LETTERS: Years of service a key overlooked component in PERS payouts

To the editor:

Whenever state Sen. Tick Segerblom writes a letter to the editor, you can be sure of a few things: He will support the institution of government and defend those inside the institution, and he will only tell you what he wants you to know, leaving out important information you need to make an informed decision. Case in point: his Feb. 7 letter (“NPRI’s divisive study of Nevada PERS overlooks bulk of recipients”).

Sen. Segerblom railed against the Nevada Policy Research Institute’s report on the massive abuses at the top of the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System ladder. Sen. Segerblom demanded we focus on the average PERS retirement benefit. It sounded like a reasonable demand to me, provided it included information Sen. Segerblom conveniently left out — namely, years of service.

So, directly from PERS for 2014, the regular retired member average benefit was $32,472 annually, from an average of about 19 years of service, and the police/fire average benefit was $57,456 and about 22 years of service.

I think every Nevadan has no problem providing a decent retirement to government employees. But this? This can be defined a lot of different ways, but “decent” is not one of them.

KNIGHT ALLEN

LAS VEGAS

Stretched school system

To the editor:

Regarding Layna Woods’ letter (“Unions and public schools,” Feb. 5 Review-Journal), the union that represents teachers is a toothless tiger that has never been at the forefront for those teachers. It can be best described as a company union.

Firing incompetent teachers begs the question: Who will make that determination — what exactly is incompetence? And where are you going to get qualified teachers when there are more than 600 vacancies in the Clark County School District every year? This year, there will be at least 1,500.

The graduation standards have been lowered to move more kids through a system that is severely overcrowded, and it will be this way for years to come. Math, science, history — who will teach those subjects when fewer college graduates are opting for teaching careers?

No one stops kids from going to the library to read books. Perhaps parents need to pay more attention to their children and be a source of encouragement.

Providing a 1 percent raise after nearly eight years of service does not encourage any teachers to come to Las Vegas. Good teachers are not cheap, and cheap teachers are not good.

WALTER GOLDSTEIN

HENDERSON

Stadium strategy

To the editor:

Mayor Carolyn Goodman and the Las Vegas City Council are bound and determined to have taxpayers subsidize the downtown soccer stadium, to the point of trying to change the city’s zoning code (“Stadium foes fear city maneuver,” Feb. 12 Review-Journal). All this to prevent taxpayers from voting on the project. And even if voters say no, the project could still happen.

City officials say this text amendment bill amounts to little more than a cleanup item. For what? To be sure they can bypass citizens on the stadium scam, preventing voters from stopping the project?

But will the mayor and the three council members who supported the stadium vote to adopt a code change now that their intentions are out in the open? Mayor Goodman and Councilman Ricki Barlow will vote to disregard what taxpayers think of the city’s ploy to subsidize a stadium. City Planning Commissioner Ric Truesdell reportedly supported the zoning code text amendment. And Acting Planning Director Tom Perrigo said staff had been working on the amendment since October, before the anti-stadium signature petition drive.

I think the remark by Mr. Perrigo that the amendment was “just planning’s attempt to promote clarity” was right on the mark. That clarity is that city officials don’t want citizens to be able to vote on the city’s give-it-away project.

With all this determination to prevent voters from weighing in on the stadium, it would be interesting to know just what commitments were made in all the behind-the-scenes negotiations that went on and showed so much disregard for the public.

ALBERT WENGERT

BOULDER CITY

Williams and Obama

To the editor:

I don’t understand what all the hoopla is surrounding NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams’ situation. What’s the big deal? After all, President Barack Obama lies to the public every day, and the media doesn’t call him out on it, except for Fox News. Can someone please explain the difference?

MARLENE DROZD

LAS VEGAS

Kyle’s selfless legacy

To the editor:

Steve Danning’s letter noted that Chris Kyle invited scrutiny with his book and movie, “American Sniper,” describing the decision as a way to promote his accomplishments as a Navy SEAL, as well as bringing to light a group of individuals who chose not to be recognized (“Skilled Navy SEAL Kyle invited scrutiny,” Feb. 3 Review-Journal).

I don’t see it that way. Frankly, if that is what a person sees, then they missed the whole point. Mr. Kyle didn’t give away any secrets of the SEALs. He portrayed his role, his experiences and the baggage he had to carry. It represented what thousands of veterans have to deal with.

I have read his book, seen the movie and watched a great number of interviews involving Mr. Kyle. Not for a second did I see any kind of “look at me” or “look what I did” mentality. Everything he did was for and about his guys. Maybe instead of criticizing Mr. Kyle, people should follow his lead and help our veterans. You don’t have to serve in the armed forces to do it.

THOMAS MILLER

PAHRUMP