Laine: Advocate for enforcing city’s ordinances
Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News asked the seven South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates a series of questions. All are the same except for one that is specific to each candidate. This is the final one.
Name: Brooke Laine
Profession/work experience: Bank manager, US Bank — January 2014 to current
Assistant sales and service manager, Bank of the West — December 2007-March 2013
President, Laine Photolabs Inc. — January 1990-October 2010.
Age: 50 years old
What organizations, committees or groups are you or have you been involved with?: Sports: South Tahoe National Little League, Babe Ruth, Pop Warner Football, The Quarterback Club, American Youth Soccer Organization.
Volunteer: South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, Clean Tahoe Program, South Tahoe High School Alumni Foundation.
Liaisons (past and present): Tahoe Transportation District, LAFCo, Solid Waste JPA, Clean Tahoe Program, California Tahoe Conservancy, South Tahoe Public Utility District, Local Area Formation Committee.
Why are you running for City Council?: This community needs to continue heading down the positive path that we are currently on. Issues that can be resolved involving business, recreation and the environment will have my direct focus.
Why should people vote for you over the other candidates?: I am passionate. I am honest. I am focused. I get results.
What do you think is the most pressing issue facing South Lake Tahoe and how will you deal with it?: City unfunded health care is the elephant in the room. The City Council in partnership with our current employees and retired employees, are working hard to come to a positive resolution that will free this city from a financial burden so large that it cripples our ability to simply maintain our infrastructure let alone invest in new recreational opportunities.
If the city cannot reach an agreement with its bargaining units, are you willing to go to impasse? Why or why not?: I believe that the employees will resolve this matter under normal negotiations. The desire of our employees is as strong as the council’s desire to reach a mutually agreed upon and beneficial solution. I would be willing to go to impasse if necessary because we are putting our best offer on the table. We have nothing to hide.
How would you resolve the CalPERS and health care issues in the city?: The public retirement system, known as CalPERS, needs revamping. The recent internal corruption may create an opportunity for the state of California to examine their “system” and makes some necessary changes. In the meantime, the city must remain fiscally prudent in securing the necessary retirement dollars needed so that our employees are secure. We will continue to chisel away at the health care issues as we continue to negotiate with our current labor force.
What is your opinion about term limits for the council?: Absolutely. There is value in having experience but there is also value in turnover. This position takes a minimum of two years just to get your arms around some of the issues and to gain a sense of how government works. I feel that two to three terms max is plenty. Then it is time to move on and share this opportunity with others in the community who want to leave things better than the way we found them.
If the city has positive cash flow, where should the money be spent?: Invest wisely! No “tax and spend”. Infrastructure and sustainable business and recreation are vital.
What are your ideas for increasing the city’s revenues?: Investing in our core product, recreation, will attract the families and individuals who appreciate the outdoors and want to experience Tahoe. The city will prosper as the business sector prospers.
What is your vision for the 56-acre project?: I was instrumental in advocating that the city purchase property in the industrial area at the Y. The purchase of this property now affords the opportunity to relocate our public works yard that is currently next to the campground. This move will free up valuable land that can now be used for additional improvements and added amenities to the campground that are articulated in the 56-acre project.
What would you do to improve relations with El Dorado County?: I currently represent the city by serving on the Local Area Formation Committee which meets in Placerville on a monthly basis. The composition of that board is multi-jurisdictional with representatives from the city of Placerville, the city of South Lake Tahoe, and representatives from the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors in addition to others. We work hard on that board to establish a good working relationship with all of the representatives. This has allowed me a base to build from.
Is the city on the right course with restructuring debt and focusing on recreation? Why or why not?: At this time, it appears the city is on the right course. We restructured our debt to take advantage of lower interest rates. The city’s focus on recreation is right on.
Name one vote the City Council made in the last four years you are proud of and one you are disappointed in – and why?: I am proud of the council’s decision to support the direction of the TRPA’s – Regional Plan update which was an important, historical move toward returning power back to local government; giving back local control; and focusing on the larger issue for TRPA – as environmental governance and lake clarity. City government continues to improve with few disappointments at this time.
What is working in the city and what isn’t; and how would you go about changing what isn’t working?: The city of SLT has begun to view itself as a business.
What isn’t working: Enforcement. Policies are in place, but we lack the political will and financial resources to enforce our own rules. Our sign, outdoor display, and vacation rental ordinances stand out as perfect examples of lack of enforcement. I will advocate for proactive enforcement of the city’s ordinances and will support the necessary level of funding to make it happen.
Being on the council requires working with four others. Give readers an example of how you work well others in difficult situations with differing opinions: There are two meetings a month. Every meeting is a mutual meeting of the minds in an effort to manage the city. Differences may arise and are heard and resolved with a vote. Everyone brings something to the table. Elected officials must respect the opinions expressed.
What is your opinion about the following topics:
• Ferry service on Lake Tahoe?: I have always liked this idea.
• Loop road?: Depends on the option.
• Future of Lake Tahoe Airport?: General aviation has my support. Current facilities need a facelift.
• Increasing the transient occupancy tax?: Not supportive. I see this as a short-term remedy to a long-term solution. Growing the economy has greater impact in the long term.
• Changing the vacation rental ordinance to reduce the number of such units in neighborhoods?: Support.
