Letter: Growth has far outpaced infrastructure

Friday, May 24, 2002 | 9:57 a.m.

What is needed is a shift in the priority, from development and growth, to those portions of society that will ensure a better quality of life for all. We need to focus on allowing the infrastructure to catch up with the reality of the current population. Growth has outpaced our ability to keep up.

Evidence of this can be seen in the current issues facing Southern Nevada today. For years the public has been told that growth will pay for itself, that it will be good for the economy, and that growth is good for Southern Nevada. What was not factored into the equation was the downside to rapid growth and development. Perhaps this is because our elected officials are not capable of managing a community of our current size.

The time has come for all citizens to become involved. We need to write, call or meet with our elected officials and tell them we want the growth to stop. The focus needs to be on improving the standard of living, not on developing more desert.

PATRICK FERGUSON