Doing the Hard Work: Why Robb Tucker’s “No” Vote Deserves a Closer Look

Tuesday’s FY 2025–26 budget hearing at the Nevada County Board of Supervisors regular meeting was a pivotal moment—not because of what passed, but because of who stood alone. Supervisor Robb Tucker cast the only dissenting vote on a $415.5 million county budget—a budget that exceeds projected revenues by approximately $24 million. His “no” vote wasn’t careless, contrarian, or performative. It was principled, clear-eyed, and rooted in long-overdue fiscal accountability. It was, above all, courageous.

In today’s political climate—where going along to get along is the norm—saying “no” takes guts. It takes a leader willing to withstand pressure, to speak plainly about structural risks, and to put long-term sustainability ahead of short-term political comfort. That’s what Robb Tucker did. And Nevada County needs more of it.

While the overall budget rose by 7.3%, compensation costs—salaries and benefits—jumped by 9%. It’s not an isolated spike. From FY 2023–24 to FY 2024–25, the budget increased 4.9%, but salaries and benefits rose 8.5%. This isn’t just inflation or workforce development—it’s a trajectory that has accelerated steadily since FY 2019–20. Back then, Nevada County’s CalPERS pension was 76% funded. Today, that number has declined to just 62.8%. That’s a double-digit drop in long-term solvency with the county carrying a quarter billion dollar deficit on the books for pensions and it should concern every taxpayer.

Here’s a sobering reality: all of the County’s recurring income—excluding state and federal assistance—doesn’t even cover its own annual salary and benefits obligations. In other words, if the County had to operate solely on what it collects locally, it couldn’t pay its workforce. That’s not fiscal strength. That’s structural imbalance. It’s a system becoming more dependent on outside funding while committing itself to long-term costs it may not be able to afford.

Supervisor Tucker is one of the few willing to confront this imbalance. He’s not saying “no” to employees or public services. He’s saying “no” to a trend of unchecked growth, to escalating liabilities, and to a decision-making process that has lacked meaningful scrutiny. For too long, the Board of Supervisors has routinely accepted whatever is placed before them by senior staff—especially from County Executive Officer Alison Lehman and County Counsel Kit Elliott—without rigorous questioning or dissent.

That changed on Tuesday.

Robb Tucker didn’t run for office to be another echo in the chamber. He ran to represent the people. And representing the people doesn’t always mean casting popular votes—it means casting honest ones. It means having the foresight to say, “This may not be sustainable,” even when it’s unpopular. It means rejecting the default culture of approval that props up the status quo.

Predictably, his courage is now being second-guessed by those who’ve championed or enabled this spending pattern for years. He’s in the crosshairs of insiders and longtime supporters of ever-growing budgets. But he didn’t flinch. He stood tall, and he stood alone—because someone had to. That’s what leadership looks like when it’s not guided by political expediency.

As someone who has publicly raised concerns about these trends since at least 2019, I can say this with conviction: I’m not a professional budget analyst, nor an economist—but I know the signs of unsustainable governance. I’ve watched this county drift further into structural risk while senior staff congratulate themselves on “balanced” budgets that are only balanced on paper. Robb Tucker sees through that illusion. He’s not playing the game. He’s telling the truth.

It’s disappointing—though perhaps not surprising—that he didn’t receive more visible support from other Supervisors. Take Supervisor Sue Hoek, for example. This was her opportunity to break from the herd and back a fiscally grounded stance. Instead, loyalty to the process seems to have outweighed loyalty to long-term responsibility. When the facts change, leadership demands reassessment—not rubber-stamping.

Nevada County doesn’t need more polished press releases, budget summaries, or cheerleading for incremental change. It needs bold, principled public servants willing to ask uncomfortable questions. Robb Tucker is doing the hard work. He’s taking the heat for challenging a system that desperately needs reform.

We also need to look seriously at the political environment that allows the same choices to be made over and over again without consequence. Two-term limits for County Supervisors would be a good start. The longer one stays in office, the easier it becomes to prioritize harmony over honesty and comfort over course correction. Good governance needs fresh eyes and strong spines.

Robb Tucker has shown that leadership isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about standing by them when it counts. This week, he reminded us that one vote can carry the weight of integrity. Let’s hope others follow his lead.

It’s clear: he hasn’t drunk Alison Lehman’s Kool-Aid—yet. And for the good of the county, let’s hope he avoids that Kool-Aid for the duration of his term.