Yes, Sparks Councilmember Donald Abbott's Valentine's Day cards for seniors is a sweet gesture. For five years, he's brought smiles to seniors' faces - for one day.

But what about the other 364 days when our seniors:

• Choose between buying groceries or medicine

• Face eviction notices because they can't afford skyrocketing rent

• Eat substandard meals from Washoe County Human Services Agency

• Battle isolation and depression

• Return to work because their fixed incomes aren't enough anymore

Reno City Councilmember Killjoy Kathleen is still pushing Renoites to use her campaign email (Kathleen@TaylorforReno.com) for official city business. Because apparently, proper government channels are just too... governmental?

In her eager attempt to dodge public records requirements, Taylor has actually created a legal face-plant for herself. Our legal eagles tell us that by publicly directing constituents to use her campaign email for city business, she's effectively turned those "private" campaign emails discoverable, AKA open to public record requests. Now we might have to sue, but it would be worth it.

Move over, reality TV, and for more City of Reno political theatre. The latest drama unfolding at Reno City Council has everything: surprise votes, heated exchanges, and an off-camera showdown that's got everyone talking.

Our story begins with Vice Mayor Kathleen "Killjoy" Taylor dropping a surprise "no" vote on Mayor Schieve's Redevelopment Board appointments. (You know, that board that's been collecting dust since 2017?) But wait - she was just warming up.

While reading today's Reno Gazette Journal, we couldn't help but cheer their coverage of the latest development debacle in the City of Reno - you know, the one Councilmember Devon Reese is championing from his million-dollar perch in Somersett.

Speaking of Somersett... Isn't it fascinating how Reese pushes for dense development everywhere except in his own upscale neighborhood?

Follow the Money: A quick peek at Reese's Secretary of State Contribution and Expense reports tells you everything you need to know. Developer dollars flow like wine into his campaign coffers, and surprise, surprise - he never met a development project he didn't love.

Remember when Alexis Hill swore up and down during her 2024 campaign that she wouldn't raise taxes? That promise had a shorter shelf life than milk left in the sun.

Hill spent three years, 2022, 2023, and 2024, playing political dodgeball with fire regionalization, we now know why - she was waiting until after reelection to drop the tax bomb. State Senator Skip Daly's email spells it out: your wallet is about to get lighter.

The long-delayed revision of Reno's sign code is finally emerging from bureaucratic limbo, but the timing and process raise questions about transparency and public input. Perhaps most telling: the city has chosen to hold these crucial discussions virtually, limiting direct community engagement.

The pattern is familiar. Controversial issues were strategically postponed through the 2024 election cycle, protecting council members facing tight races. Consider Councilmember Kathleen Taylor's narrow victory margin of 287 votes over Frank Perez—a candidate known for his expertise in Reno city code. Meanwhile, downtown residents in the Palladio, Arlington Towers, Park Towers, and The Montage continue waiting for resolution on critical noise issues that were conveniently deferred.

Transparency in local government shouldn't be a game of hide and seek, yet Councilmember Kathleen Taylor appears to be testing those boundaries. Despite winning the Ward 1 election by a razor-thin margin of just 287 votes out of 14,463 cast, Taylor initially attempted to direct city business communications to a campaign email—a move that raises serious questions about public records accountability.

A crucial meeting about regionalizing fire services is scheduled for Thursday, February 6, 2025, at 8AM between the leaders of Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County. While the early meeting time may limit public participation, the potential financial impact on residents demands attention.

Mayors Hillary Schieve (Reno), Ed Lawson (Sparks), and Commission Chair Alexis Hill are collaborating with State Senator Skip Daly on a fire services regionalization plan that deserves closer scrutiny. The timing raises questions, as all three jurisdictions face significant budget deficits for 2026.

At the January 21, 2025, Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Mike Clark highlighted a striking contrast: the county hired over 300 new employees in 2024 while simultaneously facing what Our Town Reno reports as a $27 million budget deficit in 2026.

When contacted for comment, Clark offered to provide documentation from Washoe County explaining the rationale behind these hires. The county's defensive stance raises questions, particularly given County Manager Eric Brown's October 2024 warnings about reduced funding for the 2026 budget due to stagnant or declining tax revenues.

In 2012, Washoe County witnessed the consolidation of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and Reno Fire Department, fall apart.

For years, political candidates campaigned fervently for regionalization, emphasizing the potential cost savings that could be realized through consolidating not just fire departments but also law enforcement, parks and recreation, and even the formation of a unified regional government.

Fast forward to February 6, 2025, where the City of Reno, City of Sparks, and Washoe County are once again embarking on the journey towards regionalization, specifically focusing on improving fire services. Interestingly, while the City of Sparks has demonstrated transparency by openly listing the meeting on their website, the City of Reno and Washoe County remain notably silent on the matter.

