Laughlin devastated by lack of county grants

To the editor:

According to Clark County's Web site, "Clark County annually makes funding available to non-profit and other public agencies that provide services of substantial benefit to the residents of Clark County."

We thought with the depressed economy and limited budgets now being experienced that the Clark County Commission would look beyond politics to prioritize needs as never before. It was extremely disappointing to learn on Sept. 1 that commissioners unanimously approved 54 outside agency grants, totaling $2.9 million, without a cent allocated for the basic needs of Laughlin residents. Approved grants largely supported the urban Las Vegas Valley, while little was set aside for the rest of Clark County.

The Colorado River Food Bank, the only food bank serving Laughlin and Searchlight, had requested $27,000 and $13,000, respectively, to operate those programs. The Colorado River Food Bank had received Clark County outside agency grant funding for the past 15 years. A $1.6 million food bank building has been under development since 2003 and is finally nearing completion, but the entire operating budget has been lost because of the lack of any grant assistance from Clark County.

The Colorado River Food Bank is currently providing food to 1,200 people in Laughlin and 150 people in Searchlight every month. What is a more basic need than food?

The Southern Nevada Transit Coalition that operates as Silver Rider bus service had requested $17,100 to provide fare assistance for limited-income new workers to get to work in Laughlin and for stranded travelers to get back home or to family members. SNTC also requested $39,219 for its successful ongoing senior transportation in Boulder City and $26,836 for a new senior transportation program in Mesquite, where none exists. All of those requests were for transportation needs for limited-income workers, seniors, or stranded travelers where there are no other affordable transportation options available. Not a cent was approved in Clark County outside agency grant funding.

The Laughlin Family Resource Center requested $15,600 for Meals on Wheels, social services case work, commodities distribution, work card issuance, parenting classes and student nutrition programs. Some level of Clark County outside agency grant funding had been available since at least 1996 for these valuable programs. Not a cent was approved for 2009-10.

Yes, we realize that there is a limited amount of grant funding to spread between many requests. Therefore, it seems that the decisions should be based on priority of need, rather than politics, location or favorite programs. Part of the outside grant funding approved for the urban area included funds for the symphony, a parade and a new teen drop-in center to check e-mail (already available at public libraries) -- funds that would help to feed the hungry, provide transportation for seniors and limited-income workers, and provide needed social services in Laughlin, Searchlight, Boulder City, Mesquite and other non-urban areas of Clark County.

We request that any available steps be taken to correct the 2009-10 priorities in outside agency grant approval by the Clark County commissioners. At the very least, a better process should be put in place for future grant approval.

JIM BODLEY

BARBARA BODLEY

LAUGHLIN

Real grass roots

To the editor:

Looking at your reports of those demonstrating for nationalized health care, it struck me how to know the difference between a real grass-roots demonstration and a paid-for-production by unions or other allied organizations.

Look at those assembled and scan the signs they carry. If the signs are all preprinted, all the same or express maybe two sentiments, it is paid for. Most likely those who are demonstrating are being paid to be there, either by an organization or their employers because of an agreement with that organization.

Look again, and if the signs are hand-produced with magic markers and cover myriad subjects and views, it is a grass-roots demonstration. The people attending are not being paid, and probably are taking time off of work because they deem it is so important for them to be there.

Thomas Alton

LAS VEGAS

Capitalism rocks

To the editor:

In response to David L. Sullivan's Thursday letter to the editor, "A shameful defense of capitalism":

Walter Williams was correct in his Wednesday column, "If you're poor, where would you want to live?" Mr. Sullivan is way off base. Mr. Sullivan questions Mr. Williams' sources. (What? No government surveys? Horrors!) Mr. Sullivan then cites hearsay as his source, saying he is "consistently reading about children going to school without breakfast." My money is with Mr. Williams, who undoubtedly has done more research and study on the subject (he's an economics professor at George Mason University).

Our "poor" are significantly better off than the poor of most other nations. Only in this country are poor people fat. Check out the average citizen of Somalia if you want to see what a truly poor person looks like. And, on top of being able to eat a lot and regularly, our "poor" do have automobiles, TVs, cell phones, microwaves, computers and so forth.

Capitalism may not a perfect economic system, but it beats the heck out of all the others, be they Marxism, socialism, fascism, etc. If you don't believe it, Mr. Sullivan, I invite you to move to a country where capitalism is not the prevailing system.

By the way, have you noticed that the poor of other nations are doing whatever necessary to come here? If capitalism is so bad, why do the poor of other countries risk life and limb to work among us?

Dave Downer

HENDERSON

Ignoring the law

To the editor:

Where is the outrage over the Democratic power play going on in the liberal state of Massachusetts? It is clear evidence of the corruption in politics.

Massachusetts Democrats are changing and ignoring the law so a Democrat fill-in for "Chappaquiddick" Teddy Kennedy can immediately fill his U.S. Senate seat.

Democrats passed a law requiring a special election years ago, to prevent a Republican governor from appointing a Republican to fill Sen. John Kerry's seat in the event that he won the presidency. Now they tell us they don't want to follow the law and hold a special election to fill Sen. Kennedy's seat. They want to appoint a Democrat at once, so they passed a new law doing away with the special election requirement so the Democrat governor can appoint a Democrat to fill the seat.

Where is the outrage from Republicans, independents, the general public and, most of all, from the media, over what is happening to this country, when corrupt politicians can ignore laws and their state constitutions and do as they please?

AL WENGERT

BOULDER CITY