EDITOR:
Proponents of Question 1 advertise that they want a rural airport for traditional uses like soaring. Yet run a disingenuous smear campaign against Tony Sabino, owner of Soar Minden, who's devoted 30 years to the promotion of soaring here.
Why? Because he's dared to oppose the county's misguided plans for our airport as bad for him and bad for us.
The county has already shut down Mr. Sabino's fuel business for questionable reasons. And he has good reason to fear the county's other plans, which would force him to relocate his soaring business at his expense from a prime spot on the ramp to an isolated vacant expanse of sagebrush to the east.
He concluded that plan would drive him out of business. And lead to the demise of soaring in general and a decline in the quality of life here, as bigger, faster, noisier aircraft take over.
So Mr. Sabino suggested the county buy out his lease. The county declined.
But then used official correspondence to label his offer a "threat" and him "unethical." Why? Because he told them in advance what he intended to do if they refused his offer: use protected free speech to campaign against an ordinance he believes will harm his business and our community.
How is that unethical? It isn't. It's common legal practice. "Cooperate and get a light sentence; don't and we'll seek a stiff one." The DA is just telling it like it is. As was Mr. Sabino.
Yet the County chose to label him "unethical." And somehow that letter ended up in the hands of his adversaries and was used in paid advertising to turn opinion against Mr. Sabino. Whose ads have focused on the issues instead of personal attacks.
I suggest voters retrieve their copies of Sunday's RC. Read Tony's ad, which shows how jet traffic that could grow under Question 1 has much wider impacts in our valley than traditional light aircraft traffic. Then read the ad by the proponents of Question 1, which does nothing but attack Mr. Sabino personally.
I think that tells you all you need to know about this election. Please tell the county to revise its misguided plans for our airport by voting no on Question No. 1.
Terry Burnes
Gardnerville
