Opinion

I attended a League of Women Voters' meeting last week ( October 16th). I may be have been dreaming, but people were mostly civil to each other. It was a refreshing change from so many discussions I've observed over the past two years. . . mostly angry shouting matches. Marilee Swirczek wrote recently about the "shout-out" at WNC which turned unruly when some opponents of the City Center Project started pushing and shoving an invited guest. I'm glad I wasn't there.

A previous letter (by Janice Ayers) has presented no new arguments FOR the KDC project, and failed to address the arguments made by people such as I and others who are against it. Instead, she engages in a childish ad hominem attack. That is exactly what I got in response to my first letter on this topic.

I appreciate the opportunity to write a commentary regarding Carson City Question 1 (CC#1) because I hope I might reach those people who are undecided on CC1 because of all the fearful information being circulated.
To make my point, a fairly large ad appeared in the Saturday, October 20th edition of the NV Appeal which had a picture of two older people and a young child and it said “Loving grandparents leave no debts for their grandchildren, vote no on CC#1”.

This is in reference to the Letter: Think before you vote, Carson City Nevada News - Carson Now.

16 Questions about CC1

While few can claim to have all the answers about the CC1 advisory, concerning the funding of a new city library, here are a few questions that I think everyone might consider – especially those in our city government.

Why are libraries being closed and sold all over the country?

Why are universities closing and selling libraries?

How fast will all books be replaced with eBooks?

What is the future of the library in the Internet age?

How many books can I carry on my keychain flashdrive or in my smart cell phone or eBook reader?

The Tea Party Republicans claim President Obama has not repaired the Bush/Republican mistakes fast enough. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi passed several job bills out of the House. Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell filibustered and stopped those job bills.
In 2010 the Tea Party Republicans ran on "jobs, jobs, jobs" and, oh yes, hate President Obama. Please note: Not one job bill was offered by Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner and the Tea Party Republicans. Further, they killed all job bills from President Obama.

Let me start with a disclaimer. I am not against libraries. I have an entire room dedicated to my books. But I have not used a library since I was in graduate school, because everything I needed for work was on-line or in a bookstore, too new to have made it into a library, public or private.

This information is in response to several recent letters to the editor that have proposed the consolidation of libraries in Carson City. Our goal is to provide our community a better understanding of the types of libraries in Carson City. It is true there are libraries who serve the public in Carson City, but Carson City Library is the only “public library.” The other libraries are not “public libraries” and here is how they differ:

If Carson City really needs a new library, I have an excellent idea. Let’s just buy the Ormsby House. Not for sale? Make em’ an offer they can’t refuse. Think about it.

On the 1st floor: foyer, auditorium, and changing exhibit area, all adjacent to an outdoor plaza (current valet parking). Second floor will have main library desk, space for newspaper and periodical reading, and restaurant without outdoor seating. Floors 3, 4, and 5 would be the main library collection. Floors 6, 7, and 8: computer labs, meeting rooms, and BRIC.

Letter to the editor:
It was with great sadness that I read the Nevada Appeal report (Oct.6,) “Political Speech Leads to Pushing at Forum”. For many months I’ve tolerated mean, thoughtless tirades by a handful of people opposed to positive change in our capital city community. Everyone is entitled to his opinion, however negative and uninformed it might be.

Nevada NFIB State Director, Randi Thompson, and several Carson City small business owners, made the following statements following the first presidential debate and in anticipation for the first vice presidential debate.

From the Carson City sample ballot for the general election on November 6:

Question CC1.

"Shall Carson City, Nevada, be authorized to impose an additional sales tax of up to ¼ of 1 percent pursuant to NRS Chapter 377A to finance the design, construction, and maintenance of a library and public plaza park in the downtown on lands donated by the Hop and Mae Adams Foundation?"

Where to begin....

A “Yes” vote on CC-1 will increase our Carson City debt to over $250 million in dire economic times. For what? Another library at a total debt over $4,500 for every man, woman and child in Carson City! San Bernardino, which just went bankrupt, has one-third that per person debt! What’s the need?

We already have 31 libraries - four separate public libraries, libraries in each of the 12 public schools, three museum libraries, 11 private school libraries and the Business Resource Innovation Center library. The present

The Vietnam War was fought between 1959 and 1975. The history of which is still being written, as is the legacy of the Vietnam Veteran.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. stands as a symbol of America's honor and recognition of the men and women who served and sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War.

Abraham Lincoln spoke of "The last full measure of devotion." Sadly, many who gave their all have not been recognized because they were not listed as K.I.A. Their family and friends have no closure.
Today is POW/MIA Recognition Day. On this day, we honor those who served......and those who are still serving....regardless of the conflict.
The Carson City Vietnam Memorial is located near the southeast corner of Mills Park.

