Sun editorial:

Where is the vision?

Nevada behind states that have taken bold steps to prepare for the future

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009 | 2:08 a.m.

In 2007 Texas voters approved an ambitious fight against cancer, agreeing to spend up to $3 billion over the next decade to fund cancer research and prevention efforts.

Gov. Rick Perry and famed cyclist Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor, were among the high-profile figures championing the measure, which will make Texas a leader in the effort to find a cure for cancer. Only the National Cancer Institute has more money dedicated to research.

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas is now gearing up to give out $450 million in research grants over the next two years. The Associated Press recently reported that researchers are moving to Texas to take part in the research bonanza.

What we find admirable is that political and civic leaders carried a vision to the voters and rallied support for something as important as the fight against cancer.

That kind of vision and political leadership is rare, especially here in Nevada. The state is desperately in need of a vision for the future, yet politicians have largely ignored long-range issues and concerns.

Our governor, Jim Gibbons, has spent his term trying to play to his right-wing base. He continually frets about penny-ante tax issues and repeats his no-new-taxes mantra. Meanwhile, the state continues to lag behind the national average in a number of areas, from school funding to transportation.

For years the state has seen the effects of its antiquated tax system, yet the Legislature has done little about it except order studies to consider alternatives.

Many state leaders have been hobbled by a fear of the electorate. Instead of properly preparing the state for the future, they have been content with mediocrity. We hope the politicians see Texas’ move as an inspiration and a challenge to dream a little.

They could start with improving schools and pulling the state out of the bottom of the national rankings on numerous quality-of-life indicators.

That may not be as grand a vision as curing cancer, but it would be a good start.

Discussion: 6 comments so far…

By SgtRock

10/7/09 at 6:56 a.m.

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The Sun has never came out and said....hmmmmm...we are nearly broke...how about not coming with ideas to spend more money.

If that every happens then hell will be offically frozen over and UNLV Rebel football team will have won a national championship.

Sun's and Democrats' game plan for the state...spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend, tax, tax, tax,
By ghostcommander

10/7/09 at 2:37 p.m.

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Nevada is right down there at the bottom, just like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. Vision less but the right wing politicians and their business cronies love the status quo.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons

10/7/09 at 4:08 p.m.

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So basically you guys want to tax the poor to pay the wealthy?

How about creating an economy based on the needs of the people rather than the needs of the wealthy and well-connected?
By Judy

10/7/09 at 5:42 p.m.

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I would not want to address the "visions" that Gibbons has.
By jlb101

10/7/09 at 6:19 p.m.

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Let's raise the taxes through the roof and we can have a wonderful state like California (the cesspool of the Pacific), New York (the national sewer), or New Jersey (a piece of crap with no hope of redemption). Government is the answer to nothing. It accomplishes nothing, does nothing and is worth nothing and charges too much in the process.
By mred

10/7/09 at 9:07 p.m.

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Let's open an international institute devoted to bar stool injuries