Scott David Robbins
Candidate for City Council (At-Large), South Lake Tahoe
Scott Robbins moved to Lake Tahoe from the East Coast about six years ago and began volunteering locally after his first summer there. He was elected to the South Lake Tahoe City Council in November 2022. He volunteered with the Tahoe Neighborhoods Group and helped pass Measure T, which eliminated vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods, and has served on the El Dorado County Economic Development Advisory Committee and the South Tahoe Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Positions in brief
Robbins's platform focuses on taxing tourism and vacant second homes to fund fire protection and road repair, converting vacant motels and second homes into workforce housing, capping tourism's local impact, and opposing new local sales taxes.
Robbins says the city should prioritize working residents -- 'the bartenders and baristas, nurses and retirees' -- over casinos, developers and resorts. On housing, he wants a vacancy fee on empty second homes, conversion of vacant Highway 50 motels into workforce housing, and faster construction of the Sugar Pines affordable-housing project. On taxes and roads, he wants to raise the transient occupancy tax and add a surtax on second/vacation homes to fund road repair, while opposing what he calls wasteful spending like airport subsidies; he also opposed the city's cannabis sales tax (Measure G). On public safety, he wants to fully fund the fire department and reduce wildfire fuel loads, including banning retail firewood and charcoal sales to tourists during fire season. On the economy, he wants to diversify beyond tourism by expanding Barton Hospital into an orthopedic center, attracting outdoor-education programs, and improving broadband for remote workers. On the environment, he argues that unlimited tourism growth undercuts the city's climate goals and wants vehicle-entry limits into the Tahoe Basin.
On the issues
- Government, Elections & Democracy
Says the council should prioritize working residents over casinos, developers, and resorts.
“the bartenders and baristas, nurses and retirees—the people who live here, work here, and play here”
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Wants a vacancy fee on empty second homes and to convert vacant motels along Highway 50 into workforce housing.
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Wants to raise the transient occupancy tax and add a surtax on second/vacation homes to fund road repair, and opposed the city's cannabis sales tax.
“push[ing] tax hikes on locals”
Source → - Infrastructure & Transportation
Opposes what he calls wasteful spending, such as airport subsidies, that cuts into road-maintenance funding.
“wasteful spending that cuts into road maintenance”
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Wants to fully fund the fire department and reduce wildfire fuel loads, including banning retail firewood/charcoal sales during fire season.
Source → - Economy & Jobs
Wants to diversify the local economy beyond tourism through healthcare, outdoor education, and better broadband.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Argues unlimited tourism growth undercuts the city's climate goals and wants vehicle-entry limits into the Tahoe Basin.
“a get out of responsibility free card”
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.