The Plowing and Tax Break Debates
Amid our current storms, the clearing of roads, sidewalks and parks is a test of a well managed community. What about giving out massive breaks to big companies without proper foresight?
Some people say cities picking up trash is a demarcation of civilization.
In the United States, it’s said that Benjamin Franklin started the first garbage collection service and street-cleaning service in the 1700s in Philadelphia.
When natural disasters or labor movements cause these now taken for granted services to be disrupted, chaos ensues, and people feel like they become a little more savage.
Amid our current storms, the clearing of roads, sidewalks and parks is another test of a well managed community.
Snow plowing and whether the responsible authorities do a good enough or fast enough job is a topic of deep division.
One of our posts on Instagram got dozens of comments ranging from slipping on sidewalks, Hunter Lake being called an ice rink, the Sutro and Oddie area not being treated in advance, and rebuttals from the cityofreno account including this one: “If you want to know which roads belongs to which entity, check out Reno.gov/snow and use the resources map! We appreciate the patience as crews work to get ahead of the storm and are sorry we aren’t working fast enough!”
There was praise as well. “As best they can with the resources available,” wrote one commenter Jack Zenteno.
There were also glaring divisions on our social media related to more tax breaks for Tesla and still empty snowed under Jacobs Entertainment bought out lots. On our feeds at least, most oppose what they view as ever creeping corporate welfare, with government officials giving these companies endless breaks resulting in disproportionate headaches for locals.
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