What started as a simple reader question about a downtown corner property has unraveled into an intriguing web of real estate connections that would make a detective's spidey senses tingle.

Remember our piece back on January 11, 2025, about the City of Reno's peculiar habit of playing Sugar Daddy to property owners through the ReStore program? You know, the one where taxpayers somehow got stuck with the bill for basic landlord responsibilities at Crak N' Grill - because apparently fixing broken windows and leaky roofs is now a public service. This is no fault of Crak N’ Grill’s they got the ReStore funding and can/should use it but their landlord should have taken care of basic building repairs.

First, a tip of the hat to Councilmember Naomi Duerr, who shone like a beacon of competence amidst the typical governmental fog yestrday. Consider this Picon’s rare moment of unqualified praise.

The city's initial disappearing act with the meeting video late last night - likely to be explained away as "technical difficulties" - was swiftly followed by the video being restabled after public outcry. The public comments on the Plumas Redevelopment (aka the Lakeridge Tennis Club empty lot) triggered the need for a developer to actually have to work with residents becasue someone on the dais wants to run for mayor, and know this group votes.

Wannabe Mayor Councilmember Devon Reese, splitting hairs finer than a Vegas showgirl's eyelashes. So you didn't get an "ethics violation" - you just got a special invitation to a "deferral agreement" and mandatory ethics training in 2023.

Potato, po-tah-to... Violation, deferral... What's in a name? That which we call an ethics breach by any other name would smell as... interesting.

Our Town Reno just pulled back the curtain on the City's ReStore program, and what do we find? A spectacular show of making property owners' basic responsibilities vanish into thin air - using YOUR tax dollars as the magic wand.

First let us say, this is no reflection on Crak N’ Grill, we’re on the side of small business owners, and if the program and the money is available, go for it. What we question is the thought process of our overly-paid City of Reno elected officials.

What started as a simple street abandonment in September 2024 has turned into Reno's longest-running political circus, starring our freshly-minted Vice Mayor Kathleen Taylor, who squeaked into office by the skin of her teeth.

Fun fact: She even managed to charm the Washoe County Republican Party into an endorsement. Talk about a magic trick. Picon ponders if she would have won against the very Democratic Frank Perez without it. We know of a few Republicans who leaned they were duped who want their votes back.

Oh, you Renoites crying "no politics, it's only 2025!" Bless your hearts. While you're trying to recover from your holiday food coma, Councilmember Devon Reese is already playing political musical chairs for the 2026 mayor's race. Because nothing says "I'm totally confident about my future" quite like scrambling for support a year early. Picon calls it “political chumming ,” throwing bait in the water to see what support you can catch.

Speaking of confidence... let's talk about that stunning Ward 5 victory. And by stunning, we mean Reese scraped by with 1,412 votes against checks notes ...who exactly is Brian Cassidy? Despite having a war chest that would make a Vegas casino blush and every developer, builder, and power broker in his pocket, Reese barely outperformed a guy whose biggest claim to fame was some local TV commercials for his small business. Talk about a profile in courage.

Oh, the political theatre …

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the City of Reno's latest performance, where our starring trio – Mayor Schieve, Councilmember Reese, and Interim Manager Bryant – delivered an Emmy-worthy display of municipal make-believe. With a whopping 1,024 YouTube views, this December 4th spectacle proved that bad theater isn't just for community playhouses anymore, you can see it at this City of Reno Council meeting with no ticket needed.

We were going to pen an article about the need for Alex Woodley to step aside (AKA resign) from his Washoe County Library Trustee District E, but This Is Reno did such a great job we thought we’d just share their newsletter for subscribers. (You should become a subscriber so you too could have the This Is Reno newsletter delivered to your inbox).

Picon only added a few thoughts because we are far snarkier than This Is Reno. Kids are glued to their cell phones, and it is an unfair task for teachers to separate them during classes. We’re surprised more parents aren’t in an uproar over Mr. Woodley’s sexting – have we all become so immune or has TikTok taken over our brains. A Reno city employee using a city cell phone to sex-message during a school board meeting? Really, that just has such a bad image.

Okay, we can hear everyone out there gnashing their teeth with Picon writing that we really enjoyed the former Director of Code Enforcement at the City of Reno, Alex Woodley. He seemed to be fair and friendly and was willing to talk to the press.

Our Town Reno asked a question last week and that was can Frank Perez win the City of Reno Ward 1 City Council race. Picon thinks there is a more important question to be asked, and that is “does Frank Perez really want to win” or was he the “buffer” candidate that stopped Lily Baran from getting elected.

Baran would owe her allegiance to no one, and we think some powers that be on the Reno City Council didn’t want that. Just look at Perez’s social media he is besties with many movers and shakers, mostly Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, Councilmember Miguel Martinez and School Board Trustee Alex Woodley.