The Issues

Values

• The voices of the people—not special interest groups (i.e., people/groups with money who buy off politicians with donations).
• Individual rights (including free speech, self-defense, property rights, bodily autonomy, parental rights, privacy).
• Consent and voluntary cooperation to build better communities.
• Tribal sovereignty, property rights, tenant protections, and small businesses.
• Transparency in government. Government works for the people, not the other way around.
• Limited government and an end to governmental overreach and intrusion into our lives.
• Deregulation and dismantling bureaucratic red tape.
• Ending government waste, fraud, and inefficiency.
• Peaceful resolution of conflict.

Priorities

1. Reduce Bureaucratic Burdens and Expand Personal Autonomy
Goal: Make it easier for residents to live, work, build, create, and solve problems without unnecessary government interference.

Possible actions:

• Review and repeal outdated or duplicative county ordinances.
• Simplify permitting processes for homeowners, small businesses, and home‑based enterprises.
• Expand “by‑right” uses in zoning to reduce the need for special approvals.
• Increase transparency in code enforcement and limit discretionary penalties.

Freedom impact:
People spend less time navigating bureaucracy and more time building their lives.

2. Shift from Coercive Systems to Voluntary, Community‑Driven Solutions
Goal: Strengthen the capacity of neighborhoods, nonprofits, tribes, and mutual‑aid groups to solve problems without expanding government control.

Possible actions:

• Prioritize partnerships with community‑based organizations over new county programs.
• Support voluntary services that reduce harm without imposing mandates.
• Create micro‑grant programs for grassroots groups solving local problems.
• Encourage neighborhood‑level decision‑making through advisory boards and participatory processes.

Freedom impact:
Communities become less dependent on centralized systems and more empowered to act.

3. Protect Residents' Rights and Respect Local Knowledge
Goal: Ensure land‑use decisions respect individual autonomy and the character of existing communities.

Possible actions:

• Promote land‑use policies that balance growth with property rights.
• Reduce regulatory barriers for rural residents and small landowners.
• Ensure development decisions reflect local input, not distant bureaucratic or special interest priorities.
• Strengthen transparency in planning and zoning processes.

Freedom impact:
Residents retain more control over their land, their neighborhoods, and their future.

4. Increase Transparency and Limit Government Overreach
Goal: Make county government more accountable, less punitive, and easier for residents to understand and challenge.

Possible actions:

• Require clear public reporting on enforcement actions, budgets, and agency performance.
• Strengthen due‑process protections in county procedures.
• Limit the use of fines, fees, and penalties that disproportionately affect vulnerable residents.
• Expand public access to data and decision‑making.

Freedom impact:
Government becomes more predictable, less intimidating, and easier to hold accountable.

5. Build Systems Rooted in Compassion, Not Control
Goal: Ensure county services treat people with dignity and avoid punitive approaches.

Possible actions:

• Promote trauma‑informed practices across county departments.
• Reduce barriers to voluntary services for mental health, recovery, and housing.
• Encourage non‑judgmental, person‑centered approaches in public‑facing programs.
• Support alternatives to criminalization where legally permissible.

Freedom impact:
People receive help without being controlled, surveilled, shamed, or coerced.

6. Foster a Culture of Joyful Civic Participation
Goal: Make public engagement welcoming, creative, and accessible.
Possible actions:

• Redesign public meetings to be more inclusive and less intimidating.
• Celebrate community creativity through events, art, and storytelling.
• Use plain language in county communications.
• Encourage youth and family participation in civic life.

Freedom impact:
Government feels less like a fortress and more like a shared space. Performance art welcome.

7. Innovate for Efficiency, Resilience, and Community Strength
Goal: Modernize county systems to reduce friction, increase resilience, and support long‑term well‑being.
Possible actions:

• Streamline internal processes to reduce delays and costs.
• Support wildfire mitigation and emergency preparedness that empowers residents.
• Encourage technological solutions that reduce bureaucracy.
• Promote long‑term planning that respects land, water, and community limits.

Freedom impact:
A county that works better requires less intervention and creates more room for people to thrive.

Vision

 Washoe County faces mounting fiscal and operational pressures driven by rapid population growth, budget uncertainty, and structural dependence on state-controlled revenue systems. These challenges strain core services and limit the county’s ability to respond flexibly to local needs. Meanwhile, We are living in an increasingly Orwellian reality. Families are struggling to meet basic needs, layoffs are rising, and yet another costly, endless war looms over us. I don’t know about you, but I want a better world for our children and for the generations who will follow. None of us can build that world alone—but together, we have  grit, determination, collective effervescence (joy from doing things together), and innovative spirit to be careful stewards that nourish the land, water, resources, and each other. 

“The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”― Rabindranath Tagore

 Washoe County would benefit from decentralization, from ending corporate welfare (especially for outside entities that have little stake in our community), and from community‑driven solutions that build a better future. We may not be able to fix the world, but we can work together to create a stronger, more resilient region for generations to come. The government cannot fix all of our community problems. In fact, governmental "solutions" often cause more harm than they intend. That’s why we, as community members, must take back the power to create solutions together. Communities know their needs, their goals, and their vision better than any system ever could. If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. Communities deserve the freedom to imagine and build futures that go beyond what the system tells us is possible.

