June 4, 2025, Letters to the Editor

Tarkanian’s troubling misstatements

Editor:

Commissioner Danny Tarkanian recently distributed false information and the record must be corrected.

The complaint to the Nevada Ethics Commission was not an ttempt to stop his newsletters, but rather an effort to impose guidelines on what content can be created and-or distributed using taxpayer resources under Nevada Revised Statutes and Douglas County policies.

Contrary to the commissioner’s assertion, here is what the Ethics Commission Review Panel said in its statement:

“The Review Panel unanimously finds and concludes that the facts establish credible evidence to support a determination that just and sufficient cause exists for the Commission to render an opinion in this matter regarding the alleged violation of NRS 281A.400(2) but that a Confidential Letter of Caution should be issued in lieu of referral.

“A Review Panel may issue a Confidential Letter of Caution to warn a public officer or employee that his or her conduct as alleged in the ethics complaint is sufficient to implicate a violation of chapter 281A of NRS and the facts and evidence presented in this matter indicate that issuing a Confidential Letter of Caution to Subject is appropriate so that Subject is aware of the requirements for strict compliance with the Ethics Law.

Specifically, that Subject must maintain a clear separation between his private campaign interests and his public duties.”

Commissioner Tarkanian breached the confidentiality granted by NRS and I challenge him to reveal the source that “confirmed” my identity. There is ample reason why my right to file the complaint anonymously was approved by the Nevada Ethics Commission. This protection is afforded to employees (of which I am one as a member of the Planning Commission) when they work for the same public body, agency or employer as the subject of the ethics complaint. (NRS 281A.750.)

Now that I have been named I will be subject to actions by Commissioner Tarkanian, such as decisions by the Planning Commission or my reappointment in 2026.

While I contend that the unrelated public records request from Brett Tibbits was overly broad, intrusive, and burdensome (for me, the other eight County employees and public officials, and the DA’s team that had to review thousands of emails), I consulted with the DA’s office and then fully complied with their instructions.

Commissioner Tarkanian is totally wrong again as I have repeatedly and publicly said I will never be a candidate for elected office and reiterate that here. He was present when I spoke at the Board of Commissioners meeting on December 16, 2021, when seeking reappointment to the Planning Commission, “I will not run for any elected office, ever, period.” (I was grateful when Commissioner Tarkanian seconded my reappointment, which was unanimously approved.)

It is regrettable that Commissioner Tarkanian feels compelled to defame me. I challenge him to release the Letter of Caution issued to him by the Ethics Commission. Transparency has been a consistent theme and if Mr. Tarkanian is going to violate my right to confidentiality, then he should reveal to Douglas County residents the instructions given to him as a result of my complaint.

Kirk Walder

Zephyr Cove

Don’t pull the plug on Nevada’s clean energy progress 

Editor:

On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass a budget bill that drastically cuts America’s clean energy tax credits. I’m disappointed to see that the House advanced this legislation. 

Let’s be clear. These cuts will hurt Nevada if they go on to become law. Experts are already warning that these changes would raise energy costs for American households, increase pollution, and threaten growing economic investments we’ve seen in Nevada. The House passage of this bill just put these investments at risk. The Senate is expected to vote in the next few weeks.

Federal tax credits—designed to boost clean energy manufacturing in the U.S.—have been working. Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act 2022, Nevada has benefited from an estimated $6.6 billion of investment in 7 new clean energy projects which have created an estimated 5,250 jobs. (E2.org)  

The tax credits were passed by Democrats, so they have been an easy target for Republican attacks. But the legislation has overwhelmingly benefited Republican-held districts—78% of the funding has gone to rural and suburban areas held by the GOP. That includes Nevada, where manufacturers like Tesla, Panasonic, Redwood Materials, American Battery Technology, and Sierra Pacific Power have announced major investments thanks to these tax credits.

But that success story could unravel quickly. The legislation is now in the Senate’s hands, and the House passage has set them on a path toward drastic cuts. 

Manufacturing will slow. Phasing out tax credits that support clean energy manufacturing will jeopardize long-term projects of Nevada’s battery, geothermal and solar energy industries. Eliminating clean vehicle tax credits could put planned Tesla and Panasonic plant expansion at risk, according to industry analysis. 

Households and local businesses will take a huge hit. A rollback of tax credits and rebates for home energy upgrades like better insulation, heat pumps, energy-efficient appliances, and rooftop solar is a blow to Nevada residents who’ve been using these tools to cut energy bills.  Many local clean energy businesses will also suffer.

By contrast, if Congress protects clean energy tax credits, it would be a huge boost to Nevada’s economy over the next decade. Analysis by American Clean Power and ICF estimates that continuing clean energy incentives will add $18 billion to Nevada’s economy over the next decade and deliver 126,000 new full-time jobs in the state over the same period. 

Encouragingly, a growing number of Republican members of Congress are vocalizing their support for the clean energy tax credits. Four Republican Senators recently sent a letter to leadership saying repeal would “lead to significant disruptions for the American people and weaken our position as a global energy leader.”

In sum: clean energy tax credits are working for Nevada. Undoing them now — as the House just voted to do — would be reckless and harmful. Please join me by calling Senators Rosen and Cortez-Masto and urging them to work with their colleagues in the Senate to protect these tax credits. 

John Cobourn

Associate Professor of Water Resources, Emeritus, UNR

Member of Citizens Climate Lobby

Minden

Immigrants built this nation

Editor:

Our community is in turmoil over immigration issues. Women, men and children live in fear. Many of them are valuable members of our community, mothers and fathers and school age children. Many of them are hard working, honest and high integrity individuals who have come here legally to help support businesses in our communities and make better lives for their own families. Yet, they live in fear just because they came from a foreign land. This fear stems from the behavior of a tiny minority of immigrants behaving badly. Our community is being reshaped by the bad behavior of the few.

Businesses in our community rely on a migrant workforce. The livelihoods of those business owners, not to mention personal safety of families, are in danger. Hispanics in our community who are here legally are silently living in fear of what tomorrow brings even though they themselves have not broken laws.

One of the first things my father did after becoming a naturalized citizen in 1942 was go to the Army Recruiter Office and volunteer for service. When he passed away, his most cherished possession was the 48-star flag he received when he became a citizen. I currently display it in my house. He was an immigrant who brought so much value to this country.

It is inappropriate to lump all immigrants into the same pool, just as not all native born Americans are the same. Don’t let the rhetoric around the actions of a few bad apples define this entire group.

Bob Gorrindo

Minden