revenue

Gaming revenue for the State of Nevada during the month of July 2018 remained almost even with the previous year, posting a loss of .16 percent with a "win" of $996,439,793 for casinos in the state, according to figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board today.

On the South Shore, the $29,940,267 in gaming revenue earned by the casinos was up by 25.52 percent from 2017. The Carson City and Carson Valley had a "win" of $9,559,069, up .31 percent.

The "gaming win" represents the computed income of casinos before business expenses and taxes.

Gaming revenue for the State of Nevada during the month of June was up 4.17 percent in 2018 when compared to the same month in 2017, bringing in a "win" of $933,003,709 to casinos in the state, according to figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board today.

On the South Shore, the $18,717,280 in gaming revenue earned by the casinos was down 8.65 percent from 2017. The Carson City and Carson Valley had a "win" of $9,028,184, up 7.34 percent.

In May, the gaming revenue for the South Shore was $18,022,230.

The follow letter was given to South Tahoe Now and mailed to the South Lake Tahoe Mayor, City Councilmembers and staff:

Dear Mayor David and Council Members:

I am writing to you as a follow-up to my letter of May 12, 2018 (see at end of story) regarding Policy Priorities and Issues for City Government.

Quality and Affordable Housing for Residents is Very Important

Gaming revenue for the State of Nevada during the month of May was up 5.29 percent in 2018 when compared to the same month in 2017, bringing in a "win" of $1,044,079,556 to casinos in the state, according to figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

On the South Shore, the $18,022,230 in gaming revenue earned by the casinos was up 1.14 percent from 2017. The Carson City and Carson Valley had a "win" of $9,931,012, up 15.58 percent.

The "gaming win" represents the computed income of casinos before business expenses and taxes.

There will be a special meeting of the South Lake Tahoe City Council on Monday, June 2 starting at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers at the airport.

Cannabis is the topic of the main reason for the meeting, both a vote on a tax measure for the November ballot and a public hearing on the zoning and regulations of adult use cannibus businesses and the medical marijuana dispensary.

I have been following the VHR news and comments. It appears that some view all VHR owners as irresponsible neighbors. While I can’t speak for all VHR owners, perhaps sharing our VHR’s story will illustrate that that perception is not always accurate. This is provided as one owner’s perspective.

In 1978, four families partnered to purchase a Tahoe Keys condominium.

Gaming revenue for the State of Nevada during the month of April was up 7.5 percent in 2018, bringing in a "win" of $953,698,753 to casinos in the state according to figures released Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

On the South Shore, the $14,938,015 in gaming revenue earned by the casinos was up 12.61 percent from 2017. The Carson City and Carson Valley had a "win" of $9,214,172, up 7.08 percent.

The "gaming win" represents the computed income of casinos before business expenses and taxes

We at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency are mourning the passing of Bill Morgan. In the pantheon of people who have contributed mightily to the agency’s success, Bill is in the top tier. He was executive director from April 1, 1985 to September 30, 1989, one of the most tumultuous times for TRPA. There is a high likelihood that there would be no TRPA if Bill had not been at the helm and found ways to bring disparate parties together.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Two examples of the newest tools in the fire fighting toolbox stopped by Lake Tahoe Airport on Tuesday to show how they can help in the Sierra, just as they do across the country.

Dauntless Air out of Appleton, Minnesota brought two Air Tractor AT-802F Fire Boss planes to town at the request of the United States Forest Service (USFS) and put on a demonstration for South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, CalFire and the USFS from both Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe National Forest.

One thing is certain, something has to change or there will not be enough money to operate buses around the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. What isn't certain is how those changes will look, where extra funding can come from, or if services will have to be cut.

During Friday's Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) board meeting, options to keep a sustainable transit system in place for Lake Tahoe were discussed. Buses continue to operate at a loss and that cannot continue, according to the TTD staff.

MEYERS and SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Don Ashton has been making the rounds to communities throughout the county, explaining the budget through an informative presentation and discussion.

Most of the communities Ashton has visited have had 15-20 citizens in attendance, all asking questions and giving input in the budget process as Ashton and the Supervisors figure out how to save $20M over the next four years to meet CalPers pension liabilities.

Revenue will need to increase in El Dorado County in order to complete a list of needed projects including those for repaired roads and economic development, both items that are affected by tourism.

The El Dorado County Board o Supervisors will start the discussion at the their next meeting on March 13 to the possibility of taking a tax increase to the voters in 2018, one the voters will benefit from but won't have to pay for.

