Letters to the editor

Don’t assume that every state workers is lazyIn response to Joe Borges’ letter, please do not put all state employees in one clump. People have the misconception that all state employees are paid a huge amount of money. Many of those employees that make $20,000 to $25,000 a year are struggling to stay afloat. I’m sure that there is a big percentage of state workers that are overpaid for not doing much, but I have a son who I’m proud to say has an excellent work ethic, works hard at what he does, and is at the bottom of the pay scale. He struggles every month to pay his rent and his bills. The across the board 2.5 percent, or whatever it was, pay cut doesn’t affect those with higher pay much, but it does to those like my son. If you’re going to call state employees whiners, tell it to those who make over $100,000 a year.All citizens of this state should share in the burden of this economy, and I know for a fact that not all who live in this state have taken pay cuts. As for myself, I have tightened my belt as well, and seen my savings shrink. We are blessed to at least be able to continue paying our mortgage and car loan payment. I know how hard it is out there.Please don’t think all state employees are well off, that is so far from the truth. My son and husband are truly thankful to have a job.Eugenia SogaCarson CityInclude horses, burros in fire-prevention planAs a wildlife ecologist, I would like to recommend that the wild horses and burros be included as very important fire preventers on the public lands.I have written a book on these animals and stress their many ecological services, including fire prevention. They are not ruminant digesters but rather have a post-gastric, or cecal, digestive system, and they are more capable of reaching steeper, more rugged and rocky terrains where fires often start.The wild horses and burros are the perfect fire preventers and should be included in any bills currently before the Nevada State Legislature aimed at preventing catastrophic fires. I explain this in detail in the second chapter of my book. I am including a link to this here: www.amazon.com/dp/B009XJ64P4.As a professional who has studied this matter, I am willing to testify before the state legislature and would be glad to meet with you. In many areas where the wild horse and burro herds have been excessively removed, soon thereafter there have been catastrophic fires. These animals are perfectly adapted and their biology perfectly suited to the wide scale reduction of dry flammable vegetation in the state of Nevada as elsewhere in the west. Craig C. DownerMindenDowntown Carson City businesses need helpI’ve lived and served the citizens of Carson City for forty years and it is difficult for me to understand why we can’t do something to help downtown merchants that only cost $40,000. They have hung in there when perhaps they should have just boarded up their shop. I’ve seen downtown businesses struggle to exist, with little help from anyone, when actually our downtown should be a vibrant place to be for locals and visitors to our Capital. I fully support the plan Doreen Mack and other merchants have submitted to make downtown Carson City a viable, friendly downtown with parking and barrier free fencing.I’ve witnessed Carson City spending a great deal more funding on less productive projects so why not give this a try? Otherwise, you may find yourself with a lot of “out of business” signs on boarded up buildings. Then who will want to come to Carson City?I believe you owe every consideration to your downtown merchants over the commuter who is only interested in how fast he can get in and out of Carson City, and they seem to be the overwhelming opponents.Nothing ventured, nothing gained I always say, so show your support for the businesses who have for so many past years been the backbone of your revenue for sales tax, licenses, etc. Show your appreciation.Janice R. AyresCarson CityBeware of government controlling our libertyThe new medical device tax is going to hinder the very industry that is working to make us live better, more comfortable and longer lives. Some people have come forward to say that Congress should repeal this portion of Obamacare. If the political elite really wanted us to have incredible health care, they’d eliminate taxes on those practicing medicine and innovating new therapies through drugs, devices, etc. Imagine the rush of capital, innovation and competition that would flock to provide those therapies. Americans would create an amazing medical system in short order. Costs would go down, quality would go up.Possible under the current system? No, as we are restricted by a monstrous bureaucracy controlled by those that desire power over results. As voters, it’s our fault. We have empowered the supreme nannies to interfere, control and regulate something so precious as health care. Health care is too precious to have it controlled by government. Central planning has failed every time it has been tried. On the current course, we expect more interference, more regulation, less innovation, and consequently more suffering and even death as those therapies are hampered and in some cases prevented altogether due to government. Freedom to take risks of success or failure is the only way to produce an economy where the best of everything be available to everyone.How long will it be before American voters realize government control of the economy, our very liberty, is truly harmful?David Y. Cantwell GenoaLet’s stop gambling on library roof’s safetyOur serviceable city library building suffers from a rapidly deteriorating roof documented by a structural engineer well over four years ago. If the roof is further ignored, restoration at $125,000 will become impossible, and full replacement will instead cost $250,000 of public funds. The city manager and supervisors have been repeatedly asked for a progress report on how and when they propose solving the seriously overdue maintenance. Their indifferent, noncommittal response: we don’t have the money. Yet the city manager has been making pronouncements about hiring a new assistant city manager at new annual costs of some $100,000 with fringe benefits.The library director and her board claim no interest or responsibility for approaching their multiple donor sources or city management about the pressing need for this basic maintenance. Library overseers point the finger of responsibility back at the city manager to maintain the building even though overseers have the greatest day-to-day stake in a sound roof, a decidedly unglamorous expenditure.Is it wise to further gamble on the roof failing, potentially injuring people and destroying the public’s investment in the library’s contents?What’s the logical take away? The public wearily pays and pays for city staff to protect and preserve public assets, but the public receives inadequate infrastructure maintenance. We have two local examples of total public roof failures at the Eagle Valley Middle School and Fire Station #51. Do we want a third? Let’s see tangible progress in fixing the library roof, not finger pointing and inaction.Fred VoltzCarson City