Blame lawmakers for green tax-break mess

I have a suggestion for the Nevada lawmakers who are struggling with how to make up the shortfall in tax revenues due to the green-friendly construction tax break law passed by the 2005 Legislature. How about they garnish the wages and pension funds of former Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani and all the 2005 legislators who introduced and passed the law without even checking the consequences?

I know it wouldn’t make up the difference, but it might send a wake-up call to future lawmakers to make sure a law is going to work as intended before they pass it solely because “it seemed like a good idea at the time.” And it would wipe the arrogant smirks off the faces of politicians who ignore their responsibilities when things they do go wrong.

The cavalier way politicians treat their fiscal and constituent responsibilities borders on criminal.

Kent rischling

LAS VEGAS

Immigration reform

To the editor:

If there were ever a time for the average citizen to watch his members of Congress, the so-called “comprehensive” immigration Bill in the Senate is it.

Regardless of how one feels about immigration reform, this measure is a prime example of our representatives having absolutely no concern about near- and long-term budgetary considerations. This bill could lead to trillions of dollars in unanticipated costs. How much? Nobody knows for sure, just that it will be enormous.

The powers that be on both sides are trying to rush it through. Less debate and more hype is the rule. High-paid spin doctors on both sides are making noise. But the average voter doesn’t pay that close attention to these things. Wait until the pocketbooks get hit.

Then, we have a so-called leader, Sen. Teddy Kennedy, who said, “The world is watching to see how we respond to the current crisis. Let’s not disappoint them.”

Disappoint who, the rest of the world? How about Sen. Kennedy’s ultimate constituency — U.S. citizens?

Jay Leno said that the reason we have so many illegal immigrants is because American citizens won’t do the kind of work they do for the wages they’re paid. OK. But what happens when illegals become citizens? Then who do we bring in?

Tom Justin

LAS VEGAS

Fast lane

To the editor:

I read Diane Arcuri’s Tuesday letter describing her trip on the Las Vegas Beltway from Rainbow Boulevard to Pecos Road with interest. She should try driving the western section of the Beltway between Summerlin Parkway and Lone Mountain Road.

I travel this route daily to and from work. Because of a never-ending road project, the posted speed limit is 45 mph. I usually zip along at 55 mph to 60 mph, and the traffic flows around me like I’m a rock in the stream. The average speed seems to be — without exaggeration — about 70 mph.

And where is law enforcement? Nowhere to be seen. Ever.

MARK J. ROWLEY

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Wasted money

To the editor:

The Saturday Review-Journal included a letter to the editor bemoaning the “$6 trillion” spent to no avail on “the poor.” Be a little skeptical of unsourced statistics. What programs add up to that incomprehensible figure?

Anyway, my mind raced. Here are parallel wasted efforts:

–Eighty zillion gigatons of cash collected by televangelists, and all we get is more sin and sinners.

–A hundred gazillion sermons praising the “Prince of Peace,” and all we get is a pre-emptive war.

–Sixty scads of katrillion attacks by radio talk show hosts on the “drive-by media,” and all we don’t get is a single casualty among radio talk show hosts.

–Magna cum squadrillion dollars spent in Iraq, and all we get is another base of operations for al-Qaida.

–Uncounted cesspools full of war profiteers handing out unaccountable billions to who knows who, and all we get is the bill for our grandchildren.

Roy Grosser

LAS VEGAS

Nuclear shill

To the editor:

Keith Rogers’ Wednesday article regarding the Las Vegas workshop on nuclear waste transportation sponsored by the U.S. Transport Council (“Nuke waste routes discussed: Meeting focuses on transportation issues”) was generally accurate, but it contained one important error: The transport council is not an “independent, nonprofit” organization, as the article described it. In fact, the council is wholly funded by the commercial nuclear power industry and was established for the expressed purpose of promoting the Yucca Mountain Project and nuclear waste transportation to that facility. The council was initially set up in 2002 as part of the nuclear industry’s lobbying effort to encourage Congress to override Gov. Kenny Guinn’s veto of the Yucca Mountain program.

The U.S. Transport Council is operating in Nevada solely to generate support for Yucca Mountain and related nuclear waste shipments. There is nothing independent or unbiased about the organization.

Joseph C. Strolin

CARSON CITY

THE WRITER IS ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE PLANNING DIVISION OF THE NEVADA AGENCY FOR NUCLEAR PROJECTS.