Letter: Tax hike will take away reason to relocate here

Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2003 | 9:07 a.m.

What makes Vegas so attractive? Especially to those contempplating a move? The weather? Think again. Tax relief! Why do you think Vegas ranked number one in new business formation? Tax relief.

California has the weather. Phoenix, professional teams. Colorado, skiing. Utah, best powder! So what makes Vegas great? Tax relief. The tax relief here is why I and thousands like me stay and live here. It's plain and simple.

For locals, prices for food, services and shows at the casinos have soared. Costs now for everything, except housing, are about on a par with other states. It is only the tax relief that keeps us here, and keeps people coming here in droves. You take that away, and we will pay for it.

Why do government leaders always talk of how much more we need to spend, instead of how much more we need to cut out the unnecessary fat. Abe Lincoln got quite a great education at his fireside, with charcoal and the back side of a shovel for writing and candlelight for lighting. Focus on quality teaching, getting into college, cut the fat; maybe parents and students can help raise funds for athletics, plays, orchestra, etc.

Who in the world has ever heard of taxing gross income? Even the feds don't. That 15 cents per hundred property tax increase is deceiving, too. Make the casinos pay more, not small businesses.

Giving Gov. Kenny Guinn what he wants is like letting the camel's nose in the tent; when you get the nose in, the rest comes after. Once in place, gross receipts taxes, new property taxes, you'll hear "Oops," like Clinton did when he raised the rates!

We didn't elect Guinn to raise taxes. We elected him to be fiscally sound. Anyone can ask for more money, but most of us, if we don't have it, we make do. Let's not kill the golden goose!

DAVID N. VIGER JR.