What began as a screenshot spoof of a holiday fundraiser quickly turned into a debate over fiscal responsibility, ethics, land-use favoritism, union influence, and the credibility of Reno’s official budget messaging. Devon Reese provided the usual spin.
The thread provides a snapshot of the growing disconnect between City Hall and the residents who pay for it. This wasn’t just an argument. It was a reckoning.
Click on the image to view the thread on Nextdoor, unless Devon Reese has had it taken down.
The Catalyst: A Post About the Budget Deficit and a Fundraiser
The original post came from an account named “Shaun Mullin,” referencing a This Is Reno article about the city’s $24 million projected deficit and highlighting a December 2 fundraiser benefiting Reese.
The post wasn’t sensational. It wasn’t inaccurate. It simply echoed the city’s own finance report.
Yet instead of addressing the budget, Reese opened with something else entirely.
Reese’s First Move: Attack the Messenger, Not the Numbers
Before disputing any facts, Reese declared:
The account was “fake”
The poster was “Beth Dory,” whom he accused of being a wealthy property owner
The photo used was “stolen” from his Facebook
The post violated Nextdoor’s terms of service
This is a familiar political tactic:
Discredit the speaker so you don’t have to address the substance.
But it backfired spectacularly, because the public wasn’t interested in a personality drama — they were interested in Reno’s finances.
Reese’s Core Claim: “There Is No Deficit.”
Reese insisted that concerns about the city’s fiscal condition were “just not accurate.”
His reasoning:
“A projection is not a deficit, and it is not debt.”
This is technically true but deeply misleading.
Here are the facts:
Reno’s Finance Director Vicki Van Buren publicly reported a $24 million structural shortfall for FY27.
Not a guess. Not speculation. A structural mismatch between revenue and spending.
Last year’s forecast showed a $23 million shortfall — and it was real.
The city filled it with:
Vacancies left unfilled
Fee increases
Service cuts
Deferrals
Internal transfers
The city “balances” its budget because Nevada requires it.
But a legally balanced budget can still reflect a real fiscal crisis. This is precisely what analysts have been warning about for years: Reno is structurally misaligned, kept afloat by temporary patches. Residents see it every day:
Slower response times
Closed park restrooms
Deferred road repairs
Overburdened police
Exploding fee schedules
The “fiscally strong” narrative simply doesn’t match lived reality.
Reese’s Favorite Talking Point: “We Paid Down $350 Million in Debt”
Reese leaned hard on his standard line:
“We’ve paid down $350M in debt.”
The implication:
Reno is flush, thriving, and expertly managed.
The reality:
Most of that paydown was scheduled amortization on old bonds.
Some of the bonds were refinanced at longer terms and lower rates.
The council didn’t suddenly eliminate $350M from the balance sheet.
It’s like bragging about making your monthly mortgage payments or refinancing.
This is one of the most persistent misconceptions in Reno politics — and the public is catching on.
The Nextdoor Thread Erupts: Residents Bring Receipts
Once Reese opened the door, residents poured in with specifics:
• Police and fire raises exceeding budgeted amounts - Jenny Brekhus warned in 2024 that the city couldn’t afford a 9.5% police raise when only a 4.2% increase was budgeted. She was right.
• Union contributions totaling more than $147,000 to the City Council - Residents openly connected the dots.
• Video timestamps of ethics hearings - Multiple commenters referenced footage where two commissioners voted against dismissing ethics claims against Reese.
• Developer donations - Users noted that Reese accepted a $1,000 donation from the Duncan family before the Lakeridge zoning controversy.
• The alley abandonment near Reno Ave - A decision that sped up densification in a historic neighborhood.
• ADU passage without STR restrictions - Which residents correctly noted increases investor’s leverage and diminishes neighborhood protections.
• The Talus Valley floodplain development - A long-standing sore point in Damonte and South Reno.
The thread showed a surprisingly informed, broad public.
These were Somersett residents, Old Southwest homeowners, Damonte retirees, Northgate parents, and Midtown professionals.
This isn’t fringe. This is mainstream, taxpaying Reno.
The Identity Shield Comes Out — and Falls Flat
One participant repeatedly argued that criticism of Reese was rooted in anti-LGBTQ bigotry.
Residents immediately pushed back:
“This has nothing to do with LGBTQ.”
“We just don’t like runaway budgets.”
“Criticizing policy isn’t discrimination.”
This rhetorical shield, long relied upon in Reno politics, has lost much of its potency — especially when voters are watching their fees rise and services decline.
People are worried about money, not identity politics.
Reese’s Tone Problem Reappears
Multiple residents referenced:
His “arrogant” demeanor at meetings
His berating of ethics commissioners
His public conflict with a judge
His bar incident and police report controversy
His combative tirades toward former Councilmember Brekhus
This is one of Reese’s biggest political liabilities — and it was on full display. His responses in the thread were sarcastic, dismissive, and at times taunting:
“Think otherwise, prove it.” Residents promptly did.
Land Use Spin: Technically True, Conveniently Selective
Reese attempted to pivot:
“If a project conforms to zoning, we must approve it.”
True — but incomplete.
The council regularly approves:
Zoning changes
Density increases
Variances
Abandonments
Height waivers
All of which makes projects more profitable for developers. All of which are discretionary.
As one commenter noted:
“Developers’ money goes into the pockets of politicians, not the infrastructure of the community.” This frustration is real — and growing.
The Big Picture: Why This Thread Matters
This was not a simple Nextdoor spat. It revealed:
1. A major collapse of public trust in the city’s finances. Residents no longer believe reassuring talking points.
2. A broad public awareness of ethics issues, donations, and land-use incentives. These are not hidden anymore.
3. Reese’s political vulnerabilities are expanding. His tone, defensiveness, and tendency to attack critics rather than address issues stood out.
4. The public is starting to fact-check him — instantly and aggressively.
5. The budget narrative has broken. The city says “we’re strong.” Residents say, “that’s not what we see.” This is the classic sign of an administration and council losing the plot.
10. The Reno Reality: A Structural Crisis, Not a PR Problem
Reno is facing:
A $24 million structural deficit
Sluggish revenue growth
Rising personnel costs
Union-driven budget pressures
Maxed-out statutory tax rates
Fee hikes residents can’t keep absorbing
TIF diversions that drain the general fund
Deferred infrastructure
Soaring service demands
This is not a messaging issue. It is a math issue. And no amount of Nextdoor combativeness can change that.
Conclusion: A Public Turning Point
For the first time in years, ordinary residents — not activists, not former officials, not watchdog groups — are directly confronting a sitting councilmember with detailed evidence. And they aren’t buying the spin. If this is how heated the conversation is in late 2025, the 2026 mayoral race is going to be explosive. Because the public has finally discovered what insiders have known for a long time:
Reno’s problems are real. They are structural. And they are not being solved.
Didn’t know Nextdoor covered information like this - remember when they’d kick you off the platform for questioning the jab? Bravo for Nextdoor and Michael Leonard! Something very dirty in Reno.
As you know, I've had my own encounter with Reese's self-righteousness and "attack the messenger" playbook. I'm about to share more of that in correspondence to the City Council, all Ward 5 NAB members, and various media outlets. But Reese's multiple documented instances of inappropriate and unprofessional attacks toward both government officials and the public at large raises another serious question for me: Why do the remaining City Council members sit idly by and allow this to continue? The city supposedly has an official code of conduct policy that requires courteous treatment of the public at all times - why isn't the council enforcing this with Reese? In my opinion, this is dereliction of duty by the remaining councilmembers.