Part 1: The battle of who cares most

“These people don’t give a damn about our city; they want to win, but a win for them is a loss for you—and the community.” So concludes an e-mail sent to business folk by Dave Howard, public policy director of the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce.

Maybe you heard about the e-mail. I received more than one irate phone call accusing Howard of being mean and personal in this attack on a few of those circulating petitions to put ReTRAC to a public vote. Specifically, Howard tags as “losers” three former contenders for Reno public offices—Mike Tracy, Mike Robinson and Martha Gould—who are fighting the proposed railroad trench through downtown Reno.

“What is their motivation? It’s pathetically apparent,” Howard wrote. “These are losers of past campaigns who refuse to acknowledge their failure to convince voters of their leadership qualifications.”

Howard printed the phone numbers of the three individuals and suggested that chamber members call to tell them that “the chamber will not be misled.”

I called Gould, who describes herself as a “knowledgeable community activist who cares deeply about this community.” She says that no one who knows her considers her a loser. “And I don’t consider myself a loser. I just consider the source and say, ‘Ah, what the hell?’ “

I called Howard.

“You sounded frustrated,” I began.

“Frustrated?” he said. “Really, the thrust of it was that [the trench] is a good project. Let’s not let people who are unhappy with themselves defeat this thing. It’s not frustration. … What bothers me is that people are allowed to spread misinformation through the media.”

For example, he said, the trench is by no means a “$500 million boondoggle,” as some claim. Cost estimates may be as low as $154 million, with another $30 to $40 million in contingencies, but the bids from the four contractors haven’t even come in yet.

“These are world-renowned contractors,” Howard said. “One firm did the Big Dig in Boston.”

“Bad example,” I said.

“It is,” he agreed. (Plagued by cost overruns and leaks, the Big Dig was supposed to be done in 1998. It’s still unfinished.) Howard added: “But another did the Alameda Corridor, and that’s a successful project.”

He cited other misinformation: The city of Reno doesn’t care about the impact on small businesses.

“The city has 42 pages of questions from the stakeholder meetings!” Howard said. “That suggests that the city is concerned about these people.”

The Reno City Council will vote in mid-June on the project. By the time any public vote takes place, on Sept. 3, dirt will be flying. Howard isn’t sure what kind of legal challenge might take place then or how trench construction would be affected by a “no” vote of the people.

“This town is dying,” Howard said. “If we don’t do something to help it, we’re in trouble. … You can’t clean up downtown with trains coming through. One train a day is too many for a first-class city. … Frustrated? Yeah, you’re right.”

Next week: Martha Gould says she does her homework.