Mutual Aid in Northern Nevada in Flux
With the repeated sweeps of main encampments, mutual aid groups in Reno and surrounding areas are scrambling to figure out how to best help those in need in an uncertainly evolving landscape. An outreach worker shared this video about not being able to locate people living in tents anymore as many scattered further east along the Truckee River. Laundry to the People is reassessing its modus operandi. “Due to the sweeps and displacement of people living outside, we are reevaluating our laundry program to determine how to best serve the community,” they wrote on their Instagram.
Several advocates who previously occupied a small grassy area across from City Hall have a court date in late July after refusing to vacate by a set deadline and pleading not guilty in community court. They’ve also had a “productive” group meeting with City of Reno officials, of which we’ve had few details. Several volunteer meal providers are now thinking of setting up tables near the Nevada Cares Campus.
After confusing language was set forward to the Reno Planning Commission to amend regulations surrounding “public meal and homeless service providers,” members of several direct aid groups, initially fearing they would be criminalized, appeared before the advisory panel, pleading for fewer restrictions. The Director of Community Development Arlo Stockham insisted several times their valuable work would not be impeded by any new changes, but the complex session with the Planning Commission and the sighs by Reno City Attorney Karl Hall at the end of the meeting left many in doubt. Judge for yourself in video below where the discussion begins at the 19 minute mark.
Our podcast this week was about a local podcaster who quit a job at Tesla and left the rat race to pursue his many hobbies, including podcasting.
As part of our running #keeprenogreen series, we featured Michelle Hamilton who is part of a national movement pushing for a carbon tax. The word tax scares many, based on comments on our social media feeds. Here was Hamilton’s elaboration as part of our article:
“A well-designed carbon tax is going to do a number of things,” explained Hamilton. “First it’s going to place a fee on fossil fuels at the point of extraction.” She identified this as the coal mines, the wellheads, the point of production, or where these resources leave the earth. The advantage of this, Hamilton explained, is putting a tax on pollution. “By putting a tax on carbon, what you’re fundamentally doing is discouraging the burning of fossil fuels,” elaborated Hamilton.
Opponents of the bill say it would increase bills for utilities and the price of many products and services. Hamilton sees it instead as reorienting money to save the planet and help most affected people. It would act like a snowball rolling down a hill, she said, slowly at first, but with time, business and individuals alike would be incentivized to reduce their carbon emissions.
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