South Lake Tahoe Mayor Wendy David held her second "Community Conversation" on Wednesday, opening the avenues of conversation between government and the public. This time Councilmember Brooke Laine joined her.

During the first such meeting in January the crowd got too big for the chosen area, Peet's Coffee, so this month they moved to the SLT Senior Center. Everyone attending agreed the center was much more conducive to good conversation.

"I thought it went really well," said Wendy. "I really appreciate the respect everyone shows for each other and opinions can be shared freely."

After receiving high marks for a second time from both Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Financial Services and Moody’s Investor Service in their bond ratings reports, Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) is ready to issue its second set of bonds for sale with the Measure F general obligation bond.

The Cannabis Community Committee gave a presentation to the South Lake Tahoe City Council Tuesday, outlining the work they've done and recommendations for the City's ordinance for cannabis sales.

Fifteen members of the community came together as the committee and met with Mayor Pro Tem Tom Davis, Councilwoman Brooke Laine, Police Chief Brian Uhler, City Attorney Nira Doherty and City Staff member Lisa Watson to discuss and research issues facing legal sales of cannabis in the city limits.

On Tuesday both the South Lake Tahoe City Council and the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors voted to extend their ban on commercial sales of cannabis as they work out the rules and regulations for their jurisdictions.

The ban on sales in South Lake Tahoe was set to expire on January 25, 2018, and without an extension or ordinance in place, anyone could have applied for a license to sell with the State of California.

Tuesday's El Dorado County Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting was just as all other meetings about vacation home rentals have been: A full house and a large contingent passionately representing both sides of the issue.

Supervisor Shiva Frentzen sought conceptual approval of an urgency ordinance to place a moratorium on the issuance of new vacation home rental (VHR) permits in the unincorporated portions of the County located in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Residents in South Lake Tahoe will soon be paying more for garbage pick-up after the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted 4-1 to approve South Tahoe Refuse's request to raise rates for residential customers by 8.81 percent, the biggest one-time increase ever added to the service.

The rate increase will go into effect January 1, 2018.

The monthly rate for SLT customers will go from $26.55 to #28.89 for unlimited service, and increase of $2.34. Qualified seniors (65 and over and part of Liberty Utilities Care program) will pay an extra $1.95, taking their monthly rate to $24.15.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department has received multiple reports regarding a phone scam to local residents. Callers are identifying themselves to potential victims as an employee of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). These phony IRS Agents inform the victim they have a warrant for their arrest or owe taxes. This is a scam. Callers claiming to be from the IRS tell intended victims they must pay using a pre-paid debit card, credit cards or wire transfer. The scammers threaten those who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver’s license.

In the works since 2010, the Tahoe Paradise Resort Improvement District is now officially a "recreation and park district." Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1023 into law that year, creating an expedited procedure for resort improvement districts to convert into community service districts, and in the case of Tahoe Paradise Park, into the recreation and park district.

That "expedited" procedure has taken almost six years for the Tahoe Paradise district to work out.

I’m voting for Measure C because South Lake Tahoe needs a reliable and transparent way to fund road maintenance and improvement. Last winter was illustration enough for me. After I hit a pothole on Pioneer Trail during a snowstorm, I had no other option than to spend $800 for new tires if I was going to drive my children to school and get to work. In the summer months, I watched as the asphalt wore down from thousands of tires coming in from out of town every week. As the tourists leave, we are left with cracks and splits and holes.

Higher fuel taxes are set to start November 1, 2017, raising the base gasoline excise tax from 18 cents to 30 cents per gallon. Senate Bill 1 was signed into law by California Jerry Brown and contains other increases that will cover the state's transportation needs for the next ten years with an extra $52 billion in revenue.

Other funds are coming from a new transportation improvement fee based on vehicle value, and paying off past transportation loans, Caltrans savings, and new charges on diesel fuel and zero-emission vehicles.

All of us living in this tourist town understand a simple truth: our infrastructure is burdened with more than it can handle. Specifically, our roads. Each year, millions of visitors drive to Tahoe to enjoy the natural beauty of our home, but the damage this causes to our roadways is a serious problem. We need help making our community safer for driving, walking, and biking.

There are a few openings for volunteer tax-aide counselors for the 2017 tax season to provide free personal income tax assistance in El Dorado County for seniors and low-to-moderate income residents under the AARP Tax-Aide program.