Livermore seeks re-election

Carson City Supervisor Pete Livermore has announced he will seek a second term as supervisor

Elected in 1998, Livermore, 60, took over for former Ward 3 supervisor Tom Tatro.

"Carson City's me," Livermore said. "I love everything about being here. I don't think, I know I do a good job for Carson City. I think I lived up to what I said I would do in 1998."

He campaigned in 1998 on the issues of increasing public safety funding, relieving traffic congestion and focusing attention on storm drainage, issues he believes the city still needs to deal with. The creation of a storm drainage utility fee and a hike in other utility fees will be important city issues this year, he said.

"Today, in 2002 the citizens of Carson City have great confidence in the Board of Supervisors," Livermore said. "We've made great accomplishments I can say I'm a part of. Our approval is at an all-time high."

Livermore, a native of New Orleans, has lived in Carson City since ending a tour with the U.S. Marine Corps in 1962. He met his wife of 40 years, Laurie, at the A&W drive-in on Carson and 10th streets where she was a car hop and he a customer.

He is the father of Rich, 39, of Carson City, Sheri, 37, of Reno and Jackie, 35, of Las Vegas and a grandfather of three. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for nine years and bought the A&W from Harold Staub in 1971. He still owns two A&W stores in Carson.

Livermore said during his tenure, he hasn't held high profile positions, but has been instrumental in the transition of Carson-Tahoe Hospital from a public to private entity as a member of its Board of Trustees. Keeping as much local control at the hospital has been his goal, he said.

Aside from time in the hospital for bypass surgery in 2000, Livermore has not missed a Board of Supervisors meeting. He is in good health, he insists, even recently purchasing an exercise bicycle.

As it was when he was elected, development is another crucial issue facing the capital, Livermore said.

"I got elected at a time when Home Depot and Target were building and people thought the city let them go," he said. "I assumed that too. I thought John Berkich and the board weren't aggressive enough; they didn't have a team or anything."

He and then-supervisor Kay Bennett encouraged the formation of an economic development team which, he said, helped bring in projects such as Costco and Lowes. Sales taxes being the keystone of the city's budget, he said he is concerned over maintaining that source of income with out further taxing "the second lowest-taxed city in the state."

"I don't enjoy paying taxes," he said. "I know it's a duty, but I want to pay as least as I can."

Besides his assignments through the Board of Supervisors, Livermore also serves as president of the Youth Sports Association and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club.

"My heart's here," he said. "I have no hidden agenda. I'll tell you who I am. I am sincere about what I do. What you see is what you get."