Letters to the editor

Families are depending on pay raise

My family budget requires $200 per month more due to the higher prices for both food and gas. Also, we are going to face a raise in our insurance premiums. People with families are making choices, such as do they pay their monthly bills or feed and clothe their children? We've all read how more low and middle income people are frequenting the food banks. All of the people are coming up short.

The fact that Gov. Gibbons says the raises for state employees will be "delayed" is laughable. The state workers will never see that money. And you can bet that they won't get the cost of living raise next year either because it has already been stated the budget shortfall is expected to last years.

It is OK though, to spend money on a special legislative session. Balancing the budget on the backs of the people who are struggling already is not the answer.

You can't tell me that there isn't wasting of money going on somewhere that could be cut. Let's start with the governor's budget. Is he willing to maybe take a pay cut?

Gov. Gibbons, the people are sick and tired of hearing about your personal life. The people don't want to pay for the separate living expenses for you and the first lady. Look closely at how everyday people are struggling. You were voted into office to pay attention to the "people's" wants and needs. SO LISTEN! State employees need that meager 4 percent raise. People need no more taxes. We all are barely keeping our heads above water.

DEBORAH WEAST

Carson City

Wonderful Carson people save the day

Tonight I was leaving my club meeting at FISH on Long and Carson Streets with my friend Rita. I had a black bag containing my purse with my wallet, cash, credit cards, checkbook, my identity, and the cash and checkbook for my club (as I am the treasurer). I was helping Rita into my car and so I put my black bag on the ground next to my black Explorer. Then I put Rita's walker in the back and drove off, leaving the black bag there in the FISH parking lot! I didn't miss it until we got to our destination. When I realized what happened I panicked and raced back toward FISH, thinking what horrible things could happen to me and to my club if a dishonest person found my black bag. The thought of losing the club treasury that I had been entrusted with was the worst feeling.

Before I got back to FISH I got a call on my cell phone. It was a wonderful woman who asked me if I had lost something. Apparently the black bag had caught on my car and been drug out onto Carson Street. This wonderful woman and her husband saw it and figured someone had lost something. They picked it up, found my phone number in my checkbook and called me. I described what I had lost and found that they had found it! What an unbelievable relief that was.

I don't know how I can thank Dennis and his wife (I believe her name was Jen) for saving me, but thank you! And I would like to share this incident with Carson City. We have so many wonderful people here that we need to celebrate them.

PAT HUNTER

Carson City

Feels let down by governor

I have been a lifelong resident of the Great State of Nevada, and my grandchildren are actually sixth generation Nevadans. I think we have been here long enough to voice our opinions in our state government.

I have always been registered as a Republican, but always vote for who I think best serves our state and nation, being Republican or Democrat. I have consistently voted for Jim Gibbons over the years, both at the Congressional level and most recently as Governor of Nevada. I routinely respected and perceived him as the best person for the job.

Today, I am very saddened and feel let down by the man who I though we could trust and depend upon. Since shortly before his current term began, Jim Gibbons has caused one black eye after another to the state I am most proud of. This morning, the Reno Gazette Journal published the story about his 800+ text messages in recent weeks to an individual in the Reno area, all of which were completed on his state-owned cell phone. Sure, he reimbursed the state for the cost of such, but only after someone brought this to his attention. Moving back to Reno to live in his family home, and leaving his wife to occupy the Governor's Mansion is absurd. I believe the Nevada taxpayers are spending over $700,000 per year to maintain the residence in Carson for the Governor.

So, now comes my question. The State provides a premier vehicle, fuel and maintenance, and a driver/body guard for the Governor. Since he has been living for the past say six months in Reno, are the taxpayers footing the bill at today's gas prices for him to commute daily from Reno? I hope that is not the case.

JERRY GREGORY

Minden

Let's learn from Howard Barrett

Today's (June 18) edition is a cornucopia of information.

The front page discusses: 1) Governor's concern about shortfall; 2) Death of Howard Barrett, ex-budget director; 3) A picture of "an on-going project" in the legislative building. The last or back page mentions the Economic Forum, a recent resource that was not available to Howard Barrett.

There is an interlocking irony to all the above. Why are there "on-going projects" at the LEGISLATIVE building when indeed next week that same building will host a meeting to deter spending?

On the topic of spending " two suggestions.

1. Turn off air conditioners in all state offices. Las Vegas could be exempted but should set theirs at 80 degrees.

2. All state employees who have been issued state vehicles should turn the vehicles in.

These two steps will save a substantial amount.

In summary relating to the shortfall: Nevada is a gambling state. When you play poker you do not draw to an inside straight.

The Economic Forum is an inside straight. Hoping for the "if-come."

