Letters............................ 3 Opinion/Streetalk............ 5 Sheila.Leslie.................... 6 Brendan.Trainor.............. 7 News.............................. 8 Elections....................... 10 Feature......................... 13 Endorsements............... 16 Arts&Culture................ 18 Art.of.the.State............ 20
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NoVEmBER
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2016
Foodfinds...................... 21 Film.............................. 22 Musicbeat.................... 23 Nightclubs/Casinos....... 24 This.Week.....................27 Advice.Goddess........... 28 Free.Will.Astrology....... 30 15.Minutes..................... 31 Bruce.Van.Dyke............ 31
NOVEMBER 03, 2016 | VOl. 22, IssuE 38
Finally here Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review. Well, it’s finally here. After a campaign season that’s often felt like a long, slow peeling off of a Band-Aid from a tender, hairy wound, Election Day is here. It’s time to vote. On page 16 in this week’s issue, you’ll find our endorsements. Hopefully, that’ll help clear up any issues—either you can use it as a guide for how to vote or, if you hate us, a guide for how not to vote. Or just one more perspective to take into account when making your own damn decisions. One word of caution for however you decide to use our endorsements: careful with those Questions. Those initiatives are often written with intentionally deceptive language to trick voters. I think we did a nice job explaining our positions on the Washoe County initiative and each of the four Nevada questions, but even if you don’t buy into our exceptionally well reasoned explanations, I’d still advise you to take some time to read as much as you can about each of those Questions. And don’t believe everything you read. Some of the propagandists out there are well-funded deceivers—particularly the opponents to Question 2. For more about how those people intentionally distort facts, fail to disclose conflicts of interest, and outright lie, check out Upfront on page 8. Anyway. See you in the future. It’ll be a different world when next we meet. And no matter what happens, we’ll all have a little bit of extra time and energy once we’re finished with election anxiety. No longer any need to obsessively check Nate Silver’s website once an hour. I plan to get caught up on all the music I haven’t been listening to, read some pulpy science fiction, and take up tennis.
—Brad Bynum bradb@ ne ws r ev i ew . com
School money In 1997, Roseville’s population was 63,000. It was struggling. New development was not paying its way. Then it discovered California law allowed it to create new development tax districts. Here, we have Perry DiLoreto and his ilk, developers who give lots of cash to politicians so that doesn’t happen. They think everybody else should pay the costs for arterial roads, schools, infrastructure, etc., so they can build subdivisions of new houses for families of four totaling 10,000 persons or more, half of who need schools. Says DiLoreto, it’s a problem of our creating. We all don’t pay enough in taxes so he and friends can become richer. Today, Roseville’s population is over 130,000. The Galleria and Fountains malls bring shoppers from areas all around, filling Roseville’s coffers with tax dollars. (The Fountains mall highlights the greed of and everything the developers of the Summit mall did wrong!) Roseville is now one of the most financially sound cities in California, a shining example of new growth paying for itself and everyone winning—something DiLoreto doesn’t want for us. Marcus Krebs Reno Who is responsible for maintenance of universities and schools? Article 11 Section 6, “support of …. university and common schools …. the legislature shall provide for their support and maintenance by direct legislative appropriation from the general fund.” Guinn Center, Feb. 2016: “Currently, state aid is not available for constructing new buildings or repairing existing ones.” Where can the legislature get additional funds to do their constitutional duty? Not gaming or mining but residential developers. 48,000 new homes were built in 2006, producing over $15 billion for developers (UNLV Business School). Developers pay no taxes. Gaming revenues totaled $12,193,784. (Gaming Commission). Gaming pays 6.75 percent tax of gross. Mining saw about $5 billion. Mining taxes are set by the constitution at 5 percent of net. EDAWN and local officials envision the Reno area increasing to 600,000 by 2019. Local officials’ goal is growth to the size of Austin, Texas, 930,000. Vote NO on WC-1 and incumbent candidates to force the legislature to do its constitutionally mandated duty. Terry Tiernay Reno
Stop caging responsible adults who use cannabis because it’s the right thing to do. A sane or moral argument to continue cannabis prohibition doesn’t exist. Stan White Dillon, Colo.
Correction Re “Delicate dance” (news, Oct. 27): We reported that when Bernie Sanders delegate Carol Cizauskas arrived back in Reno from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, “she learned the local chapter of Progressive Democrats of America had circulated a flyer saying she had registered Green, which was untrue.” Cizauskas informs us, “[A]fter I returned home from the convention, the Reno chapter of Progressive Democrats of America did not circulate a flyer about my registering Green—rather, one group leader told at least one other leader that I had registered Green, which at the time was not true. That incorrect information caused the leadership of PDA Reno to question my allegiance.” We also heard from Gale Audia of PDA: “That issue came up in a phone conversation with Carol and myself in which she stated to me that she was not a member of the Green Party, which I accepted. There was no flyer. Also, PDA Reno has never been an ‘arm’ of the Washoe Democratic Party! We value our separateness and operate at all times independent of this party!” We apologize for the errors.
