Letter: Development is not necessarily progress

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005 | 9:28 a.m.

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink! Our politicians, developers and casino moguls are playing Russian roulette with the future of Clark County.

They are betting on a continuing supply of water from whatever sources they can dream of, but yet there is no plan to stop the rampant, wild and uncontrolled development.

The goal of these so-called community leaders seems to be to fill this valley, from mountain to mountain, with ticky-tacky housing, minimalls, towering condos, sprawling gaming establishments, freeways and related developments. Hell-bent on making a quick profit, they cover the desert with asphalt and concrete; they pollute the air and water so that eventually neither will be useable. Only when our area is permanently uninhabitable will they be satisfied.

All who continue to promote unbridled growth and development are ignorant of basic biology and principles of ecology; their only goal is greedy acquisition of riches they can garner quickly. Politicians yield more exceptions to allow development in the remaining natural areas of Clark County.

Lake Mead was once a jewel in the desert and a valued resource of water for our area. Today, it is rapidly turning into a severely polluted septic tank.

When this valley is no longer an attractive place to live or visit, these alleged benefactors of Las Vegas will move on. Their superficial concerns and phony love for Las Vegas will disappear like snow on a hot July day; they will take their riches and find other locals to suck dry.

Virgil A. Sestini

Las Vegas