Promote incentives, not dependency

To the editor:

The new Catholic pope, Francis, has declared his primary goal will be to serve the poor, and this could be a noble, worthwhile undertaking if approached correctly.

The wrong way will be to solicit alms for the poor. This will just increase dependency and kill incentive. Our welfare state and experiment with the Great Society have been a perfect example.

The pope should encourage, in every way, the rich to utilize their resources to employ the poor and make them productive. He should concentrate on those things in society that create the poor. A short list would be education and training, substance abuse, a lack of family values and moral and ethical principles.

When the subject of the poor comes up, I am often reminded of the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” And with the poor, you can offer them a chance to better themselves, but if they refuse to apply themselves, then society has fulfilled its obligation. They are not entitled to be fed and entertained just because they exist.

BURTON J. SIMPSON

LAS VEGAS

Driving away business

To the editor:

With Nevada unemployment just below 10 percent, the cowards in Carson City are tossing the creation of a margins tax to the people. We have seen in state elections, and certainly in our national elections, that people tend to overwhelming vote to raise taxes on others.

With California businesses fleeing that state, Nevada has an opportunity to capitalize on California’s poor choices. Instead of doing everything we can to encourage those businesses to relocate here, we are ensuring they will go to states like Texas.

Additionally, businesses that approach the margin cap will be reluctant to expand. Combined, this will cost thousands of desperately needed Nevada jobs.

We need incentives to help businesses expand and hire, not to go elsewhere. How is it possible those we elect to ensure the economic viability of our state are so clueless about economics?

JACK CLARK

HENDERSON

Garbage stinks

To the editor:

I live in the Ventana Canyon subdivision off Stephanie Street in Henderson. Our garbage pickup day is Saturday. Think about it: Two large cans sitting outside each home on the day when most people have family and friends visit, plan BBQs, weddings, birthday and graduation parties, etc. Makes for a great look.

If guests park on the street on such occasions, the garbage truck can’t get close to the cans. For us, that’s not the only problem. People who go away weekends in the summer have to leave their trash cans out for several days so as not to miss the one and only pickup on Saturday. Our association rules prohibit leaving garbage cans out longer than necessary.

I am sure a lot of homeowners in my community plan weekend getaways or short camping trips in the summer and will find they have the same conundrum: Stay home to wait till the garbage truck empties the cans, leave the cans out for days and face a fine while they enjoy a weekend away, or store their garbage another week in a hot garage.

I have tried contacting the city of Henderson and Republic Services, and it seems nothing can be done. But there is something that can be done.

Republic Services could schedule a second pickup on a weekday to accommodate our community. That’s not asking too much, seeing as how we are asked to subsidize the upgrading of a private business and increase its bottom line by recycling and paying the same fee for half the service.

KATHLEEN GIBBONS

HENDERSON

Save the money

To the editor:

Can someone explain to the taxpayers why the Clark County School Board has to hire an outside firm and pay thousands of dollars to find a replacement superintendent? Why not just give the unanimously chosen Pat Skorkowsky the title of superintendent and remove the word “interim”?

He has been the deputy, knows what needs to be done and should be quite capable of filling the position. Then take the thousands of dollars that would be saved by ending the search and put it into the schools.

JOHN HAROLD

HENDERSON

What contract?

To the editor:

Once again a Clark County official at the top leaves office after a short two years. Superintendent Dwight Jones takes the money and runs. Hopefully taxpayers will get a complete itemization of all the compensation Mr. Jones will take with him.

Taxpayers must insist that any future government department heads fulfill a certain number of years of service and otherwise limit the compensation they can cash in.

Seems to be the norm that many department heads enjoy the ride for a few years and then retire to wealth and happiness.

TODD N. WHEELAN

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Drought is everywhere

To the editor:

The Southern Nevada Water Authority has spent a lot of public money and time in planning a pipeline from rural Northern Nevada to drought-stricken Southern Nevada. The planning has been vehemently challenged by environmental groups and Northern Nevadans, but continues. Lake Mead, the primary source of water for Las Vegas, is now 97.56 feet below its full level, and the pipeline seems increasingly necessary.

The pipeline is also an increasingly foolish idea. It does not make any sense to try to bring water from one drought area to another. In the March 1 edition of the Lincoln County Record, the Bureau of Land Management, Ely District, sought comment regarding a “Drought Management Environmental Assessment.” They are running out of water in Northern Nevada.

According to the article in the Lincoln County Record, “More than 60 percent of the state was in severe or extreme drought conditions as of Jan. 1.” According to monitoring by the BLM, in the White Pine and Lincoln County area, “The 2012 growing season produced little forage, and the remains of that forage are of poor quality.”

The report goes on to note that “Many water sources are dry or dried up much earlier in the grazing season, resulting in additional grazing pressure on areas around remaining water sources by all users.” According to the report, the drought has caused “long-lasting damage to plants, stream channels, spring areas and water quality.”

Am I the only one who thinks that the attempt to move water from one drought area to another is strange?

EVAN BLYTHIN

BLUE DIAMOND