Reno's Budget Shortfalls, Homelessness Downtown and the TMCC Lawsuit Settlement Explained

Kristen and Bob this week break down Reno’s major local stories. These include the second straight year of budget shortfalls at City Hall, the ongoing downtown noise dispute after the J Resort Halloween EDM concert, TMCC’s $300,000 settlement with professor Lars Jensen, shifting city conversations on homelessness enforcement, concerns over souped-up e-bikes and scooters and takeaways from Nevada’s recent special legislative session. 

City of Reno’s budget shortfall

• Reno is staring at an estimated $24 million budget gap for a second consecutive fiscal year.
• Slower-than-expected consolidated tax (C-tax) revenues alongside rising labor costs (wages, PERS, health care) are to blame.
• Collective bargaining increases, particularly for police unions since 2019, outpace typical private-sector COLA ranges, intensifying costs to the city's general fund.
• City leaders are exploring fee increases and franchise renegotiations.

Downtown noise controversy after halloween EDM show

• A festival-grounds EDM show sparked widespread complaints after low-frequency bass was heard miles away.
• Council is weighing how to measure and enforce noise (shifting focus to C-weighted levels for bass); ideas include trial permits and physical noise-mitigation structures.
• Tension remains between downtown vibrancy and livability for growing numbers of residents. 

TMCC's $300,000 lawsuit settlement

• Truckee Meadows Community College agreed to pay $300,000 to end a long dispute with math professor Lars Jensen tied to speech and governance conflicts.
• As part of the settlement, TMCC will issue a statement acknowledging adverse employment actions; Jensen will retire by July 1.
• The Ninth Circuit previously ruled against TMCC, catalyzing the outcome. 

Homelessness Policy: Services versus enforcement

• Council discussion and police updates highlighted a push from some council members for “zero-tolerance” enforcement downtown despite limited homeless shelter capacity.
• With community court discontinued, citations may translate more often into arrests—adding strain on already short-staffed RPD and complicating outcomes for unhoused residents.
• Advocates note gaps in the city/county resource listings and warn that removing aid distribution downtown doesn’t address basic needs. 

E-Bikes and scooters raise safety concerns

• Reno police flagged a rise in modified high-power e-bikes/scooters ridden by youth at roadway speeds without helmets, plates or DMV inspections where required.
• Police plan community education; parents could be liable in crashes involving underage riders on non-street-legal machines. 

Nevada's Special Session: A big, fat dud?

• Critics labeled the session a “dud” for lack of urgency and transparency.
• Remote public comment was curtailed, and some high-profile bills were stalled.
• One notable pass: an unfunded mandate establishing roughly $60M in grants aimed at expanding Nevada’s health-care workforce, especially in rural areas (awaiting the governor's signature).

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This summary was generated with the assistance of AI and edited by us.