Many thanks to South Tahoe Now for asking good questions of candidates for the SLT City Council — and for publishing their answers.
I was particularly impressed by John Friedrich’s detailed, thoughtful, and clear answers about why the community should elect him for another term.
Unlike other candidates who have responded so far and who were often vague, Friedrich detailed numerous accomplishments that he and his colleagues achieved during his previous years. He was a leader on measures to increase affordable housing, spur economic growth, launch Lake Link and move the city government toward a carbon-free future. I especially liked that he helped get rid of airport subsidies that benefited private plane owners.
Friedrich also outlined precisely how he hopes to identify community priorities and act on them. He has credibility: during his first term, he helped initiate an online system by which residents could rank their preferences for using federal grants during the COVID pandemic.
Though other candidates demonstrated good intentions, several of their responses were disappointingly vague about experience, expertise and priorities.
At a time when the SLT City Council has been through horrific lows, Friedrich’s experience and deep community engagement could help achieve a rebound.
Edmund L Andrews