Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
With a brand-new year comes a brand new chair to the IVGID board of trustees.
As I don this new hat as the newly elected chairwoman of the IVGID board of trustees for 2007, I am mindful of the numerous challenges that will need to be addressed throughout the coming year and in thinking ahead I can see that some of these challenges will be easier to resolve than others.
As chairwoman of the board I want to be sure that we remain focused so that the goals which have been set for the entire district are accomplished. We, as trustees, have committed to improving communication with the community, providing the bet possible service to all, planning ahead so that there are safeguards for our environment in the future, and creating more and even better opportunities for residents in all recreational areas while remaining fiscally conservative and responsible.
As we embark on this year's journey, I want to welcome our newest trustee to the IVGID board. Chuck Weinberger fills the vacancy created by Beverly Mapps' resignation. As Beverly and the other trustees can attest, the job of trustee is not always an easy one. There are challenges, complex and unpopular issues, dissenting opinions and philosophical differences that impact our working relationships. More often than not, being a trustee is just plain hard work. Not only does it take a having thick skin to be a trustee, but it also takes courage and fortitude to hold your head up when you are being challenged in the newspaper, at social gatherings and elsewhere all over town. To Beverly, I wish you the best for the future.
Right now, there is an open wound within our community regarding Bev's resignation. I believe Beverly and John acted in a manner they thought was most appropriate at the time. Would I have handled things differently? The answer is yes, but I ask the community to remember that I have the benefit of learning from this experience. In hindsight, it is always easier to judge than to be judged.
Therefore, in the interest of promoting a productive and harmonious environment, I am asking the community to take a breather, apply a salve, and try to let the disruption caused by the resignation and how it was handled be put to rest. The board has learned valuable lessons from this chapter in its history.
However, for the benefit of the community, the IVGID board has had to move on, and I am hopeful that the community-at-large can do so as well.
During these coming months, you, the residents must play an all important role. Come to meetings, ask questions, make constructive suggestions and offer opinions. At all IVGID meetings there are two public comment periods available to you in addition to time to address issues on the agenda during the discussion of those agenda items. Feel free to communicate via e-mails, snail mail or phones to make your concerns known or invite me to your meetings. I am available for conversations over coffee or lunch or on a walk. There a five trustees. Make your concerns known to them.
For the many who know me, you know I will be creating a long list of things yet to be worked on. I know we can make this an exceptional year if WE remember that no matter what our differences are, we can be successful if we always come from a place of mutual respect- respect for each other, for all staff members, for each venue, and for each piece of property in our environment.
We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world with amenities other communities do not have but would welcome most enthusiastically.
Let's come together, work together and strive to make this a better place than when we came. I am up for the challenge, are you?
Bea Epstein
Incline Village
Illegal taxes
Last week Washoe County manager Katy Singlaub offered us the county's rendition of where we stand with the property tax refund ordered by the Supreme Court. I would like to respond.
First, Ms. Singlaub does not speak for the taxpayers - she represents the interests of the Washoe County government. Here are just a few examples of what Washoe County has been up to recently:
• The county commission has tampered with the scheduling and the membership of the County Board of Equalization ("CBE"). With the assistance of district attorney Gammick and his staff, they have conspired to harass and intimidate certain CBE members in an apparent attempt to influence the vote. In 2006, when they were unhappy with the CBE decision favoring taxpayers, the county commission set up a second county board to hear the Tahoe appeals, hoping to get a decision more favorable to the county.
• The Washoe DA has routinely manipulated its legal advice to the various county bodies in order to further its agenda - in this case, to do whatever it takes to hold on to our illegally acquired tax money. This has been done in total disregard of ethical standards which prohibit such conflicts of interest.
• Under instructions from the D.A., county officials have conspired to deny thousands of taxpayers their due process rights by manipulating the hearing process. Last year the CBE voted unanimously to roll back all of the Tahoe assessments. Instead of issuing the written decision as required by law, the County called it a "discussion."
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, the CBE "decision" has miraculously reemerged and has been mailed to all local taxpayers. Had the decision been properly published last year, the State Board would have been forced to agree with the CBE and the assessor's appeal would then have been nullified by the Supreme Court. However, the taxation officials are looking for a way to get around the Supreme Court's decision by setting up an illegal opportunity to appeal to the State Board of Equalization ("SBE"). It would be utterly naive to presume that this was done without close cooperation and collusion between county and state officials.