ERIK HOllAND
Plant righteousness Re: “Pot Tale of the Week” (Upfront. Oct. 27, 2016) While there is much anxiety and rankling over potential taxes regarding the re-legalization of cannabis (marijuana), realize taxes and profit are not the righteous reasons to end cannabis prohibition.
Eric Marks, Jose Olivares, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Luka Starmer, Brendan Trainor, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Brad Bynum News Editor Dennis Myers Special Projects Editor Jeri Chadwell-Singley Arts Editor Kris Vagner Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Contributors Amy Alkon, Matt Bieker, Bob Grimm, Anna Hart, Ashley Hennefer, Shelia Leslie,
Design Manager Lindsay Trop Art Directors Brian Breneman, Margaret Larkin Marketing/Publications Manager Serene Lusano Marketing/Publications Designer Sarah Hansel Production Coordinator Skyler Smith Designer Kyle Shine Senior Advertising Consultants Gina Odegard, Bev Savage Advertising Consultant Emily Litt
Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager/Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Assistant and Driver Denise Cairns Distribution Drivers Alex Barskyy, Bob Christensen, Debbie Frenzi, Gary White, Jennifer Cronin, Jennifer Gangestad, Lori DeAndreis, Marty Lane, Marty Troye, Patrick L’Angelle, Tracy Breeden, Vicki Jewell President/CEO Jeff VonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Project Coordinator Natasha VonKaenel Director of People & Culture David Stogner Director of Dollars & Sense Nicole Jackson Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Dargitz
Accounts Receivable Specialist Kortnee Angel Sweetdeals Coordinator Courtney DeShields Nuts & Bolts Ninja Christina Wukmir Senior Support Tech Joe Kakacek Developer John Bisignano, Jonathan Schultz System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins N&R Publications Editor Michelle Carl N&R Publications Associate Editor Kate Gonzales N&R Publications Writer Anne Stokes Cover Design: Margaret Larkin
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11.03.16 | RN&R | 3
take it home
OUR ENDORSEMENTS H
ere are our endorsements for the 2016 election. We haven’t endorsed in every race, particularly not in those races that aren’t competitive.
President of the United states Hillary Clinton Donald Trump is the fundamental issue of this year’s presidential campaign. He has made himself such. In 1866, the U.S. Supreme Court said the United States has a government of laws and not of people because the public “has no right to expect that it will always have wise and humane rulers, sincerely attached to the principles of the Constitution. Wicked men, ambitious of power, with hatred of liberty and contempt of law, may fill the place once occupied by Washington and Lincoln.” That language should suggest something to most voters who have observed Trump in 2015 and 2016. His early and admirable economic populism gave way to bigotry and recklessness, contempt for Latinos, Islam, women. On issues the divisions are pretty clear.
Minimum wage Clinton: $12. Trump: $10 (bragged about not paying those who worked for him).
abortion Clinton: supporter, for decades. Trump: supporter, for decades; opponent, lately.
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Health care Clinton: Expand the Affordable Care Act, encourages states to expand Medicaid. Trump: Repeal ACA, encourages states to expand Medicaid, opposes any national health care plan.
immigration Clinton: Will propose comprehensive changes, if Congress will pass them. Trump: The wall, deportations. It’s easy to draw conclusions from issues like these. Then there are the intangibles that motivate our votes— trust, allegiance to principle, character. We know Hillary Clinton isn’t the ideal candidate. We have legitimate concerns about her hawkishness and her lack of transparency, among other things. But, she’s also an experienced, capable, thoughtful leader. She’s fearless but even-keeled, determined but open-minded—unusual and inspiring combinations. And although she wouldn’t have been our first pick to break the glass ceiling—Elizabeth Warren springs to mind—the historic nature of her candidacy is undeniably exciting. And the available alternative is absurd and horrifying. And there is something delicious about Donald Trump being defeated by a woman. The Democrats, of course, are arrogant and insufferable in saying that voting for Clinton is the only way to vote against Trump, but this is the real world. Though the Democrats characterize your vote as “A vote for [third party candidate here] is a vote for Trump,” in fact, you decide what your vote means.
