LETTERS: Sandoval abandons small government

To the editor:

Nevadans thought they were electing a small-government Republican when they put Brian Sandoval in the governor’s seat a second time. But we see now that progressivism has taken over the governor’s office, and with it, no sunset that was promised on the huge tax increases implemented in 2009.

In fact, on top of extending those “temporary” taxes, Gov. Sandoval’s budget calls for even more taxes on businesses and tobacco users. So how does he justify all this new money? “It’s for the children,” he says.

Gov. Sandoval’s ideas about how to improve our schools with more tax dollars have been tried and all have failed, because throwing money at the problem will never fix it. Just when our fragile economy is beginning to recover, our governor wants to squash it with higher taxes.

The business margins tax was overwhelmingly defeated last November, yet Gov. Sandoval seems to think that by renaming it a “business license tax,” Nevadans will go along with it. How insulting is that?

It is time to stop the lies and bait-and-switch tactics. Enter a sensible budget plan, such as the one articulated by state Controller Ron Knecht (“Nevada can fund education, without back-breaking taxes,” April 19 Review-Journal). Mr. Knecht has put forth a budget plan that will allow those temporary taxes to retire, won’t create any new taxes and will put education back in local control.

Mr. Knecht’s Balanced Plan will begin the process of reining in our oversized government. It’s about time.

TERI A. COTHAM

GARDNERVILLE

Garbage government

To the editor:

An editorial pointed out that now a second private company has failed in its attempt to create a computer program to meet the needs of the state of Nevada (“Fool me twice …” April 19 Review-Journal). First, it was Xerox, with its attempt to create the state website for those enrolling in Affordable Care Act-compliant health plans. Now, a company called Measured Progress is accused of fouling up a program for the state Education Department.

These apparently qualified computer programming companies have been unable to meet the state’s requirements. Similarly, the federal ACA exchange website created with unlimited funds was a disaster for users. The computer business has a an acronym for this — GIGO, which stands for “Garbage In, Garbage Out.”

Perhaps we should be looking at state and federal bureaucracies to find fault. If the information provided by these publicly funded geniuses is unclear, the result will be failure of the systems that the contractor develops.

A similar example was displayed in the article regarding the over-budget and behind-schedule Veterans Affairs hospitals in Colorado and North Las Vegas (“Schedule slips for veterans complex,” April 17 Review-Journal). Apparently, among other deficiencies, the North Las Vegas facility was designed with an inadequate emergency room, which is now being expanded. In Colorado, the new facility is long past its scheduled opening and massively over budget.

All of these are examples of bureaucrats providing poor direction — “Garbage In” — to private-sector contractors, and then blaming the resulting failure on the designers, contractors and others trying to make sense of nonsense. The end result is “Garbage Out,” a common theme of government projects.

JAMES MAGNUSON

LAS VEGAS

Seniors and Social Security

To the editor:

Regarding Megan McArdle’s column, once again we have someone writing about Social Security and how it is destroying this country (“Where will all this money come from?” April 19 Review-Journal). Ms. McArdle obviously does not or will not in the future need this paltry sum to survive.

Ms. McArdle offers no solutions to fund the program, saying only that in her opinion, the government should not be the one to find or fund a solution. The average nonworker over the age of 65 collects $1,172 per month from Social Security. The current poverty level set by the U.S. government for a single person is $972.50 per month. This is a difference of $199.50 per month. No one is getting rich on Social Security.

Our government finds many ways to subsidize large and small corporations, and has even created a tax program that allows businesses to move their corporate offices to foreign countries in order to avoid paying income tax. If we can support corporations in this manner, then we should have no problem supporting our senior citizens. Our senior citizens have contributed to the growth and success of this nation throughout their lives.

Many companies have dismantled their pension and health benefits programs for employees, leaving a retiree entirely dependent on Social Security. I agree with only one thing Ms. McArdle wrote: that Social Security needs a solution. It is time to stop trying to convince younger generations that older generations are trying to rip them off.

KEN HAMM SR.

LAS VEGAS