• Despite the findings of two expert consultants and the Dept. of Taxation, itself, that we are out of equalization, despite being admonished by the Nevada Tax Commission, and despite repeated rulings by the CBE, two district courts, and now the Supreme Court, the Washoe Assessor has changed nothing and continues to practice the same illegal assessment methods to this day.
Like the Wizard of OZ, Ms. Singlaub proclaims an elaborate process which must occur before taxpayers can expect relief. Hold on, says the county: the Dept. of Taxation, the Experts, and the Supreme Court - all of them are wrong. According to the County Manager, the Assessor wants to argue that we are NOT out of equalization, because the Tahoe assessments average 57 percent of total market value, which is allegedly in line with the rest of the county.
However, this argument is fatally flawed. First of all, under Nevada's property tax system assessments should be far below total market value, and assessments must not be equalized at total market value. The County claims that Tahoe assessments average 57 percent of total market value, yet just last year we were supposedly at 71 percent. The statistics show that Tahoe land assessments, alone, have averaged about 65 percent of total market value, yet County Assessor Josh Wilson, himself, openly concedes that this number should normally be around 33 percent. That means that our land values are about double what they are supposed to be!
Second, the assessor claims that if assessments are at 57 percent of total market value, presto, you have equalization. Yet hundreds of taxpayers may be assessed at 40 percent of total market value, while hundreds of others with property of similar value may be at 80 percent.Two expert consultants and the dept. of taxation have shown that this is precisely the type of inequity which presently exists within our community.
Third, indisputable evidence has shown that our assessments have been averaging nearly 70 percent higher than those of equivalent Tahoe properties in Douglas County.
Finally, regardless of how the County may seek to fabricate the illusion of equalization, the Supreme Court has ruled that the assessment methods used by the assessor are unconstitutional. That means that even if "somewhere over the rainbow" the values were correct, they are still invalid. Yet, absurd as it may seem, the County wants the SBE to overturn the Supreme Court and reinstate the unconstitutional assessments.
The Supreme Court has heard from the school district and other branches of local government affected by this. They have heard from the State and the County. They have considered how their decision might affect the rest of the county and the whole state. They have heard and considered all the facts and arguments and have ordered that the assessments in IV/CB are unconstitutional, that they must be reduced to the 2002 levels, and that taxpayers affected must receive refunds for excess taxes.
As the Supreme Court ruling states, the taxpayers have had an enormous burden to prove that the assessments are invalid, yet we have met that burden. The CBE, the experts, the Dept. of Taxation, the Nevada Tax Commission, the district courts, and the Supreme Court have spoken. The County must let go of its theory that the world is flat, repay the property taxes which it has illegally taken, change its ways, and move on.
Les Barta
Incline Village
Garbage
Have you ever been frustrated about all the plastic that you don't get to recycle here in Incline? About the cardboard that you have to save and deliver yourself?
Today at 6:30 p.m., IVGID is taking comments from the community about our wishes regarding our recycling contract with Waste Management.
This is a tremendous opportunity to speak up for what you want, but WE need bodies. If a number of us show up asking for the expansion of what gets to be recycled here, there's a chance we could get it.
The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 31 at the IVGID office on Southwood. See you there!
Gwen Gilliam Hincks
Incline Village
Hale family
The family of John Hale would like to express their gratitude and appreciation for all the flowers, food, and donations; including money to the memorial, the time invested at the memorial service and reception, and the many visits to the home, we received during the time of our loss. All the well wishes, prayers, support, love, and friendship have helped us through this sad time in our lives.
Thanks to everyone for your contribution in the celebration of John's life.
Cindy, Cody, Lindsay, Natalie Hale
Incline Village
From California
I am in the fifth grade at Ripon Christian Elementary School in Ripon, California. I have adopted your state as a class project. I will be doing a report and making a display about Nevada. Towards the end of April or beginning of May my class will be having a "state fair." I will display and show everything that I have gotten and learned about your great state to my whole school.
It would be helpful to me if you could ask your readers to send me postcards of your state, maps, brochures, information about wildlife, industry, neat places to visit, statistics, sports teams and any other information and items your readers feel would be helpful.
I hope your readers will help me with my project. I'm looking forward to hearing from them and promise to send a thank you to them for helping me. I am excited to learn about your state.
