LETTERS: PERS not in need of major reforms
To the editor:
Nevada does not use public funds to pay the retirement benefits of the retirees who are in the Public Employees Retirement System. When state or local governments hire an employee, there is a contract that specifies salary and benefits. The benefits include an amount for the employee’s retirement account.
Each payday, the salary is paid to the employee, and an agreed upon amount is put into the PERS account and held for the employee. Once these amounts are paid, the money no longer belongs to the public. The PERS account is not the public’s money — the money belongs to the employees. It is their retirement money.
So far, the PERS system has made all payments on time. If every employee retired today and claimed their retirement payment, there would not be enough to pay everyone, hence the term “unfunded liability.” But if you have a car loan or a home mortgage, you have an unfunded liability. It is not necessary to have an unfunded liability of zero. Your car loan and your mortgage will be paid over time. Not all employees will retire today.
PERS has been adjusted in the past and can be adjusted when needed in the future. Make adjustments as needed, but leave the system alone.
PAUL AIZLEY
LAS VEGAS
The writer is a former Democratic assemblyman.
Voting and jury duty
To the editor:
If not voting is a crime, then let the punishment fit the crime. I hereby submit that those of us who vote be exempt, for one year (or more), from jury duty. Those who don’t vote should move to the head of the jury duty line. That would solve the problem, with no monetary penalties, and the nonvoters’ civil rights will be used for a better good.
TED HARGIS
LAS VEGAS
The pope’s power
To the editor:
I thought the article regarding Pope Francis’ Easter message was very interesting in that he mentioned the martyrdom of Christians at the hands of Muslims in the Middle East and Africa (“In grim message, pope denounces persecution,” April 6 Review-Journal). If the pope really wanted to do something to bring these atrocities to the attention of the world, he would be well-served by inviting the heads of all Christian denominations to Rome for a meeting to address and find a solution for the mass murders of Christians at the hands of radical Muslims.
The time for political correctness on this issue is long over. Radical Muslims are waging a holy war against all Christians. Anyone who still thinks that what groups such as ISIS are doing is political in nature is sadly misinformed. As the leader of the largest Christian denomination, Pope Francis has it within his power to rally all Christians against the segment of a religion that commits wholesale murder on those perceived to be “infidels.”
We cannot continue to just pray for these martyrs. They are no longer in need of our prayers. We need to bring worldwide attention to those Christians being actively persecuted. Pope Francis is in the ideal position to do something other than pay lip service to those who have been massacred.
BARBARA MAZUR
LAS VEGAS
Start horsing around
To the editor:
There is never a mention in the Review-Journal sports section of major equestrian events that take place in Las Vegas. I’m not talking about horse racing, but the World Equestrian Games — being held here this week — and the Las Vegas Nationals at the South Point every November, plus local and regional competitions throughout the year.
Not only do we have hundreds of great local young people involved in these sports, but world-class athletes come to town for these events. We did find out in the March 26 Review-Journal that “Australia stormed to a 95-run victory over defending champion India in Sydney to reach the final of Cricket’s World Cup.” Ho-hum.
Maybe one of your sports writers could give it a try and find that horse sports are real sports with conditioned athletes (both horse and rider) and dangerous competition.
RAYMOND J. ZWIERZYCKI
LAS VEGAS
