Editor:
Something is really wrong with the continuation $40 million Douglas County School District bond proposal.
The last bond that passed in 1992 came after the district had gained over 1,000 students in the previous five years and nearly 2,000 in the previous 10 years.
That bond, which was only $29 million, added over 200,000 square feet of capacity including three brand new schools.
The $40 million upcoming continuation school bond proposal includes many projects that should be funded out of operating funds and not debt.
Looking through the list of proposed projects are items such as removal of a concrete school entrance and re-landscaping, replacing windows at various sites, asphalt repair and replacement, carpet replacement and painting and staining a school, all of which have a useful life much less than that of the bond.
I don't think these types of school repairs should be financed at interest with taxpayers footing the bill.
That simply is not a good financial practice and taxpayers should not be asked to pay interest over 20 years on things that will last half that time.
School bonds should be for new buildings and student capacity and not things that the schools have neglected to fund out of other more appropriate funds.
Financing these maintenance projects with long term debt and paying interest on the debt is a bad proposal that should be rejected by the voters of Douglas County.
Pat Samedi
Gardnerville
Editor:
As a regular user of the Carson Valley Swim Center, I attended the board of directors meeting on Sept. 11. At that time, a decision was scheduled as to whether the two special changing/toilet rooms near the warm pool should be permanently locked. I was appalled to find that although no vote had been taken, apparently prior to the meeting, the board had already made their decision, regardless of community testimony. A pretense was made of hearing public input. We were told that statements of 5 minutes per person would be heard. Yet, a citizen representing total lock-up was allowed to continue his arguments for 20 minutes. An obviously biased survey was presented and accepted as though it were gospel, justifying the decision.
I do not dispute how wonderful our swim center is for having these special needs facilities. They serve an often over-looked population. However, to lock up two such rooms the entire day for this exclusive group is a disservice to the community. I found the board to be insensitive to the gamut of special needs represented in the community. In addition I feel that having two rooms locked during all open hours of the swim center is unnecessary.
As I understand the subsequent board's proceedings, a policy was established that both changing/toilet rooms are to be kept locked at all times and that keys will be issued only to those meeting the swim center director's determination as to who is disabled enough to warrant a key. I feel that the following would be a kinder, gentler approach to the issues. That the Carson Valley Swim Center Board of Directors makes two policy changes:
1) One of the two special dressing and toilet facilities is kept unlocked for general use, whatever the need.
2) Whoever requests the key for the locked room is issued the key, no questions asked. (Why should an individual be humiliated by disclosing personal medical information to a total stranger to justify their need?)
Trustees should reconsider their decision as their charter states that they are to be of service to the entire community.
Linda Hiebert Sekiguchi
Minden
Editor:
This is to whomever is leaving used adult diapers spread on Jack Wright Pass. Please stop.
Not only is it disgusting to see soiled adult undergarments splayed out upon the road, it's bad for the environment.
The residents of Smith Valley would like for you to please stop polluting the roads. Find other places to dispose of your diapers, like a trash can or something.
Julie Gorriz
Smith
Editor:
Dean Heller's opponent, Jill Derby, is a child of plenty. She lived well as she earned her advanced degrees, able to stay in school long after her fellow undergrads' money ran out and they got real jobs. Jill Derby's world is a utopia of theories, divorced from real life.
Derby's dingy beliefs find a natural home in the Democrat party. She disguises herself as an independent spirit, but her first vote in Congress will be to re-elect ultra-radical Nancy Pelosi as speaker. That's when she'll drop the "independent" facade.
Democrats will vote the party line next year on little or no drilling and "tax the rich," including Derby. But guess who Democrats are calling rich?
Inheritors of wealth like Derby and Ted Kennedy are not the targeted rich. Democrats want to further burden high earners who provide jobs, goods and services even though they pay most of the taxes now. But how does punishing small businesspeople and investors help the economy? The productive will either raise prices or cut costs.
If Derby beats Heller, you'll be fine. Just don't work for rich people or buy anything from them.
Lynn Muzzy
Minden
Editor:
This Monday morning, as decades of mismanagement causes havoc on Wall Street, attack dog Joe Biden used his speech in Michigan to accuse McCain and the Republicans for the financial mess.