Austin Paddock
Ripon, Calif.
As I don this new hat as the newly elected chairwoman of the IVGID board of trustees for 2007, I am mindful of the numerous challenges that will need to be addressed throughout the coming year and in thinking ahead I can see that some of these challenges will be easier to resolve than others.
As chairwoman of the board I want to be sure that we remain focused so that the goals which have been set for the entire district are accomplished. We, as trustees, have committed to improving communication with the community, providing the bet possible service to all, planning ahead so that there are safeguards for our environment in the future, and creating more and even better opportunities for residents in all recreational areas while remaining fiscally conservative and responsible.
As we embark on this year's journey, I want to welcome our newest trustee to the IVGID board. Chuck Weinberger fills the vacancy created by Beverly Mapps' resignation. As Beverly and the other trustees can attest, the job of trustee is not always an easy one. There are challenges, complex and unpopular issues, dissenting opinions and philosophical differences that impact our working relationships. More often than not, being a trustee is just plain hard work. Not only does it take a having thick skin to be a trustee, but it also takes courage and fortitude to hold your head up when you are being challenged in the newspaper, at social gatherings and elsewhere all over town. To Beverly, I wish you the best for the future.
Right now, there is an open wound within our community regarding Bev's resignation. I believe Beverly and John acted in a manner they thought was most appropriate at the time. Would I have handled things differently? The answer is yes, but I ask the community to remember that I have the benefit of learning from this experience. In hindsight, it is always easier to judge than to be judged.
Therefore, in the interest of promoting a productive and harmonious environment, I am asking the community to take a breather, apply a salve, and try to let the disruption caused by the resignation and how it was handled be put to rest. The board has learned valuable lessons from this chapter in its history.
However, for the benefit of the community, the IVGID board has had to move on, and I am hopeful that the community-at-large can do so as well.
During these coming months, you, the residents must play an all important role. Come to meetings, ask questions, make constructive suggestions and offer opinions. At all IVGID meetings there are two public comment periods available to you in addition to time to address issues on the agenda during the discussion of those agenda items. Feel free to communicate via e-mails, snail mail or phones to make your concerns known or invite me to your meetings. I am available for conversations over coffee or lunch or on a walk. There a five trustees. Make your concerns known to them.
For the many who know me, you know I will be creating a long list of things yet to be worked on. I know we can make this an exceptional year if WE remember that no matter what our differences are, we can be successful if we always come from a place of mutual respect- respect for each other, for all staff members, for each venue, and for each piece of property in our environment.
We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world with amenities other communities do not have but would welcome most enthusiastically.
Let's come together, work together and strive to make this a better place than when we came. I am up for the challenge, are you?
Bea Epstein
Incline Village
Illegal taxes
Last week Washoe County manager Katy Singlaub offered us the county's rendition of where we stand with the property tax refund ordered by the Supreme Court. I would like to respond.
First, Ms. Singlaub does not speak for the taxpayers - she represents the interests of the Washoe County government. Here are just a few examples of what Washoe County has been up to recently:
• The county commission has tampered with the scheduling and the membership of the County Board of Equalization ("CBE"). With the assistance of district attorney Gammick and his staff, they have conspired to harass and intimidate certain CBE members in an apparent attempt to influence the vote. In 2006, when they were unhappy with the CBE decision favoring taxpayers, the county commission set up a second county board to hear the Tahoe appeals, hoping to get a decision more favorable to the county.
• The Washoe DA has routinely manipulated its legal advice to the various county bodies in order to further its agenda - in this case, to do whatever it takes to hold on to our illegally acquired tax money. This has been done in total disregard of ethical standards which prohibit such conflicts of interest.
• Under instructions from the D.A., county officials have conspired to deny thousands of taxpayers their due process rights by manipulating the hearing process. Last year the CBE voted unanimously to roll back all of the Tahoe assessments. Instead of issuing the written decision as required by law, the County called it a "discussion."
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, the CBE "decision" has miraculously reemerged and has been mailed to all local taxpayers. Had the decision been properly published last year, the State Board would have been forced to agree with the CBE and the assessor's appeal would then have been nullified by the Supreme Court. However, the taxation officials are looking for a way to get around the Supreme Court's decision by setting up an illegal opportunity to appeal to the State Board of Equalization ("SBE"). It would be utterly naive to presume that this was done without close cooperation and collusion between county and state officials.
