Letters to the editor for Thursday, May 29, 2014

It’s time to oust Jim Wheeler from office

Embattled Assemblyman Jim Wheeler is reportedly refusing debates with his GOP primary opponent, Robin Reedy, former chief of staff for Gov. Jim Gibbons.

Wheeler’s refusal should come as no surprise. He hopes Republican voters will forget his record that includes the infamous YouTube video that surfaced in October 2013 in which he told an audience that he would vote to re-instate slavery if that’s what his constituents wanted him to do. Wheeler’s volunteered comments were both racially offensive and spectacularly stupid. As a result, the State of Nevada was held up to worldwide ridicule.

Wheeler’s comments were repudiated by his legislative colleagues and from the entire spectrum of Republicans, including Gov. Sandoval, Sen. Heller and conservative Republican Assembly member Michele Fiore. The largest newspaper in the state, the conservative-leaning Las Vegas Review-Journal, called for Wheeler’s immediate resignation as “unfit for public office.”

Wheeler’s woes have also included an ethics complaint against him resulting in an order from the Nevada Secretary of State for Wheeler to amend his incomplete Financial Disclosure Statements from 2010, 2012 and 2013, to correct conflicting information about the length of his Nevada residency and his employment as well as being ordered to disclose an unpaid 2008 tax lien from the State of Michigan for $6,168.66.

As a legislator, Wheeler was given a D+ grade and ranked next to lowest among the 12 freshmen Assembly members after the 2013 session, in a poll of fellow legislators, lobbyists and reporters. It’s time for Republican voters to replace Jim Wheeler.

Jim Hartman

Genoa

Dayton roads and parks looking better

I am struck when I drive down Dayton Valley Road in Dayton how different the median dividers look. In previous years all I saw was dying plants, weeds and broken irrigation shooting water into traffic. Now we see beautiful Nevada kind plants and decorative rock and no weeds. Although this requires less maintenance, it is being done. We also see roads being maintained, striping and filling in cracks and pot holes.

All this is the work of one man, Mike Workman, who supervises not only Dayton Utilities but also Lyon County roads and in his spare time Lyon County parks. He took on these added duties because of Lyon County’s financial woes, and he is doing a heck of a job. Let’s all give Mike three cheers!

Ronald Adams

Dayton