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Taxes just passed on to the masses

To the editor:

Sometimes economics or tax lessons come from places you wouldn’t expect. For example, the March 7 Review-Journal Sports section included this article: “Gate-fee hike could spur higher ticket prices.”

To help close the budget deficit, the Legislature raised the fight gate fee by half from 4 to 6 percent.

According to the article, fight promoters have three options: Raise prices, pay fighters less or move their business to states “where it costs less to do business.”

I was shocked — shocked, I tell you! — that no one interviewed suggested they would reduce their profit margin by absorbing the tax. Of course, if they’re doing it right, the tax should be a separate item on the ticket. So if Crown Boxing wants to maintain its $25 price it just shows the gate tax of $1.50 (6 percent) versus the former $1 (4 percent).

The point is neither Crown, Top Rank or any of the mixed martial arts companies is going to pay the tax.

Only their customers will pay. Only the market. Only the people. Only you and I and that goes for any business tax no matter how hard certain politicians and pundits try to manipulate us into thinking otherwise.

KNIGHT ALLEN

LAS VEGAS

Made in the USA

To the editor:

Has anyone noticed that when Toyotas were built in Japan they were the most reliable vehicles on the planet, but since they’ve been built in America, they’re pieces of …

ROB BOWEN

LAS VEGAS

Not right

To the editor:

On Wednesday, S.G.Hayes Sr. wrote that the College of Southern Nevada should be embarrassed by a student who held a protest sign declaring that education is a right, because nothing in the Constitution declares education to be a right.

On the contrary, Mr. Hayes should be embarrassed that he has forgotten the Ninth Amendment: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” In other words, the Constitution is not the final word on what is, or is not, a right.

If the people choose to treat education as a right, available in some measure to all equally, then it is a right.

Stanley Cloud

Henderson

Right to what?

To the editor:

Walter Williams really got it correct in his March 10 commentary on health care. What if people just stopped going into the health care profession?

Would the liberals still maintain that everybody has a “right to health care”? Would they start forcing people to become doctors?

I just wish the politicians would stop considering it their “right” to take my hard-earned money from me in order to give it to someone else.

Doug Farmer

Las Vegas

Budget buster

To the editor:

I keep reading letters in which citizens of this state say they want this health care “reform” passed because “something is better than nothing.”

Is it really?

We just saw the incredibly difficult choices that had to be made to finalize a budget for our state. Do those same citizens realize that the “reform” contains sizable mandates for every state?

Just think of the impact a $500 million mandate will have on Nevada. There will be massive layoffs for government employees. That means fewer services. There will be severe cuts in education. That means larger classes and fewer teachers. There will be major hikes in fees and licenses. Translated that means tax increases for the middle class.

And forget about sending your kids to college — fees will have to be raised to the roof.

Every aspect of this bill stinks. It will not reduce the deficit. It will end up with rationing. It will reduce basic services. It will not cost $850 billion — it will cost multiple trillions. To just “ram” this through because of some idealistic dream is so irresponsible it is beyond belief.

To those who think we have to do “something,” I will tell you that pouring kerosene on a burning fire does not put out the fire.

Joseph Schillmoeller

Las Vegas

Health care

To the editor:

Sue Lowden, possible Republican candidate for the Senate, is running ads highly critical of the Democratic health-care reform bill. She states that it will raise taxes, destroy Medicare and lead to a government takeover of health care.

The question I have for her is: If the bill is so bad, why would the Democrats commit political suicide trying to pass such a disastrous measure?

She closes by saying that government control of health care is just wrong. Does she include Medicare, Medicaid and the VA health-care programs in her comments?

Richard J. Mundy

Las Vegas

Pro employee

To the editor:

In reference to March 7 article on GOP Senate candidate Sue Lowden, “Labor works to beat Lowden,” I would like to offer another viewpoint.

I worked in a Human Resources Management capacity for more than 20 years here in Las Vegas and with Sahara Gaming 12 years. I have the utmost respect for the Culinary Union, D. Taylor and staff. I was involved in the Santa Fe negotiations and the infamous Strip A & B negotiations in the early ’90s.

In light of all the labor relations negativity that has been bestowed upon Ms. Lowden, however, I feel another side of Sue Lowden needs to be brought to light.

I worked for Ms. Lowden and the Lowdens in their other hotel operations and, without reservation, I found they were always pro-employee with genuine concern for employees and families.

There were many instances they went out of their way to accommodate and assist employees in need and always appreciated the fact that employees are the heart of success to any operation.

JERRY C. JERMANUS

LAS VEGAS

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