Expected Outcomes

• Greater fiscal stability through diversification and local control of revenue mechanisms.
• Improved service delivery—without expanding the government.
• Stronger civic engagement as residents, mutual aid organizations, and nonprofits take a more active role in service delivery.
• Responsible growth through an infrastructure-centered approach that listens to residents’ concerns.
• Thriving business development through simplified regulations.
• Long-term strength and resilience through decentralization and market-driven solutions.

Policy Recommendations

Promote fiscal stewardship and autonomy

• Fiscal responsibility: The County has created more problems than solutions by irresponsibly spending money without oversight and accountability. In other words, they have spent your hard-earned money (often referred to as “free money”) on projects and programs that have not delivered satisfactory outcomes. Like one of my mentors would say, “the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.” If people are to live within their means—governments should too. No government should spend more than it has and should not incur debts that burden future generations. I support balancing the budget without raising taxes.
• End cronyism: Cronyism and close relationships between a few businesses and government staff have stifled competitive bids and rewarded atrocious behaviors at the expense of our citizens, including vulnerable neighbors.
• Government finance: I oppose taxation and any tax increases. Taxes are inherently coercive and involuntary. People are entitled to the fruits of their own labor and free to spend them how they see fit, voluntarily. I support conducting department-by-department efficiency audits to eliminate duplication and waste.
• Fee-for-service: I support shifting certain services to fee-for-service models to ensure that users of these services (not general taxpayers) fund consumption. This also means ending sweetheart deals with big business that place the cost-burden on taxpayers—no more corporate welfare.
• Competitive contracting and privatization: I support performance-based contracting for non-core functions such as road maintenance, IT support, and facility operations. I would encourage private-sector participation through public-private partnerships.
• Modernize through low-cost technology: I support the use of accessible, user-friendly, self-service digital platforms for routine tasks. This includes adopting open-source software to reduce licensing costs and using data dashboards to identify inefficiencies and guide resource allocation.

 
Restore respect for the people who live here

• Listen to the voices of residents (not special interests): County Commissioners have actively thwarted public engagement by limiting public comment. Listening to residents and promoting meaningful engagement are core functions of local elected officials. We serve the people—not special interests who line Commissioners’ pockets. I believe in removing money from politics altogether to minimize political favoritism and level the playing field. For this reason, I will not accept campaign contributions.
• Reign in responsible growth: The government must address infrastructure concerns of residents and ensure responsible growth. This includes addressing ongoing traffic and resource issues that plague our region. Roads, utilities, and public facilities need upgrades, but taxpayers should not shoulder the entire burden. I support using public-private partnerships to fund and maintain infrastructure and encourage private investment in transportation, broadband, and utilities. We must prioritize maintenance over flashy new projects that drain local budgets.
• Housing: We need to ensure that we have enough housing options for everyone that reduce costs for homebuyers and renters. I support zoning flexibility that allows for more housing types, streamlines permitting and approvals, and reviews and sunsets outdated regulations. Decisions regarding housing developments must consider the impact on residents, schools, future generations, infrastructure, safety, and sustainability. 
• Reduce government overreach: I oppose government overreach into the affairs of consenting adults, homeowners, and businesses. I oppose governmental intrusion through code enforcement that polices what people do on their own property—any quarrels should be settled among neighbors, not by the government. We must work together to reduce government intrusion into our private lives and restore liberty, self-ownership, freedom of association, and our ability to live how we want to live​—as long as we are not harming others. 
• Protect small businesses: I support reducing unnecessary licensing and bureaucratic red tape.

 
Strengthen voluntary and community-based solutions

• Empower residents to address social challenges without expanding government: I support mutual aid, faith-based, and nonprofit-led initiatives to address homelessness, poverty, and addiction. Governments have no business in these affairs, and Washoe County has proved they do a terrible job providing these services. Let’s leave this to passionate and knowledgeable community members who serve with compassion. Any contracts with nonprofit, mutual-aid, or faith-based organizations require oversight, and the government needs to get out of the way. Washoe County can expand tools to increase transparency, allowing residents to monitor spending and participate in volunteer or oversight roles. Solving community problems takes all of us. Washoe County government must focus on core functions, not mission creep.
• Community-led solutions: I support volunteer fire auxiliaries, community and neighborhood organizations, and community mediation programs.
• Community participation and government transparency: Residents often feel shut out of decision-making processes and are often unclear about how their hard-earned money is spent. I support plain-language budget summaries and open data dashboards to increase transparency and resident empowerment. I support expanding public comment and participation through community advisory panels, as well as independent audits of major county programs.

Rethinking our local justice system

• ​End incarceration for victimless crimes: I support major reforms to our justice system that often punishes people for victimless crimes while slapping the wrists of those who harm or abuse others—including women and children. Arrests, courts, and incarceration burdens taxpayers and does nothing to rehabilitate or restore people who reenter our communities as our neighbors, coworkers, and community members. We can and should do better.
• End corruption: Our community has been rocked by several local scandals involving police, attorneys, and judges. I support community watchdogs, whistleblowers, and other concerned citizens who are keeping an eye on cronyism and corruption within the justice system. For too long, the foxes have been in charge of the henhouse. 
• End surveillance: I oppose flock cameras and other intrusive surveillance mechanisms that allow government overreach into the private lives of citizens.