The blue and white RTC bus made a final stop at the Ninth Street Senior Center in Reno at 7:40 a.m. before a group of seniors embarked on the 30-minute trip to Carson City.
Betty Manson was one of just over a dozen seniors riding the bus to participate in Senior Day at the legislature. She said her top issues are housing, safety, and Social Security. Manson also wants lawmakers to prioritize food programs for low-income seniors.
“I would like to see those kind of things kept and protected because it really makes a difference in my grocery budget,” Manson said.
The seniors share the same sentiment: the impacts of rising prices.
When Allen Martinez retired as a mental health worker and hospital chaplain last year, he moved from San Jose to Reno because that’s what he could afford through Social Security.
“I’m getting half of what I made before. I have to budget now, basically,” Martinez said. “They take out so many taxes and everything. You’re not really getting all your money that you put into it.”
Martinez supports one of President Donald Trump's campaign promises to cut income taxes on Social Security. But that hasn’t happened yet.
There has been an increase in the number of seniors having to work, said Maria Moore, the state director for AARP Nevada, who was tabling at the event. She said their fixed incomes just aren’t enough to cover their expenses, such as utility bills.
“Those dollars will not stretch,” Moore said. “They have to buy their medications. It gets very cold, very hot, depending on where you live in the state. If you are on medical equipment, you can’t afford for your power to go off. If you’re not eating healthy, then your health gets affected.”
The agenda for Senior Day was packed with speakers, including those from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who discussed suicide prevention, and representatives from the Nevada Housing Coalition, who spoke about the governor’s $250 million attainable housing bill and rent control.
Accessibility remains inadequate at legislative building
Several people also joined lawmakers on the assembly floor, where Assemblymember Tracy Brown-May honored them.
“We know that we have these champions that are here to celebrate and congratulate for being stewards to help us all age with grace,” Brown-May said.
Brown-May spoke directly to the seniors about her “Right to Repair” bill, which would require equipment manufacturers to provide parts and documentation to independent repair shops. That way, residents could have their mobility devices repaired locally rather than sending them out of state under warranty.
“People wait weeks and sometimes months in order to get a part or repair in,” Brown-May said. “So what we’re doing is working to make sure that folks have the right to repair their own device through independent provider organizations or repair shops, so it helps us grow small business and gain access to repairs more quickly.”
Brown-May also highlighted accessibility improvements in the legislative building, such as incoming adult changing stations, but more needs to be done.
Linda Doro, who uses a wheelchair, was hoping to join lawmakers on the assembly floor too, but that part of the chamber is only accessible up several steps of stairs. She viewed from the gallery above.
“I cannot go down on the floor because, ironically, they didn't remodel the accessibility to the floor yet. So typical in that the amount of hidden accessible places,” Doro said.
This session, Doro is advocating for legislation to improve prison conditions, including access to food and medical care.
Seniors concerned about bus drive safety
Another theme of the day was transportation. Several seniors were interested in legislation to improve bus driver safety. One bill would require public transit companies in Washoe and Clark counties to install panic buttons on buses. Earlier this year, a 78-year-old bus driver was physically assaulted and hospitalized in Sparks.
At the end of the day, there was a surprise visit from U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen. Her office told KUNR not to record her remarks, which some seniors took offense to.
Back on the bus, Barbara Deavers reflected on how the day went. Although it was busy in Carson City, she didn’t get to spend as much time with her representatives as she had hoped.
“There was a few glitches because of the business of the legislators, which can’t be helped because of the session coming to a close,” Deavers said. “But other than that the speakers were all very good. We had a surprise visit from Senator Rosen, which I think was a hit of [the] day.”
While the day was spent among friends breaking bread, a heaviness hung in the air as the seniors continued to worry about the changes at the federal level and the future of Medicaid, Social Security, and veterans’ services.
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