Meanwhile in Colorado, Sarah Palin outlined McCain's reform plans to shake up Washington and Wall Street, to reform government oversight of financial institutions, to protect savers and investors, to end mismanagement and ensure large institutions are run responsibly. In Florida, McCain attributed the crisis to irresponsibility and corruption, but indicated the underlying economy is basically strong. McCain and Palin want to end golden parachutes for those who ruin large companies and cost investors their savings.
This, while Obama plans to raise taxes on virtually everything, you or your boss, so there won't be more jobs, there won't be more raises, some small businesses will be forced to close, and there will be job losses.
At least McCain and Palin tell us about plans to help us, while Obama has a plan to make things worse, and Biden can only blame everyone else. As private investors we make our own choices how to save. With everything tied up in taxes we can't choose, and lose, when Washington and greedy leaders screw up.
Judy Jacobs
Topaz Lake
Editor:
They mate for life, are great parents, the pack raises the young, and just like man they live by killing. No, I'm not talking about the Palins (otherwise the second wouldn't be there). I'm talking about the wolf. And for that matter we can include another of the Canidae family, the coyote.
Man moved onto and developed the land that the coyotes lived on. They put food in front of them, and expected them not to take advantage of that. And when they do, man kills them. But the reason why the coyotes are on the land is not to kill cattle. It's primarily to catch and eat mice, rabbits, and birds, which carry diseases that can cause harm to cattle and humans. This seems like it would be helpful for the ranchers.
Apply this to Alaska, change the coyotes to wolves, the cattle to caribou, the ranchers to hunters, throw in a theocratic governor and you have essentially the same sad story.
In 1972, Congress made it illegal for hunters to shoot animals from plane or helicopter. The federal legislation does however allow state employees or licensed individuals to shoot from an aircraft for predator control. But Palin, a woman of "family values," legalized aerial hunting of wolves (for hunters) so there would be more large game (...for hunters). She even put a $150 bounty on wolves shot from planes. But these wolves eat primarily mice, rabbits and birds, not large game. And when they do go after larger prey, they choose the lame and sick. Hunters do the opposite, choosing the strongest. So how does killing the wolves help humans? It doesn't. It increases the population of mice and rabbits.
These wolves are chased during the winter season, so they can be better seen against the white snow, by plane, until they are exhausted. They're then shot at with a shot gun. The wolf bites at the wounds, trying to ease the agonizing pain as it is continuously riddled with shot until killed, dying the snow deep red. Palin should know that preventing suffering, unlike this, is at the top of any (good) hunters list.
In 1996 and 2000 Alaskans overwhelmingly voted to, once again, ban aerial wolf hunting. But it was overturned by the Alaska Legislature. What happened to democracy? Why make this legal? There is as much "sound science," as Palin says, to how this helps as there is to Bush putting nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain. And when other states, such as Idaho and Wyoming, look to Alaska to justify aerial wolf hunting programs of their own, what will stop everyone else?
When McCain speaks of Obama's "inexperience" and anti-pork barrel spending, but then chooses Alaska's inexperienced governor for V.P. who has used far more pork barrel spending then Obama in Illinois, how can we trust the Republican Party to fix America.
It's just one of the many things Palin is doing to help destroy the U.S.
Stop destroying families.
Stop killing wolves.
Stop Sarah Palin.
Dane Hedlund
Gardnerville
Editor:
"Old timers" will regale you about Tinkers to Evers to Chance. The literati will remind you of "The Three Musketeers." Currently another trio is consequential. This trio is malignant and lauded by liberals. It is Marx, a communist, to Alinsky a communist, to Obama a communist. I implore you to read Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals." Barack is implementing Alinsky's strategy faultlessly (e.g. class warfare, redistribution of wealth, increasing government power over the people with confiscatory agendas and an attempt to destroy the capitalistic freedom that has made America great). The mainstream media and university elites are "in the tank" for Barack to the extent that they "dissed" Hillary and torpedoed her candidacy. They cover for Obama unabashedly. Change was an Alinsky slogan adopted by Obama. Have you heard that? "Change" the gift of our founding fathers for communism? No thank you.
