Letter: Nevadans need public officials to tackle issues
Sunday, July 9, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.
I agree with the Shovel Brigade leaders that this will be a very important watershed event, but for different reasons. The no-show shovelers are the same imaginary right-wing, anti-government voters who have prevented progressive legislators of both parties from acting to bring Nevada into the modern era.
It is with one nervous eye on the long-gone specter of the "Sagebrush Rebellion" that our elected officials drop or water down proposals for meeting Nevada's real needs. The governor warns of a drastic budget shortfall, but dares not suggest ending our notorious tax subsidies for business. City and county officials lament our tangled traffic and air pollution, but cannot bring themselves to wrest control of our runaway growth from developers.
Elected officials like Rep. Jim Gibbons who supported the Jarbidge "movement" -- and those who knew better but dared not condemn its defiance of the law -- need to shake off those debilitating cobwebs of the past and get with the issues that define a successful modern state.
Our public officials, like our problems, are not hopeless. There are more Oscar Goodmans and Bruce Woodburys than Lance Malones and Michael McDonalds, more legislators like Mark Amodei, Terry Care and Dina Titus than the Ray Rawsons and Jon Porters. The people of Nevada need elected officials who will lead, even in controversial areas. There is so much catch-up needed, it must start now.
JOSEPH M. HOGAN
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Vdara hotel marks opening of CityCenter
- Greenspun reorganizes local media operation, cuts staff
- Harry Reid on mortgages: ‘Bank of America must do more’
- A sad day at the Sun, but a day for hope
- Employee files lawsuit against Amazon.com, seeks class-action status
- UNLV’s poise to be tested in first road game of season
- Bail set at $1 million in fatal Thanksgiving Day shooting
- Firefighter jailed for kicking teen boy after basketball game
- Tiger Woods allegedly linked to LV nightclub exec
- Report: Nevada among friendliest states for small businesses
Blogs
The Kats Report
Noteworthy: More from the Trop, Cher changes, Newton on 'CBS Sunday Morning'
TUF Heavyweights
Marathon season finale
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Brian Sandoval is still against taxes, for limiting government and empowering people (6 Comments)
Elsewhere
TCU extends Gary Patterson through 2016
The Kats Report
Dissimilar landmarks -- Binion's and CityCenter -- reflect today's Las Vegas (8 Comments)
High School Sports Scene
Prep Football: State Championship (5 Comments)
Elsewhere
UFC debut in Boston likely July or August (1 Comment)
Calendar »
- 3 Thu
- 4 Fri
- 5 Sat
- 6 Sun
- 7 Mon
-
The Cranberries at The Pearl
The Pearl at the Palms | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Grand opening of Crystals at CityCenter
CityCenter-Crystals | 5 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Sans Age spa night at The Stirling Club featuring Danne' King
Stirling Club | 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
-
Bill Engvall at the Treasure Island Theatre
Treasure Island Theatre
-
Tabor Dame at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country
Stoney's Rockin' Country
-
ILORI sunglass boutique grand opening
Ilori Sunglass Boutique | 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati







