Money for flag football could buy teachers

To the editor:

With some high school principals predicting class sizes in the 50s for the upcoming school year, the Clark County School District is spending $225,000 it claims it doesn’t have to begin girls flag football (“Girls varsity flag football to be offered,” Friday Review-Journal). Administrators are citing a Title IX federal mandate to reduce the participation gap between male and female athletes as the reason for introducing the sport.

Here’s a thought: Why not take away one or two male sports to reduce the gap and save some cash to boot?

By the way, that $225,000 will buy about three classroom teachers.

Robert Bencivenga

Henderson

Didn’t build it

To the editor:

Hello, police? I’d like to report a crime. Yes. Identity theft.

Someone used my information to obtain a credit card and open a checking account. They even had the audacity to get a business license and obtain patents. I am now responsible for inventory they ordered, storage, shipping and maintenance of records.

This has cost me thousands of dollars (not to mention the headache and heartache), added significantly to my tax burden and exposed me to regulations and constraints I had never considered. I will have to buy insurance for employees I don’t have, provide meals and maybe even child care. And if I don’t comply, I face sanctions.

Since President Obama recognizes that I didn’t do any of this, I’m hoping he will help me obtain an exemption from the taxes and regulatory burdens – and maybe even arrange a refund from one of his many helpful programs.

My name? Joe Austin. Can I get a case number, please?

JOE AUSTIN

LAS VEGAS

Too expensive

To the editor:

In his Thursday letter to the editor, Darren Enns, secretary-treasurer of the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council, claims that Harry Reid, in pushing for a solar complex near Laughlin, is just doing what other senators have done in bringing contracts to his state that will result in jobs. There is, however, one large problem with his logic.

All the examples he cited – Sen. Bob Corker, Volkswagen plant; Sens. Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, BMW plant; and Sen. Richard Shelby, Mercedes-Benz plant – were private companies making products that people actually want. The solar energy plant that Sen. Reid and the unions are pushing is a government-subsidized enterprise making a product that is way too expensive and that very few want. This is why Reid continues to put the squeeze on NV Energy to buy this overpriced energy.

Sure, Mr. Enns and his minions might get employment out of Sen. Reid’s dealings, but the rest of us are stuck with the bill.

No more Solyndras!

Dave Downer

Henderson

Purchasing power

To the editor:

People who complain about we seniors collecting more from Social Security than we contributed don’t factor in the purchasing power of the money we paid into the system.

Back in 1960, I bought a new Volkswagen Beetle for $2,000. And four years later, Oldsmobile’s finest, the 98, for $5,500.

The 98 got only 8 mpg, but I didn’t care because gasoline cost only a quarter a gallon.

So maybe we’re getting more in dollars than we paid in, but when it comes to what we can buy with the modern dollar, we’re taking a beating.

Richard J. Mundy

Las Vegas