Now we are alleged to be racial bigots if we don't vote for this unexperienced "street organizer" with rather extraordinary long term relationships with "hate America" associates.
Truthfully, I don't care if he's striped. I am concerned that many Americans (black and white) have been mesmerized by his charismatic crap.
Dick Witzig
Gardnerville
Editor:
Church vs. this presidential election is an issue that I have always thought was not to be discussed based on the separation of church and state. For one thing, there are many parishioners who believe everything they are told by the leader of their church.
Over the past year I have noticed an increase in government politics playing a role during religious functions, such as giving opinion negatively regarding a candidate. Discussing this issue with various people I have spoken with on the subject I have learned this is being discussed at their church as well.
I suggest choosing the president and vice-president based on the candidates' willingness to discuss the issues with foreign countries at the table before the desire to go to war first and ask questions later. I am not interested in their personal view on religion, how many children they have, or how many they bring to the office. I want a president and his running mate to know how to discuss critical issues involving the welfare of our country " not based on their religious preference or how they believe in God, and without the fear of perhaps being trigger happy, which so far I have noticed to be very concerning in this election during dangerous times.
Making public statements of "war" is not only frightening to citizens of this country, but I am sure, alarming to the world.
N. Miller
Gardnerville
Editor:
Michael McQuain's letter in the Sept. 12 edition of The Record-Courier, concerning our Constitution's Second Amendment needs an answer. The Supreme Court recently overturned a Washington, D.C. law restricting hand guns, which helped police control gun violence.
In that case, the court treated the second as the National Rifle Association has long propagandized, that it is more like two amendments; one about militias and the other about the right to bear arms. The second is one amendment and served its purpose well for the time it was written.
The first 10 amendments to our Constitution were ratified 217 years ago when this was an infant nation. The revolutionary war, which gave us freedom from England and created this nation, was won by the militia, the able-bodied men of the country and their weapons.
So why did the Second deserve a place at the top, right after the graceful first? This was one vulnerable nation, fragile in the extreme. The main defense against foreign invasion the militia with its weapons. The Second Amendment was to ensure that local jurisdictions, towns, cities, counties and states did not deny the militiamen their weapons.
Read the Second Amendment; gang members in public housing, carrying guns and looking to do violence, cannot be considered part of a "well regulated militia."
Harry Snell
Gardnerville
Editor:
It's wake-up time voters. These are serious times, that require real leadership. We are facing the worst financial crisis since the great depression, brought to you by the failed policies of the Bush administration. Just imagine if Bush had gotten his way and your Social Security was now bleeding away on Wall Street along with 401Ks, pensions, college savings and retirement savings.
McCain's claim that the fundamentals of our economy are strong should be a huge warning that he doesn't have a clue on how to get us out of this mess. Obama was way ahead on grasping the severity of this deregulation mania and now has a six-point plan to get us out. McCain wants to form a commission and kick it down the road. Deregulation of the financial industry has led us to where we are today.
Now McCain falsely claims that he will throw the bums out. He is one of the bums, that pushed for deregulation for years. A 20 minute Google search should be sufficient to convince all but the dimwits among us that McCain has been a master of special interest giveaways to Wall Street that enabled this meltdown. Anyone remember the "Keating 5?" McCain was one of five Senators investigated during the savings and loan debacle that cost millions of people there life's savings. Today the government took over AIG.
Major credit companies have now been nationalized by the Bush administration. Yet nationalized heath insurance is off the table for this bunch. The stakes in this election couldn't be higher and the choice couldn't be clearer. We can't let the fox guard the hen-house anymore. Vote Obama.
Debbie Gardia
Minden
Editor:
Obama and the Democrats want to let the current $2,000 middle income tax reduction sunset.
Obama promises a middle income a $1,000 tax reduction.
My learning tells me that equals a $1,000 middle income tax increase.
Stuart Posselt
Minden
Editor:
I would like to publicly extend my gratefulness, gratitude and admiration to our local law enforcement.
I was stranded in the heat of the day off of Highway 395 with a flat tire.
After a little over an hour had passed, and still no tow truck, young officer Jeff Schemenaur and his friend rescued me and changed my tire. Thank you so much for your kindness.
Ulla Sangild
Minden
