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Class-size reduction another waste of money

To the editor:

I see where former Gov. Bob Miller is beating his own chest and stating “When I took office as governor, I made reducing class size in Nevada elementary schools the chief goal of my new administration” (Thursday Las Vegas Sun commentary). He later stated it was a cornerstone of our commitment to helping every Nevada child succeed in school.

And to think so far it has only cost $1.8 billion — yes, that’s billion — and much more to come, if he had his way.

Look at just some of the things we got with that pitiful sum of $1.8 billion. We have students graduating from high school, some with such high grades that they qualify for a scholarship, who nonetheless need remedial work in college.

Something seems to be amiss here. Oh well, let’s just continue to drop more money down the well. Surely something good will come of it sometime. Won’t it?

BRYCE LEE

LAS VEGAS

Bad PLAN

To the editor:

Bob Fulkerson, state director of the Regressive … er, excuse me … Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) went off on a tirade about Nevada’s mining income tax in his March 20 commentary.

As he correctly documented all the loopholes, deductions and corporate welfare rip-offs the Legislature has granted mining over the years, I couldn’t help but wonder if it’s really possible he doesn’t get that the corruptions in the mining tax are endemic to all business income taxes. One sickening look at the U.S. corporate income tax should make that point clear.

Yet PLAN is a leading advocate for a business income tax in Nevada, which would multiply the corruption of our political system by a factor of a thousand.

You have to give PLAN credit. When it comes to pushing their regressive statist agenda, they are as twisty and bendy as a contortionist at one of those Cirque du Soleil shows. If it suits them to write a Sunday commentary railing against the loopholes in the mining tax as a major rip-off of the people of Nevada, they will do it. If, down the road it suits them to write a Sunday piece praising a business income tax as the best idea to save Nevada, they will do that, too.

Whatever it takes to win. That’s all that matters. Economic reality and history all get swept away with a dismissive wave of the hand.

What’s really scary is how many legislators listen to them.

KNIGHT ALLEN

LAS VEGAS

Tough job

To the editor:

Regarding Martin Dean Dupalo’s Thursday letter criticizing President Barack Obama for taking some time out for a couple rounds of golf and making some basketball predictions:

Mr. Dupalo has to lighten up a bit. This president has had more crises on his plate during his first two years in office than any other president in recent times. He is “on duty” 24/7 and the pressure and stress have to be daunting.

Certainly the president deserves a few hours of enjoyment and relaxation. So, lighten up all you critics. I defy you to walk in his shoes and see how you fare.

NORMAN NERO

LAS VEGAS

Dim bulbs

To the editor:

Rich Lowry’s Monday column objecting to Washington forcing the new compact fluorescent light bulbs on us shows what’s wrong with conservative thinking.

I installed CFL bulbs in my light fixtures about three years ago for about $25 and have not had to replace any of them, including the four I have in my outdoor light fixtures, which are on all night. They use less than one-fourth the electricity as the old bulbs.

As far as breaking a bulb, when was the last time you did that to any bulb?

CFL bulbs have a long life, burn at a much cheaper rate than incandescent bulbs, and are the sensible way to light our homes and businesses.

Richard J. Mundy

Las Vegas

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