A flawed endorsement of Question 2

To the editor:

I was not only disappointed, but surprised that your editorial page recommended support for Clark County Question 2 on the November ballot (Sunday Review-Journal).

After outlining the wasteful management of the school district, as well as diversion of general fund revenue away from required maintenance, you suggest that homeowners should now volunteer to pay for the damage. This $150 increase on a $200,000 house will be added to the as-yet-unknown increases by the assessor’s office, which are sure to come as property values start to rise. This is reminiscent of 1970s California, where seniors lost their paid-for houses because they were unable to pay the property taxes, until Proposition 13 saved them.

On one hand we decry people losing their homes because of their inability to pay their mortgages, but on the other hand the Clark County School District wants to stick them with higher taxes. What a paradox.

No one other than our elected state representatives should have the authority to levy any tax on anyone for any reason.

HANS BOHN

LAS VEGAS

Misleading photo

To the editor:

I agree with the content of Richard Lake’s Monday report, “Religion attracts fewer Americans,” but the empty church photo on the front page of Nevada section was misleading. The picture was taken Friday, Oct. 12. Would the Review-Journal expect a full church close to downtown on Friday?

If you had taken a picture of St. Thomas More on Sunday at the packed 10 a.m. Mass, the article wouldn’t make sense at all.

Antonio P. Dias

Henderson

Broken promise

To the editor:

Prior to the 2008 presidential election, Sen. Barack Obama made promise after promise to Hispanic groups that he would support legislation concerning immigration reform. Believing what he said, Hispanics overwhelmingly voted for him.

During the first two years of President Obama’s term, he had total control of both the House and the Senate. He could have pressed for passage of any bill he wanted but, alas, immigration reform was not one of those bills. Hispanics got nothing.

Fast forward to 2012. President Obama is once again courting the Hispanic vote, and again promises are being made. Remember the old saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” So don’t be surprised when promises to you are broken again. Think about the broken promises before you vote.

MARTIN HENDERSON

LAS VEGAS

VA reform

To the editor:

Should Mitt Romney win the presidency, I hope he restructures and streamlines Veterans Affairs. As a Vietnam veteran, I am dependent on the VA for my medical care, as many other veterans are. The VA does such a ridiculously poor job executing health care.

CHARLES H. HARMON III

LAS VEGAS

Buying votes

To the editor:

President Obama seems to be promising something to all minority groups to ensure his re-election. I think he needs a new campaign adviser.

I don’t think they’ve thought of such things as giving a glove to every southpaw. Or a special belt-mounted can holder for all the soft drinkers. Or free contraceptives to all women in case their church hospital is closed the day after.

How about a free toupee for every baldy? For Social Security recipients, a yearly COLA based on the actual inflation rate. And how about a $10 gift certificate to all supermarket employees, redeemable at the office of their favorite tort lawyer to ease male-female pay inequity?

I wonder how much President Obama pays his campaign adviser? I could use some extra cash.

THOMAS F. JEFFERSON

ELKO

Get back in class

To the editor:

After obtaining my master’s degree and doing postgraduate work, I embarked on a career in teaching and educational administration that spanned 38 years. Therefore, I feel I have a credible basis for presenting a disturbing observation that is a contributing factor in Clark County School District students not doing well in academics.

As a retiree, I am constantly amazed to see school-age children at the stores, markets, restaurants and other venues during school days and times. Last year, I was puzzled why they were having out-of-state sports tournaments that involved time for traveling, playing and returning to Las Vegas. I personally know students who participated in those events on school days.

So when some of us express our concerns about the state of education in Clark County, let’s put some of the blame on those parents and coaches who don’t realize that school attendance, like other family support systems, is vital to academic success. Those are some of the same adults we read about – they don’t place a value on education.

FRANC LIZAMA

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Endorsements

To the editor:

Wallace J. Henkelman must be on the same page as me (Tuesday letter to the editor). I never, ever thought in a million years that I would agree with a liberal on principle. When he stated that he appreciated the Review-Journal editorial page endorsements of candidates because they inspired him to vote the opposite, I found myself applying the same logic to the Las Vegas Sun.

Mike Bryant

Las Vegas