Las Vegas taxpayers now on hook for road work to support NFL stadium

Nevada taxpayers have been bamboozled yet again. A Wednesday story in the Review-Journal, “NDOT expects bonds to pay for stadium roads,” reveals that “State bonds will likely cover roughly $200 million in improvements meant to relieve freeway traffic near the 62-acre stadium site for NFL’s Raiders.” How will those bonds be paid back? With money accrued from the new — not extended — fuel index tax voters were duped into approving back in November, of course.

How could we have ever believed approving the measure would be good for us? First, conspicuous signs starting appearing in the summer months claiming the construction we were currently suffering through had been paid for by the previous fuel index tax increase. Second, we were told projects such as the Spaghetti Bowl and the Interstate 215 flyover would be severely delayed or halted if the measure was not approved.

A clever scare tactic.

The final and perhaps most distressing rationale was that many voters believed that they were merely extending the fuel tax already in place from 2013. For these reasons, as well as others, we must all now suffer the consequences as we watch those with more power spend our money however they see fit.

At this time, adding another $200 million to the record breaking $750 million already on tap to support the Raider move to Las Vegas seems to be the most pressing issue to those who run this city.

But what do I know? I’d rather do research than watch football.