Washoe County Voters Feel WC-1 Not Covered Well Enough

Voters expressed disappointment in the media coverage of Washoe County Question One on election night 2016 in Reno. The question, nicknamed the Save Our Schools initiative, proposed a half-percent sales tax increase to fund new schools and improvements to current schools.

“I’ve heard something about it, not a whole lot,” said Peter Wollene. Wollene was watching the election results at the official Washoe County Republican watch party. He went on to explain that the whole system needed to be fixed. “I think they’re giving away too much stuff to illegal aliens and so there’s no money left for the education of the people that should be here and going to school.”

He also said the presidential election had an impact on the media coverage WC-1 received.

“It’s been drowned out by a lot of stuff.” At first, Wollene believed the question to be on funding for universities, not elementary and high schools.

Even voters who said they understood the question believed it was not covered well enough.

Patricia Ambrose, who’s from Washoe county, knew a little more than Wollene but also believed the question needed more coverage.

Bud Guy, who was attending the official Washoe County Democrat watch party, had to think before saying whether or not he believed he was well enough informed on the issue. After a pause, he said he thought he was informed.

He went on to say the school funding is “imperative, it’s imperative.” He said the proposed tax to pay for the funding was worth it, and even said he’d be willing to pay more. “I wish I could pay more,” exclaimed Guy.

All the voters interviewed agreed that the presidential election overshadowed the local issues. “Of course it is the presidential election,” said Guy. “But a lot of the things that are important to me are the local issues that affect me day-to-day, like schools.”

The media coverage took the brunt of the blame. “Oh absolutely, absolutely they did a very poor job covering it.”

At the time this article was posted, WC-1 was passing with a lead of 56.8 percent to 49.3 percent with 356 of 456 precincts reporting.