Some consider you a good ole girl – in a negative way. How do you address this criticism?: What a kudo to be called a “good ole South Lake Tahoe girl” at 50! I am the product of parents who owned a successful business. I was born at Barton, educated in the SLT school system and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in economics. This is my hometown. I married my husband, Jose here. We raised two children in Tahoe.
It’s my honor to serve this community as a “thank you” to all SLT has afforded me and our family.
Living and working here makes this good ole girl with fresh ideas work harder for our community.
Tell the voters something about yourself that they may not know: I love to hike and do so on a daily basis. My goal is to complete every mile of the Rim Trail.
Brooke,
There are currently about 70 retirees that are over 65 and on Medicare, the cost to the City is minimal for them and they retired many years ago when the salaries were less than half of what they are today for current employees, are you going to chop their remaining health care benefit also ??
Please answer this one question Brooke
Although Brooke Laine is well spoken and intelligent, she is nothing more than a hand picked shill for the same old same old crew currently sitting on the council to give them a majority on most any vote.
Yo Brooke you also forgot to take credit for the Parking Meters.
Level is correct in his observation of your agenda.
my question for you is Why did you Quit the Council the first time you were on it?
Thank you for addressing my concern – I opposed parking meters because of the history of not enforcing our own ordinances, i.e., signs and vacation rentals. The vacation rentals issue is especially egregious – the City “can’t afford” to hire an auditor but then the taxes are not collected. Either dump the ordinances or enforce them.
And I can answer Chief Slowroller’s question – Brooke didn’t quit an earlier term on the Council, her term ran out and she didn’t run again.
Sometimes the comments on this news site can be eye opening. Of course all the candidates “forget” about backing the parking meters, against the wishes of the residents they serve. And now the plastic bag thing.
And Brooke quitting the council before ? She had her chance and blew it.
Wondering, the salaries were about the same as they are today. There are inflation adjustments and so it is wholly incorrect to compare past salaries to current salaries. The cost to the city today is the same.
This does go directly to the raises agreed to for STPUD. If the employees do not get 3% per year, then the employees are getting their wages CUT. The purchasing power of their paycheck is decreasing.
Fluff.
Lack of enforcement is an embarrassment to our entire community. Every current and future city council member should be held accountable for lack of enforcement.
Outdoor displays are a prime example of lack of enforcement. The Marriott shops and the new Chateau strip mall at stateline look like a flea market. It should not be that difficult to enforce the ordinance.
Is this the image we want our visitors to have of South Lake Tahoe? Sorry, I meant to say Tahoe South.
I agree with 4-mer. Unless there’s an earthquake that jiggles my hand right at the point of voting for councilperson causing me to place my mark in the wrong oval, followed by a gas explosion blinding me as to which candidate’s name I marked….I’ll be voting for someone else. Same for Mister “Have a Ta’Ho Day.” Grego too. Jeez-I guess I’ll be voting by candidate subtraction.
So far, all of the candidates have named Recreation as a way to improve the wealth of the city. Yet three of the current crop of council members (Cole, Swanson and Davis), took apart the Recreation Division of Parks And Recreation Department. They renamed it Community Services. Program and services reduced and prices increased. Why is Recreation vital now and was not back in the O’rat O’Rourke days? What’s changed?
Moral Hazard
You are correct but, Those who retired 20+ years ago and make only $20,000 a year before taxes compared to those today that make Over $75 to $80 thousand a year can afford an increase in their Health Care, Those that retired 20+ years ago and gave 6 years of raises to have the medical benefit and are now being sold down the river by the current employees for another 9% raise doesn’t seen quite fair unless the city was willing to give the retirees the same RAISE to help pay the cost of their increases in Health care.
Moral Hazard
You might be amazed at how many City Employees there are that make well over 80 thousand a year.
I am surprised that ferry service is a subject on the questions asked these candidates. This seems so far in the future that the only answer should be it might be a good idea. Believe me, I would like to see a ferry system in place, however, obstacles to successful, unsubsidized service are apt to take decades to resolve.
Large boats are very expensive to purchase and run, so steady ridership is critical to keep up a cash flow. (Parenthetically, a Tahoe with sufficient regular riders to support ferry service would be a Tahoe I might not want to live in.) Seasonal service??? Wow, I thought we were looking at creating SUSTAINABILITY.
A significant issue will be, what do the ferry riders do once they are at the dock? Walk and bike everywhere? Not going to happen…too spread out.
In addition, the Tahoe Basin’s ground transportation is so scattered, seasonal, infrequent and inconvenient that it will prove to be very difficult for anyone attempting use it to meet a daily schedule for work, appointments or other repetitive activities. Tourists have more time flexibility, but outside joy riding for the view, will they do it every day?
At south shore particularly, where can these proposed ferries RELIABLY dock?
In Summary, there has to be a lot of additional infrastructure developed before the first ferry is ordered.
The airport?
Swanson said there is a business model that will make the airport work. This is obviously the truth, as there are many examples around the country where industrial and business interests can symbiotically co-exist. The city needs to decide not try to cover all expenses from the first two or three non airline businesses that take the risk. I did not understand Laine’s comment about a facelift for the airport. Wouldn’t it be good to first develop a purpose, before spending city funds on a facelift?
Probably the worst use of the facility is City government offices.
Enforcement of city ordinances?
Absolutely critical, and I agree with Laine. I can tell you from personal/professional experience, enforcement gets much easier as soon as the violators actually realize via penalties that they will be punished. SLT’s enforcement is so lax, violators are willing to take the chance. As they say in a gambling town, “the odds are with them”.