LETTERS: Commission should smarten up, support Roos-N-More

Finally, an editorial from the Review-Journal I totally agree with (“Commission should let Roos-N-More reopen,” Saturday). Roos-N-More is a lovely place, and the Holts are competent in running the zoo. It is a place for schoolchildren and families to get up close to a wide variety of animals.

What is wrong with the Clark County Commission? Are all the commissioners idiots? Have any of them even gone to the zoo? I am so glad the Review-Journal is supporting the Holts.

Barbie J. Taylor

Pahrump

Dash Pass ‘failure’

Let me see if I understand this: The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles decided in July to eliminate the Dash Pass remote access program because of a no-show factor of 20 percent (“DMV ends Dash Pass remote access,” July 22 Review-Journal online). That translates to a success factor of 80 percent.

I defy the DMV to find another government program that has an 80 percent success rate. I wish the Internal Revenue Service used the same benchmark for success that the Nevada DMV does. If it did, then a 20 percent failure rate among taxpayers would leave the IRS no option other than to eliminate the income tax.

Charlie Mack

Las Vegas

Prioritizing education

I don’t begrudge government workers for earning more than most of the people they serve. After all, the United States is a capitalist country and, sadly, huge earning disparities are the norm.

However, it is an abomination that, if children are indeed our future and having them properly prepared to comprehend and master myriad economic and other worldly challenges is a priority, public school teachers in Las Vegas and Clark County are not as valued as police, firefighters and other public employees.

According to Sunday’s Review-Journal editorial (“Fleeced for police”), public servants here, including police, make up the best-paid local governmental workforce in the country. And to add insult to injury, the editorial noted a more than 4.5 percent retroactive raise and other compensation recently approved for county Service Employees International Union members.

It is unconscionable that teacher pay averages around $50,000, compared with more than $100,000 for firefighters, who several years ago were accused of having a call-back scheme that boosted their annual pay up to as much as $180,000 yearly. Just recently, a police detective earning more than $180,000 in total compensation was found guilty of assaulting a female sex worker.

When monies can be found for police, fire and other public workers, but cannot be found to attract new hires or raise salaries of existing staff at our schools, there is an obvious disconnect among our elected officials. While public safety and services are, without question, important, our children’s ability to accumulate knowledge and educational skills to contribute to and survive in the ever-changing political and economic landscape is and should always be our first priority.

Leon Pitt

Las Vegas

Rooftop solar

Regarding the article on NV Energy (“Reid calls for NV Energy to ‘get real’ about rooftop solar,” Aug. 25 Review-Journal), no one has said it better than investor Nancy Pfund in her recent letter to California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Ms. Pfund writes: “We ask that you restore policy certainty for California’s rooftop solar industry by ensuring that a sustainable NEM (Net Energy Metering) policy continues. This will reassure the market and the venture capital community of the state’s ongoing commitment to include distributed power in California’s clean energy plans. It will encourage additional private-sector investment and job growth in our state’s growing clean-tech industry and send a powerful signal to markets in other states.” Replace “California” with Nevada in that statement, and it’s equally true.

Just looking at this from a business perspective, policy certainty is necessary for the success of every single business and its customers. It is impossible to operate without it. Our state and country can only compete on the global market when we encourage investment in innovation.

I remember seeing an old letter from the Royal Postmaster in the Science Museum in London. He thought no one would need a telephone, since people received mail twice a day. Imagine today’s world if investors had listened to him.

Monica Brett

Las Vegas

Iran’s negative intentions

Regarding the article on Sen. Harry Reid’s indecisiveness (“Reid still undecided on Iran nuclear deal” Aug. 13 Review-Journal), how can any thinking person be unclear about Iran’s intentions to destroy Israel and the United States.

Threats of “death to America” do not come from a few radical terrorists; they come from Iran’s leaders. There is nothing in this “deal” that protects our citizens or our country.

Joan Padilla

Las Vegas