Letters

Regarding Chuck Muth's diatribe on raising taxes, I hope he didn't give anyone the idea that Nevada is wildly spending their money. Take education, Nevada is 45th compared to the other states in per pupil spending, 20 percent below the national average, and if you were to compare expenditures by states, you would find that Nevada is at or near the bottom in all categories. So while Mr. Muth doesn't want his taxes raised, maybe he should come up with some ideas on how the state can properly educate our youth, and provide a decent environment for the rest of us.

RICHARD J. MUNDY

Las Vegas

Kudos from afar for columnist

Chuck Muth told it exactly the way it is when he notes that education reform is nothing without school choice ("Real change requires real competition and real choice," March 21). Only when dollars follow the child - regardless of income, race or socioeconomic status - will you see competition truly transform education for all. Open enrollment might look like a choice to some - but when all your choices are failing, government-run public schools, parents correctly realize they're not being given a choice at all.

Karla Dial

Colorado Springs, Colo.

New faces needed at Sheriff's Department

So, the Sheriff has plenty of time and money to run his illegal traffic stops (the Supreme Court mandated 'minimal intrusion', i.e. No ID check, and voluntary entry, meaning a way around the checkpoint), but as he personally told me, "no time to roundup gangsters?" I'm not really surprised.

Modern prohibition is doing what prohibition has always done; putting crime lords in charge. Anybody who wants the prohibited item can get it, of course, but must deal with the criminals. There is so much money in prohibition, that the very idea that the local police are not on the "take" is absurd. The actions of the CCSO today are identical to police departments in 1930. Gangsters are allowed to run free, while law enforcement officers lean on people going about their honest business. One may easily presume that gangsters are given warning before any raid happens. Citizens don't need to actually spot the money changing hands. The total lack of enforcement on gangs, that are illegal by definition under the RICO act, tells it all.

This kind of corruption starts at the top. We need a new sheriff, badly. We need to clean house at the CCSO, firing everyone above the rank of sergeant. Remember this at election time! Fire the sheriff! Vote for someone who WILL clean house and bring some honesty back to the CCSO!

ALAN HUMPHREYS

Carson City

Heller should offer more than right-wing talking points

Is Dean Heller certifiably insane? The economy is slithering into the toilet, and he wants to continue the disastrous policies of the Bush administration and make the 2001-2003 tax cuts - in other words, welfare for the wealthiest 2 percent - permanent? What, because it's working so well? Talk about being out of touch! HE demonizes the (barely) Democratic Congress of an agenda that ignores the economy? And then waves "taxpayer benefits to immigrants" as some kind of bold flag when it's actually bigotry and pandering to those fears, and, yes, bitterness that Sen. Obama - apparently truthfully - mentioned. Who's ignoring the truths of the economy, the mortgage crisis, the country's vital infrastructure that's crashing around our ears without adequate funding? Who is contributing to the nightmare of a grand and glorious world power becoming weaker and more vulnerable than at any time since pre-World War II? Dean Heller. Nevada needs to find a representative who thinks for him or herself, and doesn't just spout the talking points of imbecilic right-wing radio hosts - or the White House.

LEIGH MCGUIRE

Silver Springs