (no classes, no homework, no tests...) school credits. The currently constituted Ethics Commission has once again proven it is a joke... that needs to be replaced by regular citizens... and not the "usual suspects".
7. Reno city council has ORDERED Home Depot to not make more than 50 decibels of noise and to not operate any equipment between 11PM and 6AM.
This council totally ignores, on the other hand, that their Reno Airport makes 100's of decibels of noise... all day AND ALL NIGHT LONG!
6. School Bonds: Could it be that if school overcrowding gets bad enough, maybe it will help reduce the invasion? Developers and casinos do not pay their fair share for the negative impacts their businesses create. If fewer people buy their buildings or gamble in their saloons, then just maybe the cancerous growth will slow down, the invasion will slow down, and Reno will be back to where it doesn't need new schools.
Shouldn't these folks who who cause Reno's overcrowding, and thus create the need for schools, have to pay for them?
5. Do workers in Reno restaurants have to prove they are not health risks? Rumor has it that food handlers (cooks, busboys, etc) in the area do not have to go through any pre-screening to determine whether they have contagious diseases... such as the Lower Euphrates Whooping Klangeldankel or the Notorious Oowagadoogoo Flu... in their backgrounds. Why are workers required to get Work Cards... but not Health Cards? Every restaurant should be concerned. You go figure...
4. Cronyistic corruption at cityhall never ends. On 20 April this city council, with the mayor conveniently sitting on the sideline... (so he wouldn't have to answer embarrassing questions?), voted to give the Reno mayor's campaign fund raiser ($30,000 raised already... from the "usual suspect" fat cats) a plush contract funded by citizens' taxes. Not a peep of disclosure. The contract was ostensibly for $20,000... but the "fine print" included another $125,000 that was earmarked for the mayor's campaign fund raiser.
4a. Candy Pearce spoke courageously in opposition, and she and councilman Pierre Hascheff recognized the cronyism and voted against this insult to integrity in government.
4b. Folks, no wonder the mayor's re-election juggernaut is so powerful... it's funded by the voters.
When you start seeing his billboards and TV ads, please remember that YOU ARE PAYING FOR THAT! $$$THOUSANDS OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING FUNNELED TO HIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN... DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY...
3. The aviation amateurs at the Reno Airport think they can get rid of their stink by dumping the Director and his right hand man. Not! Eliminating these 2 mouthpieces for the diabolical atrocities committed against innocent citizens in Rewana Farms won't save them. There will be no justice until most of their fat cat-surrogate trustee-bosses are completely removed from the Airport. Courageous citizens will continue to demand an independent investigation of the plot to confiscate federal funds to destroy the ambiance of Reno... in the name of greed and avarice... Out damn Spot!
3a. And bloated Golden-Parachute goodbye gifts are out of the question. Give them what they gave the downtrodden proletariat in Rewana Farms... a swift kick in the butt-afooko.
3b. A question stares everybody in the face: Why would they fire these people... and then confiscate citizens' funds in a $475,000 payoff scheme? Do these antics invite suspicion of blackmail? What do these 2 cronies have on their former bosses? What are they holding over their heads?
3c. How does Washoe County expect citizens to approve a huge school bond, when they waste the taxpayers' money like this. Prediction: This latest insult will be the catalyst that hammers the last nail in that coffin...
2. Questions for the current Reno mayor:
"Mr mayor (and council surrogates), it is noted beyond any doubt that downtown is dropping drastically in value... as well as the home values for any poor slobs who thought you could be a good mayor."
"What are you going to do to correct these and a myriad of other problems?"
"We want to know... now!"
"And, Mr mayor, why did you think it was a good idea to cause these conditions? Is this a payoff to the downtown casinos, lowering their assessments? Or did you really destroy property values..."
1. Is the current mayor be jealous? He only likes it when citizens at Reno city council "guffaw" at HIS "antics".
1a. The horrible condition of Neil Road is a disgrace to the citizens of Reno.
DO YOU AGREE WITH SAM?
(A Sampling of his Ideas)
RENO AIRPORT: The Reno airport is an integral part of Reno... period! City Hall appoints 4 of the 8 members of the Airport Board. The current mayor and most council members refuse to take responsibility for the abusive actions of the Airport Board... especially the diabolical Rewana Farms landgrab scheme... that begs for an honorable Federal investigation. Relocation of the Airport should be publicly discussed and voted upon. Growth at the Airport is cancerous... with ever-increasing noise, danger, blight, and pollution.
RAILROAD: The Railroad is an integral part of Reno. Current city hall's attitude of attacking this vital part of the community is abhorrent. There are better solutions that are fair to the Union Pacific... and to the citizens of Reno. City hall's expensive scheme to build a trench will expose the town to construction blight for years. Some underpasses and protective fences should be considered. Reno must work WITH the Railroad... not AGAINST it!
PUBLIC INFORMATION: It is nothing short of outrageous for citizens to fund a million dollar city hall propaganda machine. "Actions speak louder than words." Any public funds that are used to "inform" the citizens should be distributed throughout the entire media of Reno. Reports originating from city hall should be balanced and objective, not slanted to serve the agenda of those city officials who are subservient to powerful special interests.
GROWTH: It must pay its way through impact fees. Taxpayers should not have to pay for growth impacts such as schools, roads, police, etc. The people should vote to approve or disapprove all major proposed projects such as the Double Diamond Ranch and Boomtown. Growth should not be decided by the fat cats who profit from such growth.
WATER, AIR, PATIENCE: There's not enough! (See GROWTH)
NOISE, DANGER, BLIGHT, POLLUTION: There's too much! (see GROWTH)
JOBS: New companies should be discouraged from coming here unless they offer ONLY quality jobs which will not require public subsidies for their workers.
ROTTING ROADS AND POTHOLES: The road situation in Reno is an insult to its citizens. City Hall must prioritize its financial resources. Propaganda machines must be scaled back and roads fixed. The people have had to complain for too long.
OPEN MEETING LAW: The open meeting law should be strictly enforced and the current so-called state ethics commission should be replaced for conduct undeserving of public confidence.
SPECIAL INTERESTS: We have to stop the big boys from making the decisions. Casinos and developers are important in the local economy, but they should not be permitted to undermine democratic due process and decision-making.
LOBBYISTS: Lobbyists should not be permitted to run amok at city hall.
PUBLIC REFERENDUM VOTES: Citizens should be able to trust the council to decide controversial issues in a manner that protects all the citizens... not just powerful special interests... but this is too often not the reality. Public votes must be used more often. Citizens can understand public issues just as well as council members IF they are properly informed about each issue. But under the current mayor, city hall has demonstrated a pattern of failing in this mission... and has intentionally distorted many issues.
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