Letters to the editor for Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014

Concerned about Carson’s water supply

Eight years ago, my wife and I moved to Carson City from Incline Village. I find the water situation here rather concerning. In the past I have read articles stating that Carson has plenty of water, but our pumping and storage capacities are lacking. Over the past few years, I have never read about any new wells, reservoirs, or increased pumping ability being installed.

As past director of utilities in Incline Village, we had always planned 10-15 years in advance for projected usage. All of our water stations had two to three back-up pumps to meet the demand, or in case of pump failure. Plus we had emergency back up generators. All reservoirs were built to meet total build-out — plus a percentage over the projected build-out.

Carson, over the years, has allowed hundreds — if not thousands — of building permits, both residential and commercial. Don’t these new projects pay a water acquisition fee? If so, where has it gone? If not, why not?

Could we get some answers for these concerns?

Lane LePera

Carson City

We are getting short end of the stick on land deal

What a deal! Just think — 10,000 acres or so for development in exchange for 74,000 acres of new wilderness designation! One might think that Nevada has no wilderness, when, in fact, most of the state is wilderness.

It appears to me that we are getting the short end of the proverbial stick. Shouldn’t the feds be ceding more of our own land back to the state for state and private development?

In addition, this allows Lyon County and the copper mine to actually buy our own land! Again, what a deal! Wish I could pull off such a transaction.

Alicia Kittess

Carson City

Planning Commission’s use of taxes questionable

A few years ago, the planning committee decided that a good way to spend the taxpayer’s money was to beautify about five blocks of Carson Street by installing a center divider down the middle of the street with trees, bushes and flowers, which separated the two-way traffic making it safer on frozen street conditions.

After much labor, a few years and lots of money, the divider is in place with all the planned foliage. It looks nice; was it worth the hard-earned money of the tax payers? Did it accomplish what the planning committee wanted? Perhaps, but maybe not.

Today’s Planning Commission thinks not. This Planning Commission wants to jack hammer the entire center divider. Remove all of the manicured foliage that took all of these years to grow and mature, complete with watering systems, then repave the center section to make those few blocks something different. Spend the taxpayer’s money and raise the taxes seems to be the agenda.

Could ego be playing a part in this decision? Is the Planning Commission trying to justify its salaries? I think that is impossible!

Bud Irving

Carson City

Taxpayers foot bill, get little in return

I have questions to ask the mayor and city supervisors. Why do you always think about the tourists instead of thinking about us taxpayers?

We would like answers — where did the tax money for the V&T Railroad go? We pay the bill! Virginia City makes the money on the tourists rides to Virginia City, staying three hours and spending money. We pay the bill!

We’ve been paying taxes on gasoline for the freeway for five to six years. Where did that money go?

You raise the rates on our water bills by adjusting the consumption tables so the price of water goes up again. Now we hear you are going to raise our rates again over the next four years. Where did the money we already paid go to repair the water treatment and sewer system?

You are going to raise our taxes again to redo downtown for the tourists and businesses on Carson Street. How many times are we expected to redo the downtown corridor and wait for you to take care of the rest of the city infrastructure. We pay all the bills for the tourism in this town, yet the return on our investment never results in a better standard of living.

The mayor and supervisors should be ashamed for the way our streets look. Since you won’t do anything for us taxpayers, we will remember you come this November at the general election. It’s time for a change.

June Burke

Carson City

Make the south happy

Some members of Nevada’s legislature have doubts about the Tesla situation. I might have come up with a solution ...

Simply mandate that all 6,500 jobs be unionized. That way, union dues can be directly spent to support liberal democrats. That should provide a sufficient level of appeasement.

Bob Burchfield

Wellington