Mileage tax has too many loopholes

To the editor:

The proposed vehicle miles traveled tax is not well thought out (“ ‘Miles traveled’ gains interest,” August 13 Review-Journal). The only way to collect this would be for some agency to check your odometer every year. That would only work with vehicles that are actually registered in Nevada. Currently there are tens of thousands of parasites who live here and have their vehicles registered outside of Nevada, and the rest of us pay higher taxes to cover them.

If the fuel tax is decreased as part of the mileage tax, these parasites will get away even cheaper than before. Also, travelers fueling up in Nevada will get a break and not help pay for the roads and highways they use.

ROBERT RAIDER

HENDERSON

More Cops tax

To the editor:

The proposed sales tax increase for police departments is constantly being protested because people such as William Bane think it goes to benefits and raises (“Sales tax increase,” Friday letters). Metro officers haven’t had a raise in five or six years. Metro employees are also paying contributions to their retirement. So realistically, I see a pay decrease.

Then, when officers retire or leave the department for other endeavors, they are not replaced, due to department budget cuts in the millions of dollars. I don’t have a problem with the sales tax increase. I can handle 25 cents here or there on a $100 purchase. I want more cops on the streets.

THOMAS STEWART

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Calcium sulfate protesters

To the editor:

I’m glad the Review-Journal is so upbeat about our current state of affairs that it can confidently run such a funny story as the one on the sidewalk chalk issue (“Protest of police could lead to jail time,” Thursday Review-Journal). Immediately next to the horrible events taking place in Egypt, we get to hear how law enforcement didn’t state the size of the spilled coffee that erased some chalk. Ha, ha.

After composing myself and reading further, I found myself in complete agreement with defense lawyer Robert Langford. Of course law enforcement racked the costs up so they could get higher charges; that’s what bullies do. Did any officers cite the woman who allegedly spilled the coffee? Coffee is a lot harder to clean off a sidewalk, especially after it dries. I wonder how much that would’ve cost if it didn’t help clean up the chalk.

Oh, and thanks for the helpful bit about the colored chalk being made from calcium sulfate. I wrote that down in my notes for later use. Did law enforcement write that down in their reports? Were you afraid us yokels never heard of colored chalk before? How does that keep the story going? Did you run out of words?

Law enforcement seems to think right and rights are always on its side. As long as officers are enforcing the law, they can go about their day with impunity and total disregard for the peons they serve. Those in the media also need to learn consideration, especially when their callousness will be seen by those of us who are fed up and sickened with the lawmakers and enforcers. Thank you for this opportunity. I’m going over to Toys R Us now to get a compound of calcium sulfate.

JOHN DI CARLO

HENDERSON

Horse tripping

To the editor:

I had to read your Friday editorial “Horse roping” twice to make sure I was reading correctly. When did we do away with journalistic integrity? This was an incredibly irresponsible and misinformed piece that was obviously not well-researched.

Readers who are not familiar with the horse roping issue were greatly misled by what was written about the sport. Horses from these events don’t go to slaughter? Give me a break. Does anyone truly think that someone is going to pay good money for an animal that is predisposed to injury and possible death? A great majority of the horses are inexpensively obtained from auctions, where they are destined for the slaughterhouse.

We’re not talking about the beautiful animals that the charros own, ride and care for. We’re talking about the disposable commodities, the roping victims. They’re the collateral damage of these entertainment events. A bit of research can go a long way and will confirm that these horses are not adequately taken care of, suffer psychological harm, physical injury and all too often do get a ride to the slaughterhouse, where further horrors await them.

There is a plethora of online information, including footage, for anyone who cares enough to educate themselves. I wish the individual who had written that editorial had done so.

ANNOULA WYLDERICH

LAS VEGAS

Solar power

To the editor:

Why can’t American consumers have affordable solar power installed on all of our residences? The utility companies could form co-operatives to install, maintain and manufacture the systems. Once all American consumers have been taken care of, the utility companies could export systems worldwide.

The utility companies would save money because they would not have to supply so much power during peak periods. They would realize further savings by not having to grovel to the fossil fuel industry.

The consumers could pay by the month for the solar-powered systems, using the savings on their utility bills. The savings to consumers would be injected into our economy, and there would be many employment opportunities that don’t yet exist. This endeavor would go a long way toward reducing our national debt and unemployment.

NICHOLAS GARTNER

HENDERSON