Given Gary Johnson’s libertarian platform with its support for abortion and marijuana, he could pull as many Democratic votes as Republican, and Clinton already has a leg up in Nevada because Jill Stein and the Greens failed to gain ballot status. If Clinton cannot win this election after the easy mark the Republicans gave her, it’s not the voters’ fault. If you really can’t bring yourself to vote for Clinton, find a way to vote against Trump. Any vote not cast for Trump is one less vote in his tally—Gary Johnson, None Of These Candidates, whatever.
nevada senate District 13
Julia ratti District 15
Devon reese
nevada assembly District 24
aMber Joiner District 27
teresa benitez-tHoMpson
U.s. senate CatHerine Cortez Masto
District 30
Mike sprinkle District 31
U.s. hoUse
riCHarD “skip” Daly
District 2
school board
H. D. “CHip” evans Rep. Mark Amodei is a climate change denier so extreme that he voted to bar the Defense Department—which does believe in climate change—from even reporting its findings, so if something like smallpox, against which society no longer has a defense, re-emerges from the permafrost (see http://tinyurl.com/ gromdba), remember that Amodei not only did nothing to stop it but hindered those who tried.
District C
Debbie FeeMster District D
Malena rayMonD District G
katy siMon HollanD
reno mUniciPal coUrt sHelly o’neill
Reno Cit y CounCil
WaShoe Count y CommiSSion
Ward 1
County Commission District 1
Jenny Brekhus
Levi hooper
A consultant and the Reno GazetteJournal have invented a “dysfunctional” Reno City Council. This city has seen dysfunctional city councils before, and this one isn’t it. With the exception of Neoma Jardon, all of the members work well together. But unlike passive and developer-driven councils of the past, its members will not just rubber stamp anything. As exemplified by Jenny Brekhus, Naomi Duerr and Paul McKenzie, this council hashes things out, mixes it up with staff, and scrutinizes projects before letting them go forward. At the Reno City Council, there is nothing like the Nevada Legislature’s approval of a stadium without having full feasibility known. Earlier councils who liked the staff to do the governing are a thing of the past. Developers must make their cases and not win with grease jobs, which bugs Jardon. Brekhus has led that process with toughness and skill and should be returned to office. Vote for her as many times as you can get away with.
At-large
DAviD BoBzien
SpaRkS Cit y CounCil Ward 1
Denise Lopez
initiativeS state Question 1
yes Question 1 would extend the scope of background check requirements to include firearm transfers between people who don’t hold federal firearms licenses. There’s a lot of misinformation from both sides of this debate. Will this measure stop every person who isn’t supposed to have a gun from getting one? No. But it may stop some of them. And that’s a hell of a lot better than none of them. All it does is bring some gun purchases or transfers not already covered by background checks under that practice—and not all of them. How burdensome. If gun owners find this minor, narrow, limited, sensible measure so disturbing, it speaks volumes about what it takes to get them concerned. They need to look to their public image—if this dinky change alarms them, what doesn’t alarm them? Why the hair trigger on their panic buttoms?
state Question 2
yes Question 2 would legalize recreational marijuana for Nevadans 21 and older. The War on Drugs has done as much
damage to the United States and its citizens as has any other war. It has destroyed lives, torn apart families with lengthy incarcerations, led to the militarization of foreign drug cartels, and, as detailed in this week’s cover story, it has left many American voters disenfranchised. Alcohol prohibition, which lasted in the U.S. from 1920 to 1933, is now widely seen as a huge mistake that did enormous damage to this country. Future generations will look back on marijuana prohibition with the same perspective. Those future generations might well ask, why were citizens paying foreign criminals instead of locally owned, tax-paying businesses? The anti-marijuana propaganda now proliferating around the state can all be traced back to companies that profit from other vices—alcohol, gambling and most especially opioid-producing pharmaceutical companies. For the record, all of those things are more dangerous and more destructive than marijuana. They are also all legal. And should be legal. And so should marijuana.
state Question 3
no state Question 4
no Both of these questions suffer from the same flaw. They insert language unnecessarily into the Nevada Constitution, making it difficult for the legislaure to correct mistakes. The state would be saddled with any errors for at least five years. And for no good reasons—neither a sales tax exemption for medical
devices nor a change in the regulatory setup for electric utilities belong in a constitution, as the lobby groups that put them on the ballot know perfectly well. They belong in statutes, which can be corrected more easily and simply.
Washoe County Question 1
no enDorseMenT This would be at least the eighth sales tax hike in Washoe County, six of them for schools. Despite its obnoxious, cheerful branding as the “Save our Schools” tax, this isn’t a vote about whether schools are worth saving, but is instead about whether a sales tax, that most regressive and backwards of all revenue-generators this side of beating up poor kids and stealing their lunch money, proposed by an unelected business-dominated committee, is the right way to do it. It’s not. Recent RG-J essays by EDAWN’s Mike Kazmierski and school district CEO Pete Etchart did not even deign to address the regressiveness issue. But the problem is that the schools do need help, and if Nevada’s legislators and billionaires are going to give away money to a damn football team instead, then it’s up to the rest of us to pick up the slack. But we don’t have to like it. We’re reminded of Leo Tolstoy: “I sit on a man’s back, choking him, and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by any means possible, except getting off his back.” Some of us are going to hold our nose and vote in favor of this tax, but we feel conflicted, frustrated and disgusted enough to refrain from endorsing. Ω
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