Even gambling execs were living in tents by the river in late 1970s. (I filmed them.) Growth spurred by the openings of the MGM Grand (now Grand Sierra) and five other new hotels made the area burst at the seams.
Speculators from California were driving around with suitcases full of cash looking to snap up properties at any price knowing they could make big bucks on a quick flip.
The Reno City Council actually passed rent control in 1978, quickly chickened out and repealed it. At least they caused Barbara Bennett to get elected mayor. (Barbwire July 17, 2019)
An elongated version of that boom has struck again, made worse by the pandemic and Wall Street hedge funds buying properties to turn into ripoff rentals. Mix in the Federal Reserve putting lots of people out of work thru interest rate hikes which kill new construction, and today is arguably worse. I was aghast to learn that the taxpayer-funded “temporary shelter” at the former spaghetti bowl softball fields now houses almost 2,000 souls.
Normally, our free enterprise system can work well but the MGM explosion threw a monkey wrench into an orderly market. That was short term.
Today, rapid expansion is open-ended and affordable housing is once again tents on the river. I even helped the Guardian of London/UK put together a story that went worldwide two years ago about the plight of local “motel seniors.” Many of those motels are now lightly-taxed vacant lots.
Rent control can’t possibly hurt low cost housing construction because there is precious little of it without controls.
Only progressive taxation and cutback of gluttonous corporate welfare tax abatements offer hope. Alas and alack, both are proven Nevadapipedreams.
I have pretty much given up on solutions. I said decades ago that development is going to pave over this pretty little valley no matter what, so get yours while the getting’s good so you can afford to move elsewhere when you need to do so. If you are upper-middle income and above, you will do fine. If you have kids and don’t make much, go somewhere else rather than this Valley of Lost Causes, besotted with greed, racism and exploitation.
I have also asserted for years that the only macro remedy for our tribal, primitive, overly violent world lies with a majority of women coming to power. Not the battle-ax version ala Maggie Thatcher and Barbara Nukanovich, women who had to prove they were more warlike than any man; but rather women not possessed of male warrior egos and thus not so easily corrupted.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., only categorizes the obvious when she says that “capitalism without regulation is tyranny.” Capitalism has spawned an increasingly unequal society where darlings of the moonhowler right like Congresscritter Marjorie Taylor Scream, R-Confederacy, openly advocate secession and treason with impunity.
The seeds of fascism were planted more than 40 years ago with the still ongoing assault against public education.
As my best history professor often quoted, “democracy without education becomes tyranny without limitation.” Benighted minds beget dark futures.
Alas, ‘twas ever thus a’movin’ west.
TOXIC TURF WARS. An enlightened conservative friend suggested starting a non-profit public interest group to ban cancer-causing synthetic field turf. (Barbwire 11-24-2015 and forward)
We first need to build a fire under parents about this glaring and imminent danger to their kids. That has to start with a lawmaker coming forward right now to light the flame. At least the Barbwire is not any longer alone now that the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Guardian have jumped in. I sent last week’s indictment to several lawmakers. We can make it a campaign issue next year. Stay tuned to ConsumerCoalitionv.org/
BETTER FOLKS THAN ME are doing good things. Railroad Workers United reports that employees want public ownership of the robber barons’ rape and pillage legacies. After Palestine, Ohio, can it get any worse?…Unlike more enlightened states, backwater Nevada does not mandate automatic gas line shutoff valves in case of earthquake (or train derailment). I live about two miles from the epicenter of a 4.8 quake. I can pay $350 to $500 to install my own hardware, which provides cold comfort knowing my neighbors will still sit on firecrackers.
The Annual Nevada Women’s March forms at the downtown Reno federal courthouse, Liberty and S. Virginia at 12:30 p.m this Saturday.
Participants will trek to the “Believe” sculpture at City Hall for death defyin’ speechifyin’. A community action fair is scheduled afterward from 2:30 to 4:00 at the nearby downtown library, Center and Liberty.
Sen. Skip Daly, D-Sparks, has introduced Senate Bill 274 to fix the loophole that allows state and local governments to renege on their obligations to pay for the care of injured police, firefighters and other first responders. Permanently maimed Washoe Sheriff’s Deputy Kim Frankel is leading the charge so that others won’t suffer as she has.
Sheriff Darin Balaam has abdicated his responsibility by not even making a phone call to help her. She was permanently crippled when prompt care would have returned Nevada’s version of Law & Order’s Olivia Benson to special victims duty. Go to the NevadaLabor.com expanded edition of this column for a link to submit your support or you may e-mail it to me.
This is important.
CESAR CHAVEZ ABIDES. His United Farm Workers Union in California is trying to rebound after years of erosion in a difficult environment. I was heartened to learn that Nevada Legal Services is actively working on behalf of Lyon County laborers. On March 30, an awareness event will be held at the Yerington Theater from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. For info, contact Lorena Castaneda at the Farmworker Law Project (775) 284-3491 Ext. 230,lcastaneda@nevadalegalservices.org
Stay safe, get vaxxed and pray for the children Palestine, Ohio, Ukraine and 63 other currently war-torn lands.
Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno.
Andrew Quarantino Barbano is a 54-year Nevadan and editor of NevadaLabor.com, ConsumerCoalitionv.org, Rentvolution.org, MississippiWestNV.org and DoctorLawyerWatch.com/ Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Tribune since 1988. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us
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