Letter to the Editor of the Comstock Chronicle:
Commissioner McBride took to the front page of the Chronicle last week accusing me of spreading misinformation and lies. I went to the Bucket to ask him about his accusations, and an energetic conversation ensued. During our conversation, Commissioner McBride shared his opinion of my writing. However, he would not tell me specifically what he read on The Storey Teller was a lie.
I suspect he was referring to an article I wrote about the record $1.6 billion in taxable sales FY 2016-17. According to the Nevada Department of Taxation, Storey County sales tax revenues actually fell in FY2016-17 compared to FY2015-16 despite this record increase.
Unless the data provided inside audited annual reports from the Department of Taxation are in error, this is an indisputable fact.
I wrote another article illustrating how the County’s tentative FY 2018-2019 Budget, obtained from Storey County’s website, had a nearly $2 million dollar shortfall. I identified the numbers were from the tentative budget and promised a followup article once the final budget was released.
As the facts illustrate in both articles, C Street is not awash with TRIC cash as we have been lead to believe. The tentative budget shows projected revenues are expected to be below 2014 levels while expenses are projected to be up 32% over the same period.
If Commissioner McBride wants to take umbrage with my opinions, I encourage him to do so. If he calls me a liar on the front page and on the record, he’d better back it up with facts.
I recently wrote an article about Scott Jolcover that was inaccurate. Upon learning of my mistake, I immediately wrote a correction, issued an apology to Mr. Jolcover in person, in writing, and on the record at a commissioner meeting.
If Commissioner McBride thinks what I wrote was inaccurate, I ask that he show me exactly where the numbers are inaccurate and I’ll issue a retraction and an apology.
I ask Commissioner McBride to provide me the same courtesy; prove I was wrong or issue an apology here and on the record at the next Commissioners meeting.
Sam Toll - Editor
775-583-8655