Dear Editor:
The annexation requests in the Jan. 12, 2026, Parker County Commissioners Court packet regarding Newsom Mound Road, Veal Station Road and Tucker Drive are a glaring display of administrative overreach. While Reno City Manager Paul Lilly claims this is about safety, the facts suggest a desperate "taxation by citation" scheme.
Reno’s FY 2025-2026 budget projects $679,000 in municipal court revenue — a nearly 1,000% increase from last year’s $60,000. This radical overestimate indicates Lilly’s incompetence and inability to manage a city. This fiscal recklessness reflects poorly on the council members who hired him and sanction such unrealistic budgeting. Paired with the recent purchase of two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the intent is undeniable: Reno is building a speed trap to mask administrative failure.
This crisis was predictable; Lilly’s hiring was seemingly led by council members Vogle and Braun, who performed little if any research on his lack of municipal experience. Their negligence has resulted in an administration prioritizing expansion, motorcycles and redecorating City Hall over fixing Reno’s failing infrastructure. Lilly’s law enforcement background has blinded him to the basic duties of a city manager; a city should run on sound public works, not as a predatory highway patrol.
Commissioner Conley was right to oppose the annexation of Midway Road last month, stating he wouldn't hand over roads "just so they can run radar." The Court must follow suit. Turning these roads over to a city unable to maintain its pavement but eager to exploit neighbors is a disservice to Northeast Parker County. We should not fund Reno’s incompetence through de facto ticket quotas.
Eric Hunter
