No reason to raise property tax caps
I was appalled to see the article about property tax caps and the poor reason justifying the need for an increase (“Local officials seek help with caps,” Monday Review-Journal). The current 3 percent cap is more than the zero percent Social Security increase for 2016.
Plus, tax revenue is derived from any home sale’s increased value, and there are taxes from any new homes built. What do government officials wish to do with all this extra money? Why can’t they live within a fixed budget, without always asking for more in a deceitful way and presenting a graph to show they are losing money? That was the reason for the 2005 cap. Increasing home prices do not put money in homeowners’ pockets to pay higher taxes.
Local agencies receive higher tax revenues when the house sells and a real fair market value is set. Not before.
Bill Leeds
Las Vegas
Romney in the wrong
With regard to the Republican presidential campaign, Mitt Romney is the worst of the worst. He could have run at the start of the 2016 campaign, but he decided to stay out. Then, earlier this month, he went after front-runner Donald Trump for one reason: Mr. Romney wants a brokered convention. There was an article in which he stated that if there is a brokered convention, he would accept the nomination if he were drafted. That was his plan all along.
After others slugged it out through all the debates and traveling all these months, Mr. Romney then comes after Trump, not to knock Mr. Trump out, but to make it harder to get the delegates he needs, so that Mr. Romney can jump in and save the country. That makes me sick. He lost once and he’d lose again, because he has no guts.
If Mr. Romney wanted to be president, he should have started when everyone else did.
William Whitney
Las Vegas
Trashing Mount Charleston
Mount Charleston and its residents have lived peacefully on the mountain for many years and formed many friendships in their neighborhoods. They live within the rules and regulations of the state and the forestry department and believe in preserving the area and its natural beauty and wildlife.
Public areas were open for visitors to enjoy and use with this same respect in mind. Private homes and neighborhoods in Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon were give the same respect as in any city or area neighborhood. But this pristine area, once shared, enjoyed and respected by all, is under attack. Residents have had homes burglarized and vandalized, and there’s been little regard from Mount Charleston visitors. Residents have to continually police and clean up their homes, yards and neighborhoods, especially on the weekends.
There are open public and fee areas for people to enjoy the mountain facilities. Unfortunately, those areas can only accommodate a small percentage of the people who overwhelm the area. Then people and problems flow into private homes and property.
Law enforcement, the forestry service, highway patrol and volunteer police cannot handle the influx of traffic and people using a very limited space. Roads and driveways are blocked by illegal parking. Traffic gridlock makes it impossible for emergency vehicles to get through. Trash of all sorts is left in public and private areas, making those areas unsafe and unsanitary.
To say there is not enough funding is not an adequate answer, not while the destruction of this pristine area continues for the people who live there.
Vicki Sromalla
Las Vegas
Meaningless votes
The great Mark Twain once said, “If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.” Republicans and Democrats proved him right this year. Every Republican I’ve talked to supports Donald Trump, and every Democrat supports Bernie Sanders. The will of the people no longer means a thing.
Robert Matusiewicz
Las Vegas