Let's go back to the basics. Don't spend more than you take in. Next year's budget cannot exceed last year's revenues.

Howard Barrett just smiled.

MAX NEUNEKER

Carson City

Sickened by people who abandoned cats

After reading the letter to the editor about the cat that was found on C-Hill, my gut told me it was the one that we had offered to help the people across the street with. We had given them cat food in the past, looked out for the cats when they let them out to run the neighborhood, and had told them if they ever needed help finding the cats a new home we would help. All they needed was a cat carrier, so we gave them the Petco box that we had.

No, they were going to take the cats to WARF. After talking to the supervisor at Animal Control it was obvious it was one of the cats. The Petco box had something on it that tracked it back to us. It sickens me that someone could do that when they didn't have to. They actually left another cat in the neighborhood that lives by people feeding her if she can get to the food before the other strays. I have three cats of my own and I can't take her in. My dog frightens her so she won't come into the yard. We live on Division Freeway, (street), so she has it double tough. I called WARF and Animal Control to let them know that this cat was left also. Animal Control has no room and WARF won't even call me back. The kids that did this will be in front of a judge next week and I hope that Judge has a compassionate heart for animals. I know he does for kids.

As far as the guy that found the cat on C-Hill, no he didn't have to do anything about it, as the writer of the letter kept quoting, however we are given choices to make and he made the right one. More people need to stand up and help those that can't help themselves.

RHONDA GLISSON

Carson City

Another vote for Lyon Co. public transportation

After reading the letter by Linda Adams and the article by Karen Woodmansee, and the research I have done regarding public transportation, along with $4 gas, I believe it's time for Lyon County to start moving toward a workable public transportation system. I believe this would be of great benefit to senior citizens, high schoolers and working citizens who work in Carson City. The D.R.A.C. board is also strongly in favor of public transportation for the citizens of Lyon County.

BOB REED

Dayton

Some longterm solutions to the budget crisis

Five people are locked in a room and they have no idea how long they will be trapped in. There is only one cookie and one bottle of water to sustain them. These five people have begun to try to come up with solutions on how to conserve and stretch their resources: How can we make this one cookie support all of us until (hopefully) we receive another cookie. But the problem in this scenario isn't the single cookie, it is the ROOM. These five people should be looking for ways to get out of the room instead of trying to figure out how to survive on one cookie.

The current budget crisis in our state is much like the above scenario. Our budget analysts have been busy devising ways to stretch that cookie just as far as it will go (the short term solution), instead of trying to find a way out of the room (a long term solution). Incidentally, it was these same folks who overshot the state's projected revenue by hundreds of millions of dollars. Whatever methods they used to project their figures are clearly inadequate and should be modified.

Perhaps it is time for the State of Nevada to bite the bullet and explore some long term solutions to our economic woes. How about Yucca Mountain? Maybe we could charge other states rent to store (not dispose of) their waste here, creating a long-term source of revenue. Although the thought of having a nuclear waste dump in our state is unpalatable, so is the thought of people being out of work due to further cutbacks.

How about increasing our state sales tax? Currently, our sales tax is 4 cents lower than California's. With the cost of living ever-increasing, it makes sense that our sales tax should also be increased, at least a little. I know no one wants a new or higher tax, and that is the war cry of every politician hoping to be elected, but when any business (including a state government) experiences the effects of inflation, it is reasonable for that business to pass at least some of that burden on to its customers.

How about a lottery? Every state in the union that has implemented a lottery has benefited from it. I know the largest businesses in our state (casinos) would oppose this measure, but I'm sure we could implement it in a way that would benefit them. Perhaps we could give them exclusive rights to the sales of the tickets, and maybe we could allow them to keep a nickel or so for each ticket sold.

I'm sure this will seem like an over-simplified view of our issues, but maybe an over-simplified approach needs to be attempted " it could hardly be worse than the overly-complicated approach we have been using. It is time for our state to explore new, innovative solutions to fortify our budget. We are all locked in this room with just one cookie. All of us are going to get very skinny very quickly if we don't begin to search for a way out of the room.

TRAVES ROBERTS

Dayton

Time to reduce waiting at lights

Don't know the powers to be in the city of Carson, but I do know they are lagging behind the rest of the state with the energy situation the way that it is. Almost every state and some cities in this state have revised the waiting time at stop lights. I don't know how anyone else feels about it, but I get pretty frustrated sitting at a stop signal when not a soul is in sight, burning up fuel that costs over $4 a gallon for no reason other than the laziness of some bureaucrat that can't see beyond his own nose. It's time for this city to wake up and do a little something to ease the energy crisis, don't you think?

It may not be such a big deal to some people, but if you add it up, the fuel savings could be tremendous, let alone the pollution.

JERRY HARPER

Carson City