Tax Tales and Alexis Hill's Amnesia: Where Do Campaign Promises Go to Die?

Commissioner Alexis Hill talking about the possibility of enacting the “SGST tax,” it is the GST tax, at yesterday’s meeting. When Washoe County sees fit to put the video of the meeting back up on YouTube we’ve got the time stamp with an arrow so you can listen.

At Washoe County’s Strategic Planning meeting yesterday, the performance of "How to Forget Your Campaign Promises," Commissioner Alexis Hill masterfully demonstrated the art of political pivoting. Remember that earnest candidate who swore to District 1 voters she wouldn't be "the commissioner" to raise taxes? Plot twist: She's auditioning for exactly that role.

You’ve been duped Distrcit 1 residents.

Hill, fumbling through alphabet soup (SGST? GST? Let's call it the "I-Promise-I-Won't-But-I-Will Tax"), seemed to be channeling the ghost of former Commissioner Bob Lucey's tax dreams. The only difference? She might actually have the votes to make it happen.

We thought we’d post the bill so Commissioner Hill could read it and get her alphabet correct.

Picture the scene: Hill, conducting her interrogation of Eric Crump like a conductor desperate for the right note, finally extracted her desired response about our roads in Washoe County could use some help. You know, like every county in America. Because nothing says "gotcha" quite like badgering staff until they confirm what you wanted to hear all along.

And there they sat - Hill's commissioner bookends, Mariluz Garcia and Clara Andriola - forming what might be the county's newest tax trilogy. Three votes, one tax, and zero regard for campaign promises.

Who needs institutional memory when you can have institutional amnesia? At least Lucey was upfront about his tax aspirations. Hill's approach is more like a surprise tax party - except nobody's celebrating.