Nevada citizens don’t want to pay
To the editor:
Such irony. After this state voted for President Obama last November, we now have a Legislature that is strongly Democratic. Yet lawmakers seem determined to cave in on every priority the president and the people value. Education. Social services. Economic assistance for the unemployed and incentives for mortgage renegotiation. Even health care. If this current flu becomes pandemic, we do not even have a fully functioning public hospital.
You do get what you pay for in this capitalist world, and the citizens of Nevada choose not to pay. "Taxing" the teachers and the state employees should be just the beginning. What about the rest of us? The broader business community? The mining industry?
So far, this reminds me of the George Bush approach to war: Members of the military sacrifice, and the rest of us pretend we don't know that.
The future of this state depends on an educated and enlightened work force, on a broad expansion of economic activity which will be attracted only by an educated work force, on social services and health care that can be trusted, on a state government that appears progressive and innovative rather than the old-boy Republican "just say no" approach.
We deserve better.
Beneth B. Morrow
LAS VEGAS
Message received
To the editor:
Many people may not be aware that May 4 to 8 has been designated as Teacher Appreciation Week. If they were aware of this fact, then the headline article in Tuesday's Review-Journal must have seemed a bit ironic. After all, the article spoke about effective pay cuts of 4 percent for Clark County's teachers, while at the same time, we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week.
I think this is a strange way to show appreciation, and would just like to say: Message received ... loud and clear.
John DelQuadro
LAUGHLIN
New revenue
To the editor:
Perhaps our legislators should look at the possibility of creating a new revenue stream by imposing a fee for all payments made for services rendered in Nevada that are processed by an out-of-state processing service. It would be similar to an ATM fee charged by the banks.
For example, my city of Las Vegas sewer bills -- as well as Republic Services bills -- are processed in Phoenix. My Summerlin North Homeowners Association bill is sent to Atlanta for processing, and I'm certain there are other companies operating in our state that are also processing their payments out of state.
I believe each of the entities I mentioned above has enough clout that they could demand, and receive, comparable fees for their bills to be processed in Nevada. By doing so, this would create additional jobs for Nevada residents. If this service is not currently available at competitive prices, I would guess that an enterprising Nevada-owned bank could see fit to offer this service given enough volume to warrant its creation.
Bob Huggins
LAS VEGAS
School closure
To the editor:
As a Las Vegas resident, I am concerned about the outbreak of the swine flu across the country. But I disagree with the federal guidelines issued to states about closing schools for 14 days. Those two weeks can have an effect on students' learning.
Besides, there is no need to do this because there is a 50 to 60 percent chance that students can get the flu at home or at school.
I don't think the flu has gotten that severe to close down schools. If the state is concerned, then I believe officials should make every parent take their child to the doctor for a swine flu check up. Also parents should have a doctor's letter stating that their child does not have the swine flu.
I hope that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees and rethinks the state guidelines for the best of the children.
ARACELI ROBLES
LAS VEGAS
National nurse
To the editor:
The proposal by letter writer Patricia van Betten advocating a "national nurse" was laughable. Creating another government bureaucracy to spend millions of dollars to improve the nation's health will be as effective as the Department of Energy has been in making us energy independent and the Department of Education has been in producing intelligent, knowledgeable and capable students.
Stan Ames
HENDERSON
Speech police
To the editor:
The way to curtail objectionable speech on Fremont Street is simple:
Just give UNLV control over the sidewalks. Then if someone gets his feelings hurt, there will be repercussions.
Edward J. Finley
LAS VEGAS
