State political scene offers plenty to worry about

To the editor:

I love Nevada politics. This year is no exception. I will briefly list noteworthy examples of how it is still monkey business as usual

– The sports arena complex off the Strip. If it is such a good business idea, then business can invest in it. Heaven knows they will keep the profits, even if our taxes pay for it.

— The Dotty’s casino decision. You honestly expect me to believe that after these years of Dotty’s expanding and satisfying locals and government regulations that two local casino moguls had an honest concern over definitions of a casino? I hope not.

— The Nevada budget. There has been a lot of talk concerning cuts, especially in education. Did anyone notice that there is still a UNLV political science department? I understand that there is a politically connected professor who collects a paycheck there. I wonder if there was another department that could have been saved in lieu of offering a BS degree in politics.

There has been very little talk about consolidating services and agencies. There seems to be lot of bureaucratic protection going around, as well as turf wars. If not, consolidation would happen.

I get a good laugh when I read the differing bills being introduced to raise money through taxes. Most all of them are aimed at the very people that Democrats say they are helping. You know, the poor and middle class. They are the ones who drink the most beer, smoke the most and are hurt the most by higher gas prices, higher sales taxes, etc.

We have our beloved Sen. Harry Reid saying, in effect, let’s outlaw prostitution.

OK, but I think we should outlaw politicians first.

Darrell Welch

Las Vegas

Greedy mining companies

To the editor:

I would like to thank John L. Smith for his excellent Wednesday column exposing the astonishing cheapness of the multinational corporations that pollute, scorch the Earth and extract natural resources from public lands, reaping enormous profits that are largely not reinvested in our state but make their wealthy investors even richer.

That our leaders have yet to demand and enact more equitable terms pertaining to the taxation of the billions of dollars in profits made by mining companies makes me seriously wonder if they serve the citizens who elected them or corporate masters.

With gold at nearly $1,500 per ounce and likely to go higher in this yet-unresolved economic crisis, it is high time for Nevada’s behind-the-eight-ball politicians to start properly reinvesting some of these profits back into Nevada, where they are sorely needed to restore financial stability.

Michael Pravica

Henderson

For the children

To the editor:

Maintaining the state’s education system is the governor’s responsibility. If it requires increasing taxes to meet this responsibility, that’s what he should do. But it seems his image is more important to him than our children.

Jerry Sturdivant

Las VEgas