As local governments scramble to patch their leaking financial ships—with Washoe County, Sparks, and Reno all millions in the red—they've settled on the usual solution: deeper dives into taxpayer pockets. Increased fees, passed on charges, some say, sales tax hikes are circling the drain, and "fire consolidation assessments" have become the preferred alternative to actual fiscal responsibility - (translation: moving money around so Reno - Sparks - Washoe County can spend fire budgets to run the city/county, because if State Senator Skip Daly, Mayor Ed Lawson, Commissioner Alexis Hill, and Mayor Hillary Schieve have their way, residents will pay an assessment to fund fire services - slick, right).

As the Reno Gazette Journal reported the City of Reno voted on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 to shift the credit card processing fees back to the citizens of Reno. The taxpayers get to absorb yet another fee due to poor city fiscal management.

In a display of municipal mathematics, the City of Reno has brilliantly introduced passing on to residents the processing fee for credit card payments, apparently without calculating that this might prompt citizens to... write more checks.

Ever notice how certain companies seem to have the Midas touch when it comes to project approvals? At Reno City Council and Planning Commission meetings, one name keeps popping up with suspicious regularity: Wood Rodgers.

This engineering firm has mastered a fascinating civic magic trick. 

Step 1: Become developers' go-to representatives. 

Step 2: Sprinkle generous campaign contributions across the electoral landscape. 

Step 3: Watch as those same elected officials mysteriously forget to mention these financial relationships before voting "yes" on your projects.

Remember that old saying about history repeating itself? Well, grab your wallets, Nevadans, because AJR1—the sequel nobody asked for—is now playing at a legislature near you.

This blockbuster tax hike (previously known as SJR14 in its 2017 flop) has risen from the political graveyard with a simple plot: extract more property tax dollars from your pockets. Why? Because apparently our local governments have developed expensive tastes they can't seem to kick.

Remember those campaign trail promises? You know, the ones where candidates smiled, shook hands, and studiously avoided mentioning the fiscal elephant lurking in the room? Congratulations, voters - you've just witnessed the most impressive disappearing act since Houdini: the complete evaporation of campaign transparency.

The Pre-election playbook from Sparks Councilmember’s Anderson, Dahir, and Abbott, Reno Sparks Councilmember’s Anderson, Taylor, Martinez, and Reese, and Washoe County Commissioners Hill and Andriola was to stay mute about the financial woes the cities and county were facing in the next fiscal year. Assemblymember Natha Anderson didn’t tell voters she wanted to raise property taxes at all those campaign meet and greets in 2024.

Look who's sliding into our mentions. The City of Reno's official Facebook page just couldn't help themselves, publicly thanking Picon Press for sharing their content.

We're blushing. After years of what we assumed was unrequited tension from Mayor Hillary Schieve and Wannabe Mayor Councilmember Devon Reese, it seems City Hall has finally acknowledged our special relationship. Nothing says "we've been secretly reading everything you publish" quite like a passive-aggressive social media thank you.

Congratulations. The City of Reno has unveiled its latest performance art piece: a citizen feedback survey carefully engineered to gather the information the city wants to feature, not what is truly concerning to residents.

This City of Reno survey is the municipal equivalent of asking "how are you?" while already walking away. Reno officials have mastered the art of claiming "residents don't care" while ensuring exactly that outcome. Their latest online survey represents strategic disengagement disguised as outreach.

Is the City of Reno's checkbook only open to those with the right connections? The ReStore Reno Program's spending pattern suggests an uncomfortable truth.

First, there's the curious case of Crak N' Grill on Wells Avenue. Despite never opening its doors, the restaurant received taxpayer funds through ReStore Reno for roof repairs, new doors, windows, and paint—essentially giving the property owner a free building upgrade courtesy of Reno residents.

Are Ward 5 and 6 residents getting the silent treatment from Reno City Council? While Wards 1, 2, and 3 have been actively discussing hot-button Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), meetings for Wards 5 and 6 are mysteriously missing. (We'll take the city's word that Ward 4 actually met at the far-flung Stead Airport—who's driving all the way out there to verify?)

Today, the City of Reno agenda includes appointing residents to the Ward 5 and 6 Neighborhood Advisory Boards. But is this just for show? A quick check of Reno's April calendar reveals no scheduled meetings for either ward—this month or next.

Reno's city leadership puts on quite the show pretending everything's fine while facing a budget crisis. Yesterday's budget meeting revealed the ugly truth.

With the city drowning in red ink, would it kill council members to take a 25% pay cut? After all, they created this mess. They blew through ARPA funds like sailors spending on shore leave, and now residents face service cuts (though it's hard to imagine services getting worse).

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.

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.

What is it with the City of Reno’s “Gang of Seven” and the former Community Assistance Center (CAC) buildings on Record Street. Are they embarrassed that the building was allowed to fall into decay on their watches? Well, frankly, they should be, but hey it is only taxpayer money, so they don’t care. Are they afraid they will haunted by the memory of former Mayor Bob Cashell after allowing the buildings to fall into ruins. They should be, Cashell was proud to open the CAC in 2008.

Local homeless advocate, Lily Baran, has brought great ideas forward for these spaces to help homeless women and children, but no matter how good the idea the Reno City Council just don’t listen.

Watch in amazement as the City of Reno's "Gang of Seven" performs their most spectacular illusion yet - making developer deals vanish before elections, only to reappear like magic in 2025.

What's that behind your ear? Oh, just another zoning change.

Renoites start paying attention to what the City of Reno Government is up to. Remember the city put all their developer buddies, builder pals, and lobbyist BFFs on hold in 2024 so they could get reelect.

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.

The November 19, 2024, City of Reno Neighborhood Advisory Board Meeting regarding Lyon Living's conditional use permit application proved to be an exercise in frustration for community members. The presentation by Wood Rodgers' representative Andy Durling was hampered by significant audio issues, making it nearly impossible for YouTube attendees to follow the crucial details of the proposed development. We could all see Durling’s presentation but not necessarily hear him or the questions being asked by the attendees.

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.