When is a lounge act not a lounge act?
Over the years I have lived in Las Vegas, I always look forward to receiving the Review-Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” section. I am always interested in what the locals have to say and I have followed some of the suggestions given.
But this year, I was somewhat stunned at one of the categories — lounge act. I always thought that a lounge was a place one went and didn’t pay any admission, had a drink or two and enjoyed (hopefully) whatever entertainment was on that night. Customers came and went at their leisure. (So many performers over the years have, in fact, started in lounges and many have then gone on to showrooms.) Most hotel lounges had a capacity of no more than 150-200.
However, when I looked at two of the winners in this category in the new edition of “Best of Las Vegas,” I was surprised to see that they are paid shows playing places with capacities of more than 200 (the winner’s theater holds 400). When one reads the weekly Neon section, you find that neither show is listed under “Lounge Acts,” but can be found under “Shows.”
Both acts are under the wrong category and never should have been accepted as such.
Carole Fishman
Las Vegas
Follow the money
Formal education teaches us to consider the sources of information we use. So let’s research the Manhattan Institute, which was a source for the Monday Review-Journal story, “Study ties costs, school funding.”
A quick synopsis of this institute: right wing, sponsored by the Koch brothers and Reynolds tobacco, affiliated with 33 top money managers who want to abolish public pensions.
Interesting.
Always follow the money and look for the reason why interest groups want to destroy an excellent-run public pension fund (the Nevada Public Employee Retirement System). They want their hands on the investment money.
Mark Peterson
Las Vegas
Gaming tax
In his Sunday column, the Review-Journal’s Richard Velotta reveals that Nevada is now second in the amount of tax dollars the state receives from its casinos, behind Pennsylvania. But New York, with a whopping nine casinos operating out of race tracks, is third and projected to surpass Nevada by the end of 2016.
In 2015, Mr. Velotta reports, New York with its nine casinos collected $888 million, while Nevada with its 271 casinos — yes 271 — collected $889.1 million. Casinos here are taxed in the area of 6.75 percent, Pennsylvania slots are taxed at 55 percent and in New York taxes are between 31 percent and 41 percent.
What am I missing? We can’t even get a state lottery on the ballot.
I understand the importance the casinos play in the economics of this state, but raising the taxes maybe five percentage points will not run them out of town. Come on, Nevada. Wake up. Let’s push to increase the casino tax. It’s about time. And let’s get a state lottery.
Jim Veltri
Las Vegas
Half off
Parents of students in the Clark County School District: The district is reducing student accountability and the results are going to have long-term negative effects. The district is perpetuating a fraud on this community and it needs to be addressed by all parties involved.
In what society does a student receive 50 percent for doing nothing? Yet that’s the lowest score students may receive, even if they do nothing on an assignment.
In what society does a school district defer homework for students because they have other obligations? Don’t students have an obligation to become productive citizens of the state of Nevada?
As a teacher, I find the hypocrisy in this district untenable. How can school leaders talk about academic rigor and mention a minimum 50 percent score in the same context? The grades are rising but the caliber of work is sinking.
Freddie Rosser III
Las Vegas
