Reno's First Mayoral Showdown, A Debate and Primary Season Contributions
A 6 p.m. This Is Reno debate is scheduled for Thursday May 5th at the downtown Reno library, with incumbent Mayor Hillary Schieve, councilwoman Jenny Brekhus, William Mantle, Joaquin Roces, Judi Rought and Tabitha Schneider expected to attend.
Five other mayoral candidates, including Eddie Lorton, will be missing from the podium.
When reached for comment, Lorton, who made the November runoff in 2018, told us: “If people aren't fair and one sided I don't participate. Lately on Facebook I can’t even comment on This is Reno so I won’t participate until that is dealt with. One way news does not work for me,” he wrote.
In terms of contributions of over $100 for the period ending April 15th, several camps emerged among this crowded field. There are 1) those who primarily fund themselves: Lorton (to the tune of $130,000 all from his own name), Mantle ($2,500 with more than half from himself) and Rought (total $2,615); 2) those with one supporter: Schneider ($1,000 from Lawrence McNutt) and Chad Dehne ($150 from Sam Dehne); 3) those who had nothing to show: Michael Graham, Matthew Johnson, Jesse Razo and Joaquin Roces; and finally 4) those who had more substantial outside contributions: Schieve ($37,717) and Brekhus ($14,500).
In the latter category, Schieve got $1,000 from the Jacobs Entertainment lawyers, $1,500 from S3 Development, $2,402 from Judith Siegel of Siegel Properties, $5,000 from Greenstreet Development and $5,000 from Sierra Capital Investments among her high end contributions.
Brekhus got mostly individual donations, as well as $500 from Greenstreet Development, $2,500 from Answerwest and $2,500 from DRH.
On the topic of money in local elections we found this interesting summary from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance: “States, cities and the federal government have tried in various ways to curb the corrupting influence of money on political elections and political decision making. But these laws have almost always been overturned by the US Supreme Court, beginning with its famous 1976 decision in Buckley v. Valleo that money is speech and therefore curbs on campaign spending violate the First Amendment.”
The road is long if we want to have less impact from developers and financial companies helping candidates and greatly impacting local races. A government of the people, for the people and by the people we like to sometimes say, but is that really the case?
Highlights of Our Feature Reporting This Week
We showcased an update on the Biggest Little Free Pantry movement, as part of our #heroesofreno rubric, as well as local international dinners with the Lahtis.
As part of our #keeprenorad series, we published this ode to the Believe Plaza skateboarders.
Our most viewed Instagram post was a series of photos with an interview of a couple at the local protest to keep abortion rights, following the disturbing Supreme Court leak.
On the political front, we interviewed mayoral candidate Judi Rought, and Washoe County Commission District 3 candidate Hawah Ahmad.
Our podcast is an audio version of our Last Motel Residents of Reno series.