When the Carson City mayor and supervisors unanimously adopt a resolution to amend the city’s current budget by $210 million to prepare for “uncertain economic times,” you know it’s time to start worrying.
Everything from questions on the completion of local capital projects, to the governor’s shifting budget, to Elon Musk’s effort to grab back federal funds already committed to local health and transportation should alarm all of us.
The multi-billionaire tech-bro who could buy our whole state and everything in it may have triggered multiple lawsuits, but now that Republican senators confirmed the appointment of Russell Vought to head the federal Office of Management and Budget, it’s probably just a matter of time before they’re sliding our tax dollars over to their billionaire pals. Do we have any billionaires in Carson City?
In other news, The New York Times explains that a constitutional crisis is what happens when our checks and balances break down, such as in the case of the Trump/Musk defunding of USAID and the firing of 17 inspectors general.
Meanwhile, back in Carson City, several hundred protesters who dare to speak out against these blatant attacks on our democracy were threatened by a gun-pointing motorist. Even freedom of speech is uncertain these days.
Laura Hale
Carson City