More people lining up at the public trough?
To the editor:
Wednesday's Review-Journal editorial regarding government benefits to same-sex couples points out the biggest problem many have with such arrangements. While one may or may not be offended by or in favor of such life choices -- based on religious principles, a sense of morals or otherwise -- it is ultimately the decision of the couple how they wish to be regarded by others.
That is quite different than having such a choice entitle such couples to access benefits most perceive as reserved to the formal heterosexual marriage contract. It was almost certainly never the intent of legislators to provide expensive publicly funded benefits to those of the same sex or to those of different genders living together.
Perhaps the public should butt out of choices regarding partners and lifestyles, but it is very appropriate to butt into questions of how and by whom the public trough is accessed.
RICHARD CONNER
LAS VEGAS
Important job
To the editor:
So the county commissioners will be getting a "series of pay raises" beginning with a 4 percent increase, which they say is "in line with the cost of living." Meanwhile, the employees who hold the most important job imaginable -- those who teach the children in this county -- are getting just more than 2 percent?
I don't get it.
HEIDI SPERLING-GOMEZ
LAS VEGAS
Residency law
To the editor:
I find it quite unsettling that County Commissioner Tom Collins isn't satisfied with just making rules to control our lives, he now wants to control where we live and spend our money (Review-Journal, Tuesday). Granted the new residency requirement that he purposes would only pertain to those citizens who are seeking employment with the county. However, we all know that if you give politicians an inch, they most certainly will take that proverbial mile -- and somewhere in the future they will use that law as a precedent to somehow screw all of us over.
Commissioner Collins wants to make it a law that if you work for the county, you must live within the county borders. He believes that this will make the employees more loyal. That logic has already been proven unsound by four of our so-called county leaders who chose to satisfy their greed by accepting bribes as commissioners. They are either now in prison or waiting to go.
The commissioner also believes that the county will get more money back from employing people who live in the county. This reminds me of a sad time in our history when companies used such logic over their employees. Workers had to live in company-owned housing and had to buy all their supplies at "the company store." Such stores would over-charge their employees so much, that most would have to use credit to buy what we needed, which would make it almost impossible for them to ever pay it back, thus keeping the employee under the thumb of the company forever.
Now, I'm not suggesting that Tom Collins is trying to take us back to those days, but I believe that people should be allowed to live where they please, unless they're running for office. Why waste taxpayer money and law enforcement man-hours trying to make sure someone lives in the county, when we have more life-threatening concerns that need to be addressed by the commission? Commissioner Collins, you have a better chance of getting re-elected by stopping gang violence than by trying to control law-abiding citizens.
PAUL W. TROJAN
LAS VEGAS
Joy ride
To the editor:
Recently, some good friends of mine went out for dinner in the vicinity of Fort Apache and Sahara. Their car was stolen from the parking lot of the establishment. It took Las Vegas police four hours to respond.
Because their car was equipped with OnStar, Onstar was able to tell them they were aware of the car's location, but could only disclose that information to the police.
Long story short: They were lucky to get the car back with minimal damage, no thanks to the four-hour delay in the police response time. No wonder Las Vegas is a haven for car thieves.
COLLEEN JANE MCGRATH
LAS VEGAS
