SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Nick Piliae, a newcomer to the city council race, said that he originally applied to be a police officer, but was inspired to run for city council. “I’ve always been interested in politics. I’ve aided in campaigns and I believe a lot of good can come from politics.”
Piliae, who works as a trainer at Escobar Martial Arts, said that he had experience building strong relationships across diverse groups, as well as strong leadership skills. He touted his experience in team sports and in the ski industry.
Like many residents of Tahoe, Piliae said, “I moved here for the love of the ski and snowboard industry, but I fell in love with the town. Now, with martial arts, I get to do all my favorite things in my favorite city.”
“I’d love the chance to serve my community,” said Piliae, who emphasized his love for the town. “Tahoe ranks above everywhere I have been.” Top issues for him include housing, the environment, government efficiency, moral character and dealing with the loneliness epidemic.
Piliae says he believes the city is heading in the right direction when it comes to housing, such as with Sugar Pine Village. But he’s interested in also seeing more affordable and workforce housing, including for J-1s. “Tourism is the economic workhorse of the town,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of protecting the environment, dealing with trash and creating defensible space. “Natural beauty is the focal point of our town,” said Piliae, who also said he wanted to “get to the bottom” of glyphosate spraying in Tahoe.
Piliae said that being born in Hong Kong taught him the importance of efficiency, and shared that during his time working for Kirkwood, his store held the highest record for efficiency. “I want to streamline processes, cut out waste and get the work done. Efficiency and streamlining are parts of my being.”
The moral character of a leader was also highly important to him. “I want whoever is in office to have a good character and be someone we can rally around,” he said. “In any system, the leader has to be strong and have outstanding moral character. Even if they don’t know everything or have all the answers, that’s important.”
Piliae went on to say that transparency is important in politics to him. “People feel like they’re being shafted by the lack of transparency and they often are. For myself, I have nothing to hide. I would hope people trust me and they can ask me anything.”
He also said more public outreach was key, and would also help with the “silent epidemic of loneliness in Tahoe and other mountain towns.” He said he would hope to host more community nights and make resources better known to the public.
Piliae also included funding public safety and transportation, including roads, in his platform. “I love living in Tahoe because it’s so safe. I want to keep that as a status quo.” He said he would fund police and fire in order to protect Tahoe.
Piliae supported increased bike lanes, roundabouts, as well as expanding buses and Lake Link to alleviate traffic. He also praised parks and recreation and hoped to get more people outdoors.
For his campaign, Piliae said he would take a grassroots approach. “I’m open to meeting people and they can always find me on Mondays at 6 p.m. at Escobar. And if I get elected and you don’t like what I do, you can take my class and punch me in the face.” He also said he would host Ask Me Anything sessions and be open to emails.
“I think we can find common ground and the best outcome for our city,” said Piliae.
