Look for waste, not more money

To the editor:

Like most public officials, university system Chancellor Jim Rogers has decided that the only remedy for the illness that is pervasive throughout our state government — that being waste, corruption and inefficiency — is to throw more money at the problem in the form of a personal and corporate income tax. Unfortunately, the problem emanates from within rather than from without.

Throwing more money at the problem is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.

The University Medical Center is the poster child for the public sector’s unwillingness or inability to manage its own finances. When an oversight committee is directed or fails to perform its fiduciary duty, thus allowing millions of dollars to be either stolen or wasted by UMC officials, then how would the average taxpayer feel about having more of her personal income taken to simply feed the fires of corruption, inefficiency and waste?

Nevada is what it is, in part, because of our “no tax” status. The thousands of out-of-staters and corporations that move here every month consider our tax status to be one of the inviting reasons. Believe me, there are other tax-free states, in competition with Nevada, that would love to see Nevada impose a personal and corporate income tax. The last thing this state’s economy needs is a sudden emigration of residents to other states, or a marked decline in immigration to our state.

No, the answer to our problems is not to throw more money, in the form of personal and corporate taxes, at the situation. Rather, the first priority is to demand that our elected and appointed state officials act to uphold their fiduciary duty to protect the citizens of this state by not being so wasteful, corrupt and inefficient with the millions of dollars that they have at their disposal.

Then, and only then, will Nevada be able to state that its future is fiscally secure.

Jack L. Kane

LAS VEGAS

In the city

To the editor:

In her Monday letter to the editor, Jeanne McNair states that Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman provides “special treatment” to only one area of the community while making her case against the “right turn” flight pattern form McCarran International Airport. Ms. McNair needs to understand that Mayor Goodman is the mayor of the “city of Las Vegas,” not the mayor of Enterprise, Spring Valley, Paradise, or other unincorporated parts of Clark County.

In almost all situations, the city of Las Vegas boundaries do not extend south of Sahara Avenue.

So, in regard to the flight path, Mayor Goodman is interested in the patterns over the city limits — as he should be.

Maybe Ms. McNair should have moved to Las Vegas and not to unincorporated Clark County.

DON BOURCIER

LAS VEGAS