Is a new trash-hauling deal garbage?

Republic Services is once again asking the city of Las Vegas to dump an existing contract and accept another long-term trash and recycling deal. Why are they so eager to do a deal and who benefits?

County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani is spot on about the need for the city to do its due diligence (Sunday Review-Journal) when it comes to Republic Service’s sole-source contract offers. Republic always proposes to significantly reduce the total number of trash/recycling hauling trips they make to everyone’s home every year. No doubt they will also replace their worn-out trucks with more efficient ones over time while eliminating several hundred workers.

Some increase in recycling will likely occur but that also benefits Republic since it already has its recycling center built and staffed. So Republic, with this deal, saves at least 20 percent on fuel, vehicle mileage, maintenance and labor costs — and if we aren’t really careful, we the people just might get trashed.

Given that Republic has contributed nearly $300,000 to the campaign coffers of local and state politicians — including Las Vegas City Council members Bob Beers, Bob Coffin, Stavros Anthony and Steve Ross — we might conclude that a new city sole-source garbage contract may be preordained.

Or maybe these elected officials with a conflict of interest should abstain from voting.

Richard Rychtarik

Las Vegas

Great idea

I knew it was too good to be true. The governor does not put the school choice plan on the special session agenda due to the possibility of the Oakland Raiders coming to Las Vegas and the building of a super-stadium. This super-stadium will increase traffic to an intolerable level on the Strip. And the famous fans of the Raiders may increase the lawlessness, putting local folks in danger.

I was quite proud of our governor when he nudged us toward the future with a great plan to help our children escape low-rated schools, giving them a better chance in life — a better future.

I’m disappointed in Gov. Brian Sandoval and wonder if the education savings accounts will go the way of other great ideas.

Mary Jo Rhodes

Las Vegas

Horse play

I agree with Patience O’Dowd in her outrage on the slaughtering of wild horses (Sunday commentary). Politicians seem to love these beautiful creatures only when they are immortalized in iron along the Interstate 15 in various poses of grandeur. Perhaps they feel it helps the tourist romanticize he is in the Wild West and not here simply for the gambling.

If we euthanize all the horses, all we will have left is memories. Can you imagine if we felt the same way about the 30 million feral cats and dogs out there? Dog lovers would be up in arms.

Zebras and wild horses do exist in other countries, i.e. Russia, Africa, Australia. We seem to have the compassion (and tons of money) for tortoises, pupfish, sage grouse and the like, but not for our true heritage — the wild horse.

It’s not like we don’t have a gazillion acres under government control to house them. All we have to do is look at Cliven Bundy’s cattle. They somehow seem to make it.

Ron Moers

Henderson