Letter: Lawmakers are too wimpy to address budget

Monday, May 7, 2001 | 9:06 a.m.

Spineless cowards. What else can you call our state legislators? Always more interested in the next re-election campaign than doing what's right for the citizens they represent.

Apparently, there is a vast funding shortage for the school district. They wimp out by trying to steal the money from the county governments to help fill the gap. It won't hurt their re-election campaigns, but it sure will impact the local politicians when they have to raise taxes to fill the void. Cowards!

They want to spend $5 million for a campaign fighting the nuke dump that they know is inevitable for Nevada. But of course, this looks good during campaign season. Spineless cowards!

I know there are a lot of votes out there in Henderson, but with a projected budget shortfall of tens of millions of dollars, can we really afford a new college? They just stick their heads in the sand.

The legislators should have demanded a top-to-bottom audit of the school district to determine if there was truly a need for additional funding. If so, then pass legislation that would have raised taxes across the board by small percentage increases on all services that impact tourists and new residents. Gaming tax, room tax, entertainment tax, airport user fees, car rental and new home surcharges, etc. What tourist would balk at paying an extra dollar to rent a room or see a show? Would a new resident decide not to move here if he or she had to pay $250 more to purchase a home?

I was hoping our citizen legislature would have just one knight in shining armor. I guess not. Cowards all.

ROBERT BENCIVENGA

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