LETTERS: Supreme Court gay marriage stance takes more power from states

To the editor:

Our legal system has gone from contemptible to beneath contempt. The recent Supreme Court decision (or more accurately, its refusal to make a decision) concerning same-sex marriage is inexcusable. How in the world does a practice that was unimaginable and unheard of a generation ago now become a “constitutional right” that has apparently existed since the founding of this country? How does this happen?

What other rights lurk in the Constitution that we don’t know about? Or even scarier, how many more rights that we currently have can be taken away with one ruling? So now, a few lower federal courts define the requirements for marriage, rather than the states. Is there anything left for states and local governments to legislate? We are losing it folks. Along with our collective sanity, we are losing any semblance of a lawful society.

JAMES MOLDENHAUER

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Privately fund stadium

To the editor:

The Cordish Cos. and Findlay Sports &Entertainment continue to badger the Las Vegas City Council to approve the proposal for a downtown soccer stadium. Last week, there was an article about all the billionaires in the region (“In the money,” Sept. 30 Review-Journal). So if the soccer stadium is such a great deal, why don’t Cordish and Findlay try to hustle one of the billionaires here in town?

The Findlay family owns a chain of auto dealerships. Their credit should be good in any bank to borrow money to build their own stadium.

MICHAEL KERZETSKI

LAS VEGAS

Non-English speakers

To the editor:

Brian Covey’s letter was well-thought-out, articulate and to the point (“Non-English speakers taxing society,” Oct. 3 Review-Journal). I hope elected officials had the opportunity to read it and take note. Some will say the letter is biased, but what is really biased is reality.

Nowhere in the Constitution is it mandatory to educate students who aren’t fluent in conversational English. Nowhere does it say interpreters must be provided at taxpayer expense. This is government overreach.

I also agree regarding the tests at the Department of Motor Vehicles, which should be in English only. If a person comes in who doesn’t speak English, that person should be turned away. Better still, immigration enforcement should be on hand and have the authority to question the person about legal residence and/or citizenship.

Illegal immigration is at crisis levels due to the government’s unwillingness to enforce the law. Elected officials have enacted new laws to avoid enforcing the current laws, strictly to pander to certain ethnic groups. If the government wants its citizens to abide by the law, then enforce all the laws. Stop picking and choosing which ones to enforce. The government has created this problem at the taxpayers’ expense. The government needs to clean it up.

MARLENE DROZD

LAS VEGAS

Raise the wage

To the editor:

The present minimum wage of $8.25 an hour can hardly keep up with the rising prices of food, gas and prime commodities. I suggest a law to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in this wonderful and prosperous city of Las Vegas.

My income as a security officer is not enough to live honorably and decently in this country. If the present minimum wage were increased, it would help alleviate the economic condition and would raise the standard of living of the people of this city.

The increase in the minimum wage would be good for low-wage workers, the city and the economy, and in the long term, it would be good for business.

JOEL GONZALES

LAS VEGAS

HOA delinquencies

To the editor:

Barbara Holland’s Sept. 27 homeowners association commentary clearly tells the reader that charges involved in assessment delinquencies are the problem (“It’s about time our communities caught a break,” Sept. 27 Review-Journal). Jonathan Friedrich, who serves on the state’s Commission for Common-Interest Communities and Condominium Hotels, is trying to help with this.

Why does Ms. Holland not mention the involvement of HOA management companies? Two years ago, when I moved into the CIC/HOA where I live, a new management company was brought in (after four failed companies). As of today, we now have that company’s attorney and its recommended collections company — but three bids were never solicited for either. The outlays in our budget for these services have gone up.

Ms. Holland’s article states that charges can be imposed for late payment of assessments. Then there are charges for fees to cover costs of collecting any past due obligations, which include collection, filing, recording, preparation, delivery, title search, referral, postage, investigation/enforcement — plus interest. It all involves a money grab by those who put the HOA communities in the position of needing a break.

Since associations are businesses, new rules should be developed regarding foreclosure/ownership — or better practices by rogue boards — to alleviate being at the mercy of those who take advantage of unit owner holdings and the current system.

MARCIA KOBEN

LAS VEGAS