Letters to the editor for Sunday, March 27, 2016

The Nevada Appeal is accepting poems about spring, no more than 100 words in length, through Wednesday, April 6. Email poems to editor@nevadaappeal.com, or fax them to 775-887-2420, or mail them to the Nevada Appeal, 580 Mallory Way, Carson City NV 89701. Poems will be printed on Sunday, April 10.

Tax on medical equipment is cruel

In April, the Nevada Tax Commission is hearing final testimony on the taxability of home oxygen systems and other home medical equipment. The commission must also decide if it agrees with a 1990 Nevada Supreme Court decision that exempted all oxygen administration equipment.

These systems are used to treat conditions such as asthma, sleep apnea, emphysema, lung cancer, and cardiac disease. Other infant and adult medical equipment must also be ruled taxable or non-taxable for patients who are sick, injured or dying at home.

Most patients suffering from these diseases cannot work and have suffered irreparable financial harm. Their serious medical expenses are made worse by the sales and use tax on life-saving equipment; all this for an estimated .0004 cents per dollar of revenue for the state.

The Nevada Department of Taxation’s persistence in finding ways to tax the most vulnerable of our citizens on equipment they cannot live without is both cruel and inhumane.

Doug Bennett

Reno

Spring

Have you seen

Our spring delight?

Calves are born

Birds take flight

What is this all about?

Flowers bloom

And trees they sprout.

Grass turns green

Buds will grow

It’s time for rebirth

After winter’s snow

Easter was created

For you and I

That there is life

After we die.

Thank you, God, for

Your forgiveness of sin

Upon the cross

So we can enter in.

Thank you for

The blessings of spring

Easter, rebirth

And birds that sing.

What a joy and delight

Out of the darkness

And into the light!

Jenny Schnabel

Carson City

Appeal should print variety of opinions

I have a frustration with the Nevada Appeal. While the newspaper does a respectable job of reporting local news, I do not believe it has a balanced approach to political commentary. With the departure of Bo Statham several months ago, the Appeal once again relies on contributors whose thinking is not open minded or objective.

While reading the commentaries of Guy Farmer and Fred LaSor published March 20, I observed, not for the first time, that their negative columns are example of the thinking that has led our country to where it is today. The latest criticisms from Mr. Farmer included President Obama’s visit to Cuba and the Iran agreement. Included in Mr. LaSor’s climate change column is his criticism of the president for this jet travel and Al Gore for the size of his residence.

While the two columnists referenced above are entitled to their viewpoints, if the Appeal were open to publishing a myriad of political commentary, differing views could be expressed. Other writers may have viewed the Cuba visit as a step toward enhancing the relationship for the good of our country and the Cuban people or the Iran agreement as progress being made in diplomatically dealing with a potentially dangerous nation. Other writers might have put more blame for carbon emissions and carbon footprints on larger corporations rather than on the president’s jet or Al Gore’s home.

I believe the Appeal owes it to its readers to publish contrasting political opinions.

Martin J. Fischer

Carson City

City needs to rethink water policy

I could not believe my eyes when I read your front page article in the Wednesday, March 16 issue, “Water revenues 10 percent below projections.”

As requested, city residents cut back on water use because of the drought. David Bruketta, Carson City utility manager, has come to the absolutely brilliant realization that using less water has resulted in less income to the city! One would think he could have anticipated that result when the city implored us to conserve water. His only answer seems to be that we’ll need to pay more because we did the right thing and used less.

To add insult to injury, your Friday, March 18 edition lead article, “Supervisors OK changes to Lompa Ranch plan,” says the Board of Supervisors has approved 2,500 more living units to be built in Carson City. Didn’t we recently read that the Lompa Ranch development was to be 400 housing units, and now suddenly it’s 2,500? Every one of those 2,500 families will need water.

The developers will happily build the houses and apartments, take their profits and walk away, leaving city residents to deal with less water, higher bills, and, of course, more meaningless platitudes from our apparently clueless local officials.

Baron Mathews

Carson City

Humor at the DMV

I’m fortunate to be in good shape for my advanced years.

When requesting the Driving Safety Handbook, I was asked: “Commercial or motorcycle?”

Louisa Vanderlinden

Carson City