We’ve all had enough of traffic and potholes and walking in the gutter where a sidewalk should be. I dream of a day where most visitors don’t need to bring a car to Lake Tahoe because we have an abundance of sustainable options to get around without one.

As a board member of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, I have long advocated for active transportation infrastructure, and am proud of the City's progress in recent years. On City Council, I’ll extend the Greenway path through Bijou to Ski run! I’ll also pursue low cost connectivity and signage enhancements to the trails and bike boulevards in every neighborhood.

After decades of deferred maintenance, many of our roads are due for an overhaul. The City has recently quadrupled funding for road repair to $3 million per year and we need to keep up the pace. We can also take this opportunity to dig once for complete streets, adding sidewalks and bike lanes. Underground electricity, broadband, and stormwater improvements can happen at the same time, and the utilities can split the cost.

I'll prioritize the transit improvements in TRPA's Regional Transportation Plan: microtransit for all of South Lake Tahoe, direct day and night service along highway 50, and a new route up the west shore.

The City has ambitious emissions targets as we do our part to Protect Our Winters and build resilience for a changing climate. We have committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricityand reducing 50% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. With 7 years to go, our next City Council will be responsible for the implementation that puts us on track to meet this important and challenging goal.

We need major investment in clean power generation and storage, plus reliability and capacity upgrades to the electrical grid. Insulation and efficiency improvements will reduce waste from old buildings. Success will require epic collaboration between numerous entities in the public and private sectors.

I’ll expand our sustainability department to manage grants, work with utilities on energy procurement and reliability standards, and communicate with the public. The City can support homeowners to upgrade insulation to meet modern standards.

Nick Speal is a community leader with a progressive vision for South Lake Tahoe. On the board of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, he has advocated for safer infrastructure and worked on the software powering Tahoe Bike Month and the Tahoe Bike Map. For his day job, Nick works at Zipline, where he works on software that expands access to medical supplies at remote health facilities around the world.

Nick cares deeply about equity and social justice in our community. He has been a leader in the local movement for racial justice, bringing people together and advocating for transparency in our institutions. Nick also volunteers with SOS Outreach to help ensure that youth growing up in our ski town have the opportunity to learn how to ski and ride.

Having attended most City Council meetings in recent years, Nick understands South Lake Tahoe's diversity of perspectives and brings a collaborative approach to making progress toward the common good. This has earned him endorsements from our major political institutions.

Nick is focusing on door-to-door outreach to hear from the community. Please reach out by email or on Facebook or Instagram to find a time to connect.