Letters to the editor for Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016

Election letters policy: Letters about the 2016 general election need to be turned into the Nevada Appeal by noon on Thursday, Oct. 20. Letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number and be no more than 250 words. The Appeal reserves the right to edit them. Letters also may appear at nevadaappeal.com. • Only one letter can be submitted every 30 days. • Mail it to Letters to the Editor, Nevada Appeal, 580 Mallory Way, Carson City, NV 89701. • Send emails to editor@nevadaappeal.com.

Vintage vote should be after the election

I have watched, with interest, the Vintage project. The result of the Planning Commission meeting, held on Sept. 29, was to approve the project and take it to the Carson City Board of Supervisors. The Nevada Appeal article states that the date of the Board of Supervisor’s meeting has not yet been determined.

This brings to mind that 3 positions, the Mayor and 2 Board of Supervisors, are up for re-election this November, which could mean that the makeup of the Board could change. Based on this fact I believe, that the vote on Vintage at Kings Canyon should be postponed until after the election. A project of this magnitude, and the effect of such a project going forward, should be voted on by the Mayor and Board of Supervisors who are elected in November. This is similar to the appointment to the vacant slot at the Supreme Court. In November we will know the will of the people and those elected, whether it’s the same or different representatives: They are the ones who should be reviewing and voting on this proposed project.

Anita Whitmore

Carson City

What did the Indians say when Columbus arrived?

Ugh! — Columbus, I have gift for you

It will grimly go down in history, too

Just mark the words of this fateful verse

So we don’t get all the blame for the curse

It is called tobacco and in time will cease

To represent the “pipe of peace.”

The will say the Indian gave you the weed

But from evil spirit it does proceed.

It will rob your pockets and soil your clothes

And make a smoke-stack out of your nose

And Montezuma’s Revenge, by far,

Is nothing compared with tobacco tar

This tear, you ask, that falls from my eye?

It’s for you, and not for Manhattan I sigh

Yes, it’s meant for you and me and the other guy

Thane W. Cornell

Carson City

In November the choice is change or not

Pundits stir up the political waters, dredging up mud from the bottom. They stir and stir, hypnotizing you into believing that the swirls and clouds and bubbles they create are what you need to know. Be not deceived. Truth lies hidden at the bottom, and there are but two things to consider this season: Change or not.

The dawn of the technology age brought with it the promise of prosperity for all; more leisure time, freedom to travel, freedom from want, a home of your own, college for your kids and an early retirement.

Fast forward 50 years.

Retirement comes at 70 or more for most, on a government stipend, if they are fortunate enough to have work. Half the population has given up hope and dropped out. Almost all the rest languish in debt, struggling on two incomes, part time, full time, or both, trying to support themselves and raise a family. College comes with 10 years debt, and no promise of employment. A home is 30, as if anyone could work that long these days and not lose it to foreclosure. Half the children born today will be on public assistance at least once in their lives.

The promise has gone to the few, and this is the world they’ve left to us. You can choose (Not)this November and have it continue the same, or you can take a chance and be the impetus for change.

Be afraid, be a slave.

Kelly Jones

Carson City

Marijuana money wouldn’t go to schools

Nevada voters will be getting duped if they believe the falsehood that Question 2, the Marijuana Initiative, will give money to schools. Section 16 of the initiative provides marijuana tax revenues must first go to the Department of Taxation to pay costs of administration and enforcement, then to localities for their costs—anything remaining to the State Distributive School Account. Individual school districts are guaranteed nothing. Proponents claim a tiny $20 million total will be raised, but the actual amount will likely fall short of even covering the full public and social costs (regulation, enforcement, public health and safety, and substance abuse treatment).

Nevada’s initiative copies Colorado’s legalized marijuana tax scheme. Colorado’s current budget is $27 billion. Their total marijuana tax money for schools is $35 million (that’s 0.13% of the budget). Pot tax money to the Denver Public Schools -- $0; to neighboring Cherry Creek Schools – $0. The only thing legalization of marijuana has brought to Colorado schools has been marijuana.

Mary Henderson

Genoa

Billionaires’ venture funded by Nevada taxpayers

Raising taxes is usually anathema to most Nevada legislators. Yet raising $750 million, among the most public money ever spent on a privately owned stadium, is being considered by our state legislators in a special session this month. There are promises of increased tourism, yet study after study has found that the public does not get a return on investment from football stadiums. The only winners in this deal will be Mark Davis, the owner of the Raiders, and Sheldon Adelson, owner of nearby casinos. Both would be getting the benefit of having their pet project funded by public revenue.

Some proponents of this deal claim that since the money will be raised through an increase in the hotel room tax, it will not come out of taxpayer’s pocket. Putting aside the fact that many Nevadans’ stay at local hotels from time to time, we must look at the opportunity cost of wasting public revenue. Let’s imagine, instead, that Nevada commits $750 million to improving road infrastructure, or to help homeless veterans, or even to transition the state into more renewable energy sources. All of these options would tangibly help all the citizens of the state of Nevada immediately and in years to come. We must urge our legislators to reject this stadium deal and instead work to improve the lives of the vast majority of people in the state of Nevada.

Jose Quiroga

Reno

Trump did what anyone us would do

Hillary’s attack on Trump’s loss write-off shows how ignorant she is. When markets crash, the biggest losers are always those who have gambled everything on their own assets and their own enterprise. Hillary’s view epitomizes what happens when your income for most of your life has come from public taxes, not from hard work and chances capitalist entrepreneurs take.

Actually, you have to admire Donald for turning around his net worth of MINUS a billion dollars to now a plus of somewhere between $3 billion and $10 billion.

Meanwhile, Bill and Hillary manage to skirt the laws regarding limits to political candidates by collecting huge fees for “speaking” engagements. Yes, they managed to avoid limitations by charging $250,000 for giving speeches. Do you earn $10,000 a minute? And did the Clintons risk even a dime doing what they did? Did they ever provide one job for anyone, except maybe for their own household purposes, most often paid by taxpayers?

Do you write off your mortgage interest from your taxes? Does doing that make you feel guilty?

This “leak” of his tax return is no bombshell. Trump did what any of us would do. The only difference is, we deal in hundreds while he deals in millions or billions. Don’t think he doesn’t pay plenty of taxes all over the place, a lot more than most of you reading this, and I, together, will pay in our lifetimes.

Judy Jacobs

Topaz Lake