Casinos should step up to the plate

To the editor:

The state of Nevada needs money. Agencies are being asked to cut their proposed budget increases by 10 percent. Our state legislators are searching for additional funding everywhere except at our Nevada casinos.

Not one word has been mentioned about raising the taxes on the 248 casinos in Nevada. A one-point increase in Nevada's gaming tax would take care of the state's shortfall. This would mean raising the gaming tax from 6.75 percent to 7.75 percent.

Atlantic City's gaming tax is 8 percent plus 1.25 percent plus 4.25 percent, or about 13.5 percent. And in New Orleans with its 18 casinos, the gaming tax is 21 percent.

Our Nevada casinos have not hesitated to build casinos in both places and are content to pay those states' gaming taxes.

What kind of revenue are we talking about? Let's use just Atlantic City's 12 casinos and Nevada's 268 casinos. Atlantic City's 12 casinos bring in about $490 million tax a year. Nevada's 248 casinos bring in about twice that amount -- about $952.5 million. If we divide the number of casinos in Atlantic City (12) into the number of casinos in Nevada (268) we get 22.3. Nevada has 22 times more casinos than Atlantic City, but brings in only twice Atlantic City's casino tax revenue.

The gaming tax has remained relatively stable since 1989. (My property taxes have increased 300 percent since then.) Since 1989 the Nevada casinos have engineered, through the Legislature, a large tax on mining; a business tax using the Nevada Education Association as their shield and torchbearer, and the state legislated fees on Nevada banks.

The bottom line is this: No Nevada legislator would consider raising the state's gaming revenue tax. Some have tried. They are no longer in the Legislature. Control of the political power in this state emanates from Las Vegas, and the Nevada Resort Association (the casinos) runs Las Vegas.

Raising taxes is not always the best solution to resolve financial problems. But in this case, Nevada gaming casinos need to step up to the plate.

CRYSTAL ANN SMITH

CARSON CITY

Remedial education

To the editor:

A very long time ago when I was taking Economics I, the instructor defined economics as: "The allocation of scarce resources to meet insatiable demands."

This succinct definition is certainly pertinent today in all levels of government, with emphasis on the adjective "insatiable." Entrepreneurs in the private business sector and individual families practice economics daily. To do otherwise is irresponsible and guarantees full employment for the bankruptcy lawyers that bombard the television airwaves.

Your April 8 editorial, "'Budget cuts' and 'declining revenues'" was spot on. Only in politics can a decrease in a budget increase be labeled a cut. Do our disingenuous politicians and personnel charged with spending the citizens' tax dollars think we are all stupid?

I seriously doubt that university system Chancellor Jim Rogers, who by all accounts is a successful businessman, budgeted his businesses the way he's proposing the state's higher education system be budgeted. Let me suggest one very obvious target to reduce spending and increase the integrity at our universities -- abolish remedial courses effective at the end of this semester.

We can't afford to pay college professors, tenured or adjunct, to teach high school subjects. I'm sure those instructors can be reallocated to teach courses where there is a shortage (see definition above).

If not, I'm sure they can find work at our community colleges.

For Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Maupin, let me suggest that he either resign his position or reassign responsibility for the budget to someone capable of making difficult decisions. Does anyone else see the irony in a chief justice unable to make a decision?

BILL MOSLEY

HENDERSON

Recount

To the editor:

Thomas Wagner feels he owes it to the residents of Henderson to go forward with a recount in his City Council election loss to Andy Hafen.

Mr. Wagner brought partisan mudslinging into a local race that has traditionally stayed party free. Now that he is unhappy with the results, he wants to have them changed. This seems like yet another example of a power-hungry politician crying when things do not go his way. It reminds me of a Little League parent who complains until little Johnny gets to play every inning.

Andy Hafen is a longtime resident of our city who has served Henderson well during his six terms on the City Council. Count all the votes again: mine went to Andy Hafen.

B. WHITE

HENDERSON