LETTERS: Accountability the issue on margins tax

To the editor:

Columnist John L. Smith exemplifies the word “hypocrite” when he mockingly admits surrendering to the margins tax opponents (“All right, we get message on No. 3,” Tuesday Review-Journal). He calls the Review-Journal, the Las Vegas Sun and the Reno Gazette-Journal “ink-stained curmudgeons” — that term sounds like a candy Willie Wonka made in his chocolate factory — while ironically preaching from his bully pulpit on the front page of the Nevada section.

The problem with school funding is that enough is never enough. If money translated into improved grades for kids (that is what the conversation is about, right?), that would mean by now our kids should all be geniuses. But that’s not the case, because that is not how the education industry works.

Teachers get little of the increased taxes. Professors, deans and union administrators get the six-figure salaries and benefits, while little cash trickles down to the teachers in the trenches.

One of the larger issues affecting education funding is illegal immigration. As waves of undocumented immigrants wash into our state, the education system is expected to service them. Just recently, taxpayers had to pay $50 million just to teach the immigrants English before they were even taught the “three R’s” — reading, writing and ’rithmetic. Schools have become the state’s new nanny, with teachers serving as surrogate parents.

All of these services extrapolate into more taxpayer money, while teachers having less of their valuable time to teach. It means that not only are some teachers underpaid, but that they also spend their own hard-earned money buying supplies for their students. They shouldn’t have to. Donation drives have become commonplace to make up for the lack of money that actually filters into the schools.

Voters said no to the margins tax because taxpayers tire of the never-ending cycle of pouring billions of dollars into a system that is not accountable for an acceptable end result. Perhaps Mr. Smith should investigate how to fix the system by holding politicians and educators responsible, instead of the old standby quick fix of yet another tax increase. He has the pulpit to do it.

RON MOERS

HENDERSON

Uber confusion

To the editor:

Let me get this straight. A judge said that what Uber is doing is illegal, and that its drivers can still be cited. But as far as his court is concerned, Uber drivers can continue to operate? (“Uber gets go-ahead in court,” Oct. 30 Review-Journal). What? How can a judge say something is illegal, but that it’s OK to keep doing it?

DAVID SEXTON

LAS VEGAS

Midterm attack ads

To the editor:

Now that the election is over, I am greatly relieved that Marilyn Dondero Loop was not elected. During her state Senate campaign, I was bombarded over and over with negative ads against her opponent, Patricia Farley. I considered most charges to be gross distortions, half-truths and overstatements, bordering on libel.

After a while, the credibility and deportment of Ms. Dondero Loop became suspect. It is a proven fact that negative ads work, but there’s such a thing as going too far. As a result of the campaign, I will never consider Ms. Dondero Loop for any position of responsibility, and I encourage others to do the same.

Let the word go forth to the political consultants and the Democratic Party: constant berating of the opponents puts your candidates at risk. Lest I am accused of bias, I am and have always been a registered nonpartisan.

PAT SHARP

LAS VEGAS