LETTERS: ESAs boost public school per-student funding

Left-leaning columnist Steve Sebelius bemoans the fact that higher-income families seem to be applying for Education Savings Accounts at a greater rate than low-income families ("The wealthy, not the poor, apply for ESAs," Sunday Review-Journal). I am not sure why Mr. Sebelius cares.

Maybe he believes escaping from the behemoth Clark County School District is a good thing that benefits any child who can get out, but since not all families can afford this good thing, the better-off families should be forced to remain. This is the same argument that because there are not enough lifeboats for everyone, no one should be allowed off a sinking ship.

But the reality is it doesn't matter who takes the money and runs, because the funds paid out are about half of what the Clark County School District has in its annual budget per student. The more students who leave public schools with ESA funding, the more money per student remains with the school district. The math with rounded off numbers works like this: There are about 300,000 students in the Clark County School District, and there is about $3 billion total in operating money, which is about $10,000 per student. The amount of ESA funds offered to leave the district is about $5,000 per student per year.

If all 150,000 students in the upper half of income took the $5,000 in ESA money and depart the district, it will cost a total of $750 million. The school district would still have $2.25 billion to educate the remaining 150,000 students, which is $15,000 per student, a 50 percent increase.

The education-industrial complex has been complaining for decades that it doesn't have enough per-student funding to do its job. ESAs guarantee more money per student, yet the same people fight the program and label it as unfair.

John M. McGrail

Las Vegas

Sebelius' journalism

In his column on CNBC's Republican presidential debate, Steve Sebelius attempted to rationalize the obvious liberal media bias exposed in the proceedings ("Bashing media is easy; debating is hard," Friday Review-Journal). His shallow dismissal and lame excuse is, "So what? Everybody's biased." He claims to be a "longtime journalist," then corrects the record to report that he's also "a columnist … paid to write my opinion." Somehow he must have missed the fairness lectures in his journalism classes.

Rather than "journalist," a more accurate description of Mr. Sebelius would be biased apologist for liberal distortions. Columns should be appraised accordingly. Taken alone, journalism loses in his opinions. True fairness is evidenced by the fact that his bias is given prominent exposure on the Review-Journal's Opinion pages.

Pat Sharp

Las Vegas

NV Energy and solar

The article describing the new solar energy plant in Tonopah was fascinating ("Day in the sun," Sunday Review-Journal). The article states that NV Energy agreed to buy the plant's entire load for 13.5 cents per kWh for 25 years. Clearly, NV Energy should also be willing to pay rooftop solar owners the same amount rather than the measly 4 cents it has offered.

Since energy from rooftop solar goes to nearby neighbors, the cost of the transmission is virtually zero. Thus, at 13.5 cents, NV Energy gets a better deal from rooftop solar than buying from the Tonopah plant. Case closed.

Gary Musser

Las Vegas

Church of Bacon

One has to wonder who thought it was appropriate, cute or funny to dedicate two-thirds of the Religion page to something called the Church of Bacon, in an article that at best should have been placed in the the entertainment section ("Church of Bacon cooks up ambitious plans for center," Saturday Review-Journal). Perhaps someone should tell the reporter and editor that most people take their religion and faith a little more seriously.

It was also interesting that Oct. 30 was designated by Congress as a National Day of Remembrance for Cold War patriots who worked in nuclear facilities throughout the country and contributed so much to the United States winning the Cold War. That includes the approximately 150,000 Southern Nevadans who since 1951 have worked at the Nevada Test Site.

Gov. Brian Sandoval saw fit to send a wonderful message to a remembrance event held at the National Atomic Testing Museum, Rep. Dina Titus saw fit (again) to come and personally express her gratitude, as did the offices of Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Joe Heck. But there were no reporters from the media — print, radio or TV. Perhaps they were too busy working on high-interest stories such as the Church of Bacon. And we wonder about the direction our country is rapidly heading?

Nick Aquilina

Las Vegas