Letters to the editor for Friday, April 4, 2014

Citizens can’t afford sales tax increase

On the front page of the Nevada Appeal was an article on the sales tax hike and mention that, perhaps, it may cover a new animal shelter if it were passed.

Has anyone, besides me, read their latest utility bill? As I read it, my Carson City water/sewer/storm water bill has increased by over 40 percent since last year. Upon questioning it, I was told that it was to pay for the $140,000,000 loan just obtained to improve the sewer service as well as other “improvements.” I suggested that was a large amount for a city the size of Carson City and was told there was a long list for equipment needed.

Are we headed for financial situations like California, Illinois and others are facing? Our state governor has a budget, and I figured this city would also. I remember million dollar expenditures had been brought before the city’s voters in the past.

Sylvia Peters

Carson City

Let sleeping dogs lie with Russia

To consider our present contretemps with Russia a new Cold War mistakes the present for the past. I view the Ukraine not as a state or a nation, but as a lawless territory, ruled largely by corruption and brute force. (Afghanistan, anyone?) Lending it money for whatever reason amounts to throwing it down a black hole. Russia’s takeover of the Crimea is perhaps best viewed as simple foreclosure for monies owed.

When President Obama blusters of Russia no longer being a world power, but rather a nation acting from weakness, not from strength, I am left with the impression he better describes ourselves. Sanctions so far proposed against Russia only tweak the bear’s whiskers. They are likely to give us more trouble than they’re worth, as in provoking Russia to even more generosity with Iran.

Let us consider Crimea a done deal, and keep open the door to Russia. Let us concentrate our efforts on buttressing her stable border states — Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, et al.

Michael Goldeen

Carson City