New trash proposal a no-brainer

I want to commend Herb Jaffe on his recent column in the Summerlin View on the proposed recycling/trash collection policy that the city of Las Vegas is now considering. As a resident of Las Vegas — and the McNeil neighborhood specifically — I have been extremely impressed with the recycling/trash pilot program we implemented a few years ago here. The system works perfectly and as advertised.

Trash and recycling are picked up every Tuesday and then on alternate Tuesdays we can leave out our larger items. Republic Services provides wheeled carts for both and has been really accommodating if we need a different size cart or if we have questions about what can go in the recycling bin — their customer service is just a phone call away.

I don’t know why it’s taken the city of Las Vegas, which prides itself on its renewable energy and sustainability programs, so long to join the rest of the valley in taking part in the new recycling program. North Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County have already adopted this program, and everyone I know in those jurisdictions is delighted with the ease and maneuverability of the carts, the convenience of single-stream recycling and the cleanliness of the neighborhoods on trash day.

As Mr. Jaffe pointed out, Republic Services will be making a huge investment in new trucks as well as absorbing the cost of individual carts. From my perspective, if a proposed contract extension is part of the plan to ensure that we keep the lowest garbage collection rates in the Southwest, that we get more convenient service and that our neighborhoods are cleaner and more attractive, then this is a no-brainer.

Lisa Weatherman

Las Vegas

Takes offense

So UNLV has decided to jettison the name of its student newspaper — a name that’s been in place since before the vast majority of us were born — because some people may be offended by the word “rebel.” Do you realize how ludicrous this is?

When will the white-washing of anything and everything that may offend somebody possibly end? Frankly, most rational people are tired of it.

Oops, I may have offended somebody with the term “white-washing.”

Larry Fuss

Las Vegas

Letter to Santa

I know it’s a busy time of year for Santa Donald, what with him becoming president and all, but there’s a nice present he could easily drop in the stockings of all us over the age of 65. It’s that pesky Obamacare thing.

Seems like the tax law allowing for the deduction of medical expenses was changed from a threshold of 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income to 10 percent of adjusted gross income. For those of us over 60, this tax increase was deferred until 2017. Guess what?

If Santa Donald could see his way clear to knocking this on the head in very short order, we seniors would be grateful.

Best wishes to Dasher, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, Prancer, Vixen, Rudolph and the rest of your new government.

Graham H. Tye

North Las Vegas