Many appreciate homeowners associations

In response to the Tuesday article by Ed Vogel regarding Assembly Bill 396 (“HOA bill’s death urged”):

The article quotes Michael Schulman, an attorney; Kevin Janison, an author and former broadcaster; and state Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, co-author of the bill. Although it mentioned the “literally hundreds” of e-mails, letters and calls from people asking the governor to veto the bill, there were no quotes from us “ordinary” people who choose to live in a community governed by a homeowners association.

Those of us who purchased homes in homeowner association communities did so knowing we had certain rules and regulations. We are well aware that this assists us in maintaining the value of our homes.

Why Sen. Schneider continues his fight against homeowner associations is the question. There are many more of us who appreciate living in a nice community than the malcontents apparently voicing their views to Sen. Schneider.

Dixie Daniel

HENDERSON

Family value

To the editor:

If instead of the American flag, Towbin Hummer put up a 100-foot-high, 30-by-60-foot banner reading “Towbin Motors” in defiance of the City Council, Dan Towbin would stand a snowball’s chance in-you-know-where of keeping it flying (Tuesday Review-Journal). Nor would he be getting nationwide free publicity.

A section of the Flag Code — approved in 1994 by Congress — specifically forbids the flag’s use for advertising purposes. It also says the universal custom is to lower it at sunset. If Mr. Towbin did that, the neighbors wouldn’t complain about the noise when they’re trying to sleep.

Being a good neighbor is an American family value.

STAN GOLDFARB

LAS VEGAS

School spending

To the editor:

I thought Geoff Schumacher (Sunday column) was a little tough on Bonnie Carrick, the elderly lady who expressed in a letter to the editor that she feels she has paid enough over the years for her own kids’ education and doesn’t feel obligated to pay for others.

While I disagree that “this attitude is rampant,” I do believe the bigger problem in getting people to ante up for our secondary schools really comes down to an explanation from those running our public school system regarding how the money they are already getting is spent. I suspect Ms. Carrick would be less inclined to complain if she got some answers to the following questions:

1. Why are there almost no studies available showing a strong correlation between money spent per child and performance in schools?

2. The United States spends more per child than any other country and yet we rank very poorly in comparative testing. Why? We’ve spent billions of dollars (local and federal taxes) on schools since the 1960s and our kids are farther behind the rest of the world’s kids more than ever.

3. Every year more of our school budget goes toward hundreds of items the elderly were never exposed to while raising their own kids. They don’t understand why money is spent on these things when it wasn’t necessary when they were in school. No one has explained that to them. Why not?

4. Why are there far more administrators per pupil and per teacher than ever before? Why is that cost necessary?

5. Since the release of the early 1970s study “A Nation at Risk,” nearly every state has increased their school budgets in excess of inflation every year for more than 30 years. Why hasn’t this been enough?

When the elderly (and others for that matter) start getting answers to these questions, I suspect there will be a lot more money available for our schools.

Or maybe a lot less.

Bob Swan

LAS VEGAS

Dried up

To the editor:

I heard on the news that Lake Mead’s water level is dangerously dropping. With all the new construction and people moving here, what is going to happen to this city if that continues?

Do people have their heads in the sand regarding this and think the problem is going to just go away? Are there plans for an alternative way for us to get water if Lake Mead dries up? If not, Las Vegas could possibly become a ghost town in the next 20 years. Our homes and businesses would be worth absolutely nothing.

I, for one, am deeply concerned about this and wonder if many other residents of this valley feel the same way. We just can’t sit back and ignore this serious problem.

Barb Consilio

LAS VEGAS

Pay package

To the editor:

Your Sunday front-page headline, “CEO pay soars to level of pro athletes, movie stars,” left me with a blank look on my face. Are we to believe athletes and movie stars deserve higher pay for individual jobs when CEOs manage huge corporations that employ millions of workers?

I believe they are all overpaid. But how can anyone justify this comparison by making it sound as if the outrageous pay of athletes and movie stars is OK?

Jan Madigan

LAS VEGAS