November Update on Virginia Truckee Railway Project

No. 36 -- VIRGINIA AND TRUCKEE RAILWAY -- Nevada Railroad Reconstruction Chronicles

NOVEMBER UPDATE ON THE VIRGINIA AND TRUCKEE RAILWAY PROJECT

Here's a letter to the editor I just submitted.

(ADDED LATER: They printed it on November 7, 2009. See the full post for a link by clicking Read More)

Otherwise I have not been paying a lot of attention. The Commission has really dug their heels in by ignoring public records requests, some up to eleven months. The CCCVB still has not disclosed the costs of the August 14 VIP party, rumored to have gone significantly over budget. Brandeis said sunlight is the best disinfectant, but the V&T Railway powers that be are hiding in the shadows.

The letter was prompted by an article posted twice on the NevadaAppeal.com website, leading to two different sets of comments.

Later article on November 4:
V&T commissioner floats idea of raising room tax in Carson City

Earlier article on November 2:
V&T Commission: We need sustainable income

You know the feature on the cartoon pages where they show you two cartoons and say, "find the difference?" You could play that game with the two articles above. Couple this double posting of the same info with the Computer Vet's comments about the Appeal's RSS feeds and you will see they are having trouble with their website.

Here's the letter:

As printed in the November 7, 2009 edition of the Nevada Appeal

LETTER TO EDITOR

Congratulations to the V&T Railroad, the private company who made this year's runs possible. By working hard and spending smart, Tom Gray is a superstar. He gets most of the credit.

The government commissions involved are more suspect. By spending other peoples money, they've never had a motive to reduce costs and operate efficiently. Despite claims that the high ticket prices were a fundraiser, each full train still lost money. NO money went back to the Commission to help pay for future development.

Now, after a VIP party of unknown cost and a money-losing season, the V&T Commission is going hat in hand to counties they have ignored for years. The enabling law has always required proportional benefit estimates, yet the Commission has never followed that law. They could have forced counties to pay up all along, but instead they wait until governments are truly broke to say, "we need sustainable income."

Meanwhile the gift shop concession, normally a profit center for tourist railroads, is being run by the Northern Nevada Railway Foundation. These lobbyists in fund-raisers clothing have never made a net contribution to the V&T Commission, yet are selling their wares in a gift shop paid for by the V&T Commission.

Now, despite losing a vote last year 61-38, they are patting themselves on the back for a money-losing season. What's the difference between a politician and a drunken sailor? The sailor spends his own money.

Thanks, Carson City, for making this money pit possible! Keep it up!

END OF LETTER