Letters to the editor 2-5

Personal spending cuts planned after stimulus

At first I thought it was just happening to me. All my credit card rates jumping sharply after the election. Never missed a payment, balances low. People I work with are coming forward with the same story.

I can honestly say that whatever stimulus package is passed, I will buy nothing above a subsistence level until these "robber barons" from the "Guilded Age" are reined in. Sorry, no new car purchases, big screen TVs or vacations. Oh, and I just heard financial managers made $18 billion in bonuses after receiving taxpayer money (my money).

ANTHONY CARLQUIST

Carson City

Socialist economics will not alleviate poverty

A recent front page article outlined Nevada Department of Transportation Director Susan Martinovich's proposed vehicle weight miles system to replace the current gas tax as a "fairer way of taxing drivers."

Consider the current situation. Driver A owns a vehicle which gets 10 mpg. Driver B owns a vehicle which gets 20 mpg. Both drive 100 miles. Driver A buys 10 gallons of gas. Driver B buys 5 gallons of gas. Driver A is already paying twice as much tax as driver B. By the way, both drivers are on Highway 395 at 5 p.m., not by choice but because they are commuting to and from work. You know? Work. That's where they get the money to buy the gas and pay the taxes.

Martinovich assumes that by making driver A pay more taxes it will prompt him or her to buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle. How is driver A supposed to save up for a down payment on a new vehicle if you are picking his pocket? Socialist economic ploys do not alleviate poverty, they create it.

As for what Oregon is doing, so what? I don't know if Susan has kids or not but she probably was one once. Remember Mom saying, "if everyone else is jumping off a cliff, does that mean you have to?"

And don't even get me started on the "nanny state" privacy issues.

DANIEL COBB

Carson City

Next year I'll keep

the porch light on

I missed Santa this year. This is the first time in three years, I did not hear the knock on the door. Later in the day I opened my front door, to sweep the snow off the porch. I looked down and there it was, the "purple Avocado bag" so familiar and so filled with goodies.

There was hand lotion, shower soap, Christmas socks and so much more. It was everything a girl would want. What I really missed was having my picture taken with the big guy in the red suit.

This holiday visit was made possible by the "Friends to All," and through the generosity of residents and businesses in the community. I also received a booklet called "Community Resource Guide" for older seniors (that's me). The booklet listed many agencies in Carson City to find help, where needed. I especially liked it because I do not have to read the small print in the phone book.

The resource guide is funded by the First United Methodist Church. So thanks again for thinking of me this year. Next year I will keep the porch light on for you Santa. God bless.

ARLENE CHAPMAN-BATIS

Carson City

Check legality of new gas tax before testing

The Nevada Department of Transportation is testing new technology as a possible replacement to the gasoline tax. This new technology would track time of day, the route and destinations of ultimately all vehicles in Nevada and charge the owners based on the vehicle use/road impact.

This in my judgment would be a gross violation to an individual's right to privacy. If they can track where you go and how you get there and what time of day you are traveling, then I see this as a serious violation to our constitutional rights. Before they invest more taxpayer money in testing this program to determine viability, they need to check into its legality and constitutionality.

GARY NIGRO

Carson City

Democrats will benefit from Gov. Gibbons' determination

In his article admonishing Republican legislators to support Gov. Jim Gibbons' proposed budget, Chuck Muth never once discusses its contents. That, for instance, after making all departments make a 14 percent cut in their budgets, he now piles on higher education demanding an additional 36 percent cut (47 percent for UNR, 52 percent for UNLV).

This, and other cuts in Gibbons' budget, are unacceptable to responsible Nevadans. Mr. Muth, in his zeal to hold the line on no new taxes would literally destroy our two universities. There is a price to pay for Gov. Gibbons' determination to hold the line on taxes no matter what, as many Nevadans will decide to support the Democratic Party.

RICHARD J. MUNDY

Las Vegas