• Despite the findings of two expert consultants and the Dept. of Taxation, itself, that we are out of equalization, despite being admonished by the Nevada Tax Commission, and despite repeated rulings by the CBE, two district courts, and now the Supreme Court, the Washoe Assessor has changed nothing and continues to practice the same illegal assessment methods to this day.
Like the Wizard of OZ, Ms. Singlaub proclaims an elaborate process which must occur before taxpayers can expect relief. Hold on, says the county: the Dept. of Taxation, the Experts, and the Supreme Court - all of them are wrong. According to the County Manager, the Assessor wants to argue that we are NOT out of equalization, because the Tahoe assessments average 57 percent of total market value, which is allegedly in line with the rest of the county.
However, this argument is fatally flawed. First of all, under Nevada's property tax system assessments should be far below total market value, and assessments must not be equalized at total market value. The County claims that Tahoe assessments average 57 percent of total market value, yet just last year we were supposedly at 71 percent. The statistics show that Tahoe land assessments, alone, have averaged about 65 percent of total market value, yet County Assessor Josh Wilson, himself, openly concedes that this number should normally be around 33 percent. That means that our land values are about double what they are supposed to be!
Second, the assessor claims that if assessments are at 57 percent of total market value, presto, you have equalization. Yet hundreds of taxpayers may be assessed at 40 percent of total market value, while hundreds of others with property of similar value may be at 80 percent.Two expert consultants and the dept. of taxation have shown that this is precisely the type of inequity which presently exists within our community.
Third, indisputable evidence has shown that our assessments have been averaging nearly 70 percent higher than those of equivalent Tahoe properties in Douglas County.
Finally, regardless of how the County may seek to fabricate the illusion of equalization, the Supreme Court has ruled that the assessment methods used by the assessor are unconstitutional. That means that even if "somewhere over the rainbow" the values were correct, they are still invalid. Yet, absurd as it may seem, the County wants the SBE to overturn the Supreme Court and reinstate the unconstitutional assessments.
The Supreme Court has heard from the school district and other branches of local government affected by this. They have heard from the State and the County. They have considered how their decision might affect the rest of the county and the whole state. They have heard and considered all the facts and arguments and have ordered that the assessments in IV/CB are unconstitutional, that they must be reduced to the 2002 levels, and that taxpayers affected must receive refunds for excess taxes.
As the Supreme Court ruling states, the taxpayers have had an enormous burden to prove that the assessments are invalid, yet we have met that burden. The CBE, the experts, the Dept. of Taxation, the Nevada Tax Commission, the district courts, and the Supreme Court have spoken. The County must let go of its theory that the world is flat, repay the property taxes which it has illegally taken, change its ways, and move on.
Les Barta
Incline Village
Garbage
Have you ever been frustrated about all the plastic that you don't get to recycle here in Incline? About the cardboard that you have to save and deliver yourself?
Today at 6:30 p.m., IVGID is taking comments from the community about our wishes regarding our recycling contract with Waste Management.
This is a tremendous opportunity to speak up for what you want, but WE need bodies. If a number of us show up asking for the expansion of what gets to be recycled here, there's a chance we could get it.
The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 31 at the IVGID office on Southwood. See you there!
Gwen Gilliam Hincks
Incline Village
Hale family
The family of John Hale would like to express their gratitude and appreciation for all the flowers, food, and donations; including money to the memorial, the time invested at the memorial service and reception, and the many visits to the home, we received during the time of our loss. All the well wishes, prayers, support, love, and friendship have helped us through this sad time in our lives.
Thanks to everyone for your contribution in the celebration of John's life.
Cindy, Cody, Lindsay, Natalie Hale
Incline Village
From California
I am in the fifth grade at Ripon Christian Elementary School in Ripon, California. I have adopted your state as a class project. I will be doing a report and making a display about Nevada. Towards the end of April or beginning of May my class will be having a "state fair." I will display and show everything that I have gotten and learned about your great state to my whole school.
It would be helpful to me if you could ask your readers to send me postcards of your state, maps, brochures, information about wildlife, industry, neat places to visit, statistics, sports teams and any other information and items your readers feel would be helpful.
I hope your readers will help me with my project. I'm looking forward to hearing from them and promise to send a thank you to them for helping me. I am excited to learn about your state.
Austin Paddock
Ripon, Calif.
