Here’s How Tahoe Mountain Sports Will Vote The Outdoors (And You Can Too!)

Why Do We Do This?

Here at Tahoe Mountain Sports, we believe everybody should exercise their right to vote. As outdoor related issues have leapt into the political forefront, our trade association (Outdoor Industry Association) along with our owner, Dave Polivy (current Mayor of Truckee), have helped to work on local, state and national policies that elevate outdoor priorities with our elected officials and in our governments. We also understand there are many more races, ballot measures and propositions that are on the ballot in all communities across the Country. We are going to touch on the 3 that affect Truckee voters directly and that have a direct impact on outdoor related policy. Disclaimer – This post does not reflect the views of any individual employee at TMS and is only meant as a guide as you fill out your own ballot. If you have any questions or comments about our criteria or endorsements below, please reach out directly to our owner at dave@tahoemountainsports.com.

Endorsement Criteria

Our endorsements align with the following criteria from the Outdoor Industry Association:

• Outdoor Recreation Economy: Recognize the size, scope and impact of the outdoor recreation economy in their respective districts and states as well as at the federal level; legislate and vote in a manner that supports the $887 billion in consumer spending and 7.6 million sustainable American jobs generated by the outdoor recreation economy
• Conservation: Stand up for the conservation of state and federal public lands and waters; fight for conservation and infrastructure funding; work to make the outdoors accessible to everyone
• Trade: Support balanced trade initiatives that relieve outdoor businesses of disproportionately high import taxes; support businesses that manufacture their products domestically; support policies that promote sustainable products and supply chains
• Climate: Acknowledge the threat of climate change to our public lands and waters and to the outdoor recreation economy; support policies that seek to mitigate the effects of global warming

YES on Measure K

Measure K helps create the affordable, workforce housing we need to sustain Truckee’s economy prevent wildfires and preserve the beautiful open space Truckee is known for. A YES vote on Measure K is a YES vote for our community.

Measure K will not raise taxes for Truckee residents or businesses. Voting YES on K increases the local hotel tax rate paid by hotel and short-term rental guests from 10% to 12% and provides locally-controlled funding to address Truckee’s needs.

Brynne Kennedy for Congress

The Congressional race for CA-04 will be one of the most significant contests for preserving our public lands and waters, taking action on climate change, and ensuring equitable access for our region. The outdoor recreation economy for the district equates to over $2 billion dollars in consumer spending, employs thousands of constituents, and draws millions visitors annually. Congressman McClintock has repetitively voted in opposition of federal resources to protect and enhance our pristine landscape, climate change denier, and has been out of touch with our region for over a decade.

Brynne Kennedy understands the connection between a healthy mountain economy and a stable climate. She believes in investments in clean energy, legislation to reduce carbon emissions, and protecting public lands. It’s time to prioritize our natural resources and support new leadership in the Sierra Nevada.

Watch Tom McClintock Argue AGAINST the Great American Outdoors Act – https://youtu.be/eYMi5exhFG0

Joe Biden for President

This is one of the most consequential elections in years. To decide on a presidential candidate, we looked at the current administration’s record and compared it to Joe Biden’s plan for the environment and outdoors.

President Trump shrank national monuments, withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and rolled back regulatory measures aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He placed punitive tariffs on outdoor products sourced from China and withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. However, in support of our industry, he signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law and negotiated the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s plan for rural America cites the outdoors as a reason to invest in rural communities for economic recovery. His campaign recognizes climate change and how its impacts to our health and communities are completely connected to our economy. The campaign calls for a 100 percent clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050; infrastructure investment to ensure climate resilience; and work to protect vulnerable urban and rural communities from the impacts of industrial pollution on air, land and water.

On trade, Biden will emphasize domestic manufacturing while still pursuing a more multilateral approach with our trading partners, in contrast to Trump’s “America First” agenda. While Biden was a part of the Obama administration that negotiated TPP, he stated during this year’s primaries that he would re-negotiate the agreement as part of an effort with TPP nations to address issues with China.

See the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2020 Voters Guide

Make Time to Vote!

We believe that our staff shouldn’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and voting. We are proud to be a member of Time To Vote, a nonpartisan movement, led by the business community, to contribute to the culture shift needed to increase voter participation in our country’s elections.

✔️ Register to vote
✔️ Make a voting plan
✔️ and VOTE!