LETTERS: Teachers contract not really all about the children

It shouldn't surprise any Clark County taxpayer that teachers in the Clark County Education Association voted to approve a new two-year contract that will set starting salaries at $40,000, an increase of 15.5 percent compared with the current starting salary of about $34,600 ("Teachers union members ratify proposed two-year contract," Sunday Review-Journal).

Nor should it surprise anyone that all existing employees will be put on the new salary schedule at a level higher than their current salary. Nor should it surprise anyone that teachers will receive a retroactive payment to cover the period from the start of the current school year until now. Nor should it surprise anyone that teachers also get a 2.25 percent pay raise four months after the new contract becomes effective.

Why should taxpayers not be surprised? Because it's all about the children. That's what teachers and their union always tell us; it's for the children. Hogwash. It's never about the children; it's always about the teachers. The confiscation of money from taxpayers in excess of what is actually needed to provide certain services is nothing more than legalized plunder. Unfortunately, we see that occur far too often at all levels of government. And that shouldn't surprise anyone.

Steven G. Hayes Sr.

Las Vegas

R-J ownership

I read with great interest the hypocrisy of your front-page editorial dealing with Sheldon Adelson's nondisclosure of his purchase of the Review-Journal ("We will continue to fight for your trust every day," Sunday Review-Journal). Mr. Adelson has every right to purchase the paper, just as the employees have every right to resign if they don't want to work there because they don't agree with or like him.

Les Kopf

Las Vegas

Buffett rule

Regarding the brief article on Hillary Clinton and tax rates for the wealthy ("Clinton proposes expanding 'Buffett rule,'" Thursday Review-Journal), since when does anyone, including a multibillionaire such as Warren Buffett, get to make his own rules? Perhaps that question seems funny, since many very rich people do make their own rules.

I find it quite interesting that Mr. Buffett wants to take money from hard-working, successful Americans and give it to the government, so that it can be wasted along with the trillions of dollars already lost. I am sure all Americans who strive for success want to give it away, with the exception of Warren Buffett, Hillary Clinton and all of their billionaire friends who will still be wealthy.

Mr. Buffett and Mrs. Clinton won't give one extra dollar to our government, which they have the right to do. But they want to destroy the American dream of working hard and becoming successful. The Clinton family — Hillary, Bill, Chelsea — and their foundation have more money than 95 percent of Americans will ever see. Yet Mrs. Clinton is seeking even more tax dollars, so that she can continue feeding at the government trough.

Through the years, we have seen how lower taxes propel our economy and bring success and happiness to the largest number of Americans. This is the time to tell Mrs. Clinton that we do not want her "Buffett rule" or any other rule that she dreams up. We want our nation to be a home for success, not a home for welfare and self-destruction.

Bob Dubin

Las Vegas