Road money wasted on HOV lanes

I just read that the bridge connecting northbound Interstate 15 to U.S. Highway 95 will be torn down and rebuilt, making room for a flyover ramp designated for high-occupancy vehicles. Will the transportation experts never learn? Have they counted the cars that use the Summerlin HOV flyover or the cars using any of our HOV lanes?

Thank you, transportation officials, for wasting my tax dollars for flyovers not used. You can build all the flyovers in the world, but that won’t force people to carpool.

Paula Reber

Las Vegas

Money woes

I had to laugh out loud when I read County Commissioner Susan Brager’s comment: “If somebody can come up with another source of funding … The only ways I see are raising the property tax or the sales tax.”

Well, Commissioner Brager, here’s an idea: Raise the gaming tax! You know, the one that has been stuck at 6.75 percent — lowest in the country — for decades. You would have more than enough money for “more officers” and probably enough left over for another new stadium.

Terry Knapp

Henderson

Opera productions

A recent letter writer claimed that Las Vegas cannot be a world-class city because it doesn’t have an opera company. Well, Las Vegas has had an opera company since 1999. Other cultural venues such as the Smith Center have not been around for nearly as long.

I suggest the writer go and see Opera Las Vegas, as they put on some of the best productions in the West. They also bring in conductors and principal vocalists from such places as the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York City. Yes, Las Vegas is a world-class city.

Christine Hill-Ackerman

Las Vegas

Feeling dirty

In an Oct. 12 column gleefully pointing to defections of Republicans from the Republican presidential nominee, Steve Sebelius writes: How much can a political party absorb before its members begin to abandon ship? Will Trump ever go too far?

The irony of his questions does not register with this loyal Democrat in regard to Hillary Clinton. Has any elected Democrat in Washington, D.C., abandoned Hillary for committing perjury, obstructing justice by destroying evidence under subpoena by Congress, or jeopardizing top national secrets by setting up her unauthorized, unsecured personal email server? The answer is no.

Will principled Democrats of integrity wake up in the morning on Nov. 9 and feel dirty about themselves for what they had to absorb in order for their candidate to win?

Larry Brown

North Las Vegas

Rate cut

It’s OK with me if members of the Las Vegas City Council discuss changes to the Republic Services contract as long as the discussion includes changes to the monthly charges. I think once-a-week trash pickup should be reflected by a cut in the monthly rate.

Republic uses customers to recycle, yet I don’t see a rebate on my bill as part of the millions of dollars Republic earns from our efforts to sort recycling items.

Don’t give me the argument that we are helping the environment while Republic goes to the bank thanks to our free efforts.

D. Stuart Nelson

Las Vegas