Opinion: May take years to recover from negative national VHR news

We recently received talking points from a local public relation firm relating to how we could handle the adverse publicity which occurred due to the CBS morning show about the draconian VHR ordinance and subsequent $1000 fine enforcements. We, as property managers and owners, have been requesting support from the Chamber of Commerce, LTVA, and the Lodging Association in helping us fight the selfish attitudes of some locals regarding their entitlement to Lake Tahoe without visitors to their neighborhoods. We requested support of these groups to come to the Council meetings and support our industry and now we have these onerous fees, regulations and fines. Now the facts are getting out in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Reno Gazette Journal, USA Today, CBS News, and other media outlets about the treatment of our visitors which we have been cultivating for decades.

In a recent interview, City Mayor Wendy David defended the Council’s actions by their reliance on a Socio-Economic study which the City had paid $75,000 for. The study did not address the economic impacts which was required in the initial contract. Plus, the statistics relating to VHR complaints were exaggerated by 400% due to erroneous data supplied by the City. According to David, this was the reason for the City imposing all the latest restrictions, fines and a VHR cap of 1400 because of this erroneous report. See the video here: http://www.ktvn.com/category/169828/face-the-state

It has been said that you deserve the government that you have, South Lake Tahoe soak it up because if you don’t put an end to this craziness it will take us years to recover.

Jim Morris - Owner of Lake Tahoe Accommodations – Bringing visitors to Lake Tahoe for 38 years.