What, exactly, are college students’ demands?

To the editor:

As a student at UNLV, I have not been impressed with the rallies and petitions to stop Gov. Jim Gibbons' proposed budget cuts.

On campus, there is a lot of talk about how awful the cuts would be, but there is almost no talk of what should be done instead.

I don't like the cuts any more than anyone else. I don't agree with the areas or magnitude of the governor's cuts, but I applaud a man willing to make difficult decisions. One he has made is to cut higher education.

As a student, I have been lucky to have had an education that has been paid in a large part by the state government. While this has been nice, I do not have a right to a higher education, nor do taxpayers have an obligation to pay for my education.

If we are going to overcome this revenue shortfall, we need to discuss what and how to cut, not just cry and rally because we are no longer the benefactors of other people's money.

Nathaniel Gee

LAS VEGAS

Conservative approach

To the editor:

I am a conservative Republican who believes the people's money should be cautiously spent. However, government must be properly funded to fulfill its legitimate duties, one of which is providing an education system.

The governor's proposed cuts to education are shocking, unacceptable and short-sighted. Without a proper education system, this state will never lure businesses to diversify its economy so as to better withstand economic downturns like the current one.

If the current tax structure is not able to meet government's legitimate, necessary needs to serve the people, that tax structure must be broadened, and privileged groups must lose their special treatment. That is the proper use of a tax system: to fund government's legitimate needs.

That is the true conservative approach to this problem.

Robert Spear

LAS VEGAS

Fighting for whom?

To the editor:

In response to your Friday report, "Union turns in petitions":

I'm sure the Culinary Local 226 would support a new City Hall if the jobs being created by the project went to illegal immigrants.

Shawn Hackler

HENDERSON