Strip heroes deserve much better
To the editor:
Geoff Schumacher hit the nail on the head in his Sunday column, “Las Vegas a dark-hearted town.” The guys he mentioned risked their lives to save others when a man began firing shots inside New York-New York and all they get are free rooms? Can’t I get that by getting a player’s card?
The other news of the day shows the millions of dollars the casinos took in last month.
The hearts on the Strip may be dark, but I can think of plenty of good folks who would gladly pitch in to give these guys the thanks they deserve. The New York-New York casino and the local governments should be ashamed. But nothing has really changed. If the money is coming in, who cares?
KYLE OTTO
LAS VEGAS
Security guard?
To the editor:
Is security missing at New York-New York? It seems strange that a serviceman and two Florida policemen had to take down the man who recently fired shots in the casino. I’ll bet if someone had tried to break into a slot machine, there would have been many security people responding.
This guy should have been picked up on one of the casino’s many cameras. After all, this could have been a terrorist attack.
Richard shuey
HENDERSON
Greedy Las Vegas
To the editor:
In her Monday letter on the local shortage of teachers, schools and water, Rebecca Woodson suggested a building moratorium. What a great idea — only you have waited about 15 years too long.
There is way too much greed down in the Las Vegas Valley for this to happen. This would be the responsible thing to do, but we all know better than that.
Officials at the Southern Nevada Water Authority have no idea how to manage water to secure a future for the Las Vegas Valley. They do, however, know how to risk the future of rural Nevada by wanting to suck us dry of our water.
Which brings us back to the greed of the matter. This is why our state government will not step in and save rural Nevada. Greed. And greed is the root of all evil.
GEORGE E. ROWE
CALIENTE
Saltwater
To the editor:
A recent article in the Review-Journal about the global interest of making fresh water from ocean water should be of great interest to Las Vegas residents — and, I hope, to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
We may never see water from Northern Nevada by pipeline, but a pipeline of similar length could bring sea water to Las Vegas to be converted to fresh water by power derived by our abundant sunshine.
Let’s hope that our County Commission can also read and use a little imagination about planning for the future of Las Vegas.
Larry piehl
LAS VEGAS
Setting Sun
To the editor:
I saw Las Vegas Sun Editor Brian Greenspun’s column contained inside the Sunday Review-Journal. It was another attack on the hand that feeds him — the Review-Journal and its publisher, Sherman Frederick.
I noted the sheer audacity of Mr. Greenspun’s claim that the Review-Journal is the newspaper delivered with his, and that this benefits the reader. Give me a break.
Without the Review-Journal, his newspaper — if you can call a 10-page section a newspaper — would be in the dust bin of history. His 10 pages are filled with large photographs, a huge crossword puzzle and no advertising. Doesn’t anyone pay to advertise in his newspaper?
The simple answer is that the Review-Journal reader pays for his hobby, and we have no choice in the matter. It was forced on us, and I for one am tired of subsidizing the Las Vegas Sun.
How typical of a liberal to take our money to pay for something we don’t want, give us no choice in the matter and then tell us that we benefit from it.
If Mr. Greenspun’s newspaper is so great, let him use his own money to produce it and we’ll see just how long it stands on its own.
David R. Durling
LAS VEGAS
Golden goose
To the editor:
With the state searching for additional revenue to address all the problems that have developed as a result of the rampant growth, it would seem reasonable to look to the casinos as a source. Your July 13 issue stated that the statewide taxable gaming win for the month of May was more than $1.1 billion. Assuming a similar monthly return for the year, the yearly revenue would exceed $13 billion.
Increasing the gaming tax by just 1 percentage point would result in a return to the state of more than $135 million.
The Nevada tax on casino winnings is by far the lowest in the country, but it is the sad truth we cannot depend on our elected officials to impose these fair and needed taxes. The longer we wait to start circulating petitions, the worse things will get.
Bill Smith
BOULDER CITY