A year ago today, Carson City experienced an unspeakable event in the tragic shooting at our local IHOP restaurant. Whether you were at work, school, home or going about your day, you no doubt remember Sept. 6, 2011, and the senseless act of violence that touched our community. Fear and anxiety was followed by a sense of urgency and the desire to do something; and these emotions turned into sadness and grief. But through it all, as members of the Nevada family, we found each other.

Your recent decision has stunned the residents of Virginia City, and, I hope, has dismayed the residents of Carson City into weighing in on your indefensible action.

On 26 July 2012, your agenda item was as follows:

'In May of 2012 Storey County voted to close the Storey County Public Library, (sic) Carson City Library Board of Trustees should consider a policy on a fee for issuing library cards to Nevada jurisdictions not providing any level of library service to their residents. (Action)'

Carson City School Board Trustee Stacie Wilke-McChulloch has announced her endorsement of Brad Bonkowski for Supervisor Ward 2. Wilke-McChulloch ran in that race’s primary election, coming in third with 24 percent of the vote. Wilke-McChulloch says she is endorsing Bonkowski because he is the most open minded and approachable candidate.

Talk about a “dog with a bone”!

The Republican House of Representatives has once again voted to eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service (“CNCS”). The first time they did this, the Senate voted it down and you would have thought that’s that.

Despite more than 10 years of outstanding service as a PUC senior economist, my friend Nevada Regent Ron Knecht was fired in March by the PUC bureaucrats, with no reason given and no announcement made.

This story was then intentionally leaked to the press, so that it would be reported just before voting started in Mr. Knecht’s primary re-election campaign. Ron won the primary handily, because voters are very aware his outstanding record, fine character, and dedication to public service.

A reader yesterday submitted the following letter dealing with the Carson City Center Project, aka Nugget Project, and the citizen's petition to put the issue on the ballot:

Carson Supervisors Poised to Lose Credibility. . .Again

This Thursday Carson's supervisors are poised to undermine the community's clear desire for finite boundaries on the downtown library complex project.

Dating back to Republican President Theodore Roosevelt (1904) he and every president since has toyed with some kind of a health care plan, but none have had the appetite to place their political careers on the line for it with the exception of President Barrack Obama.

Despite an imminent fiscal 'Pearl Harbor,' Carson's supervisors recently voted a net increase in already-generous fire department compensation by $587,000 over the next five years. Almost in the next breath, the supervisors commented that unless the economy improves, there would need to be employee layoffs and service cuts.

The Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, with Chief Justice John Roberts joining the court's liberal wing in a 5-4 vote.

Back in March, I wrote how this whole case hinged on flawed wording in the law when it was written. The authors failed to see how they should have framed this as a tax, not a mandate, and achieved the same result in a more constitutionally friendly way.

Here is how I framed it:

Dear Editor:

It's time to make it easier for millions of homeowners around the country to refinance their mortgages and save hundreds of dollars each month.

Cutting through the red tape will be good for families, good for communities, and good for the country at large. Interest rates are at historic lows, yet millions of homeowners have not taken advantage of these rates, either because it's too expensive, or because banks and regulations make it hard or impossible. This month, Congress has a chance to pass real home mortgage relief.

One of the biggest, once-in-a-lifetime thrills this writer experienced was first-time voting eligibility in local, state and national elections. What a privilege to have my official opinion added in to the larger community, with an impact on public decisions going forward. Much can be learned from the morning-after election results, which chronicle where we are as a community at a given moment. . .a snapshot of what's on people's collective minds, or at least those who choose to exercise their voting rights.

The City Center 'advisory' vote being floated by our city's elected officials assumes one very important fact: the Supervisors don't revoke or materially modify the ordinance they might adopt in June or July some time before the November election.

Did you know that our relatively small community has 26 libraries which are not managed, operated or funded in an integrated way?

Each of the 22 private and public schools has its own library. Then there are four public libraries (Western Nevada College, city, State Library and Archives, State Law Library). Two of these libraries (State Library and Archives and the State Law Library) are woefully underutilized.

Last week it was revealed that the Carson City Board of Supervisors would be considering putting a question on the ballot to approve a quarter-cent sales tax to fund a downsized $28 million City Center Project, aka Nugget Project.

I support reasonable efforts to redevelop the downtown area or our city, and feel that it can be done with just a little help from the city/taxpayers.

But the present concept is excessive, not well considered and unnecessary. Further, consideration of increasing property taxes to fund this effort is irresponsible. Folks in this town are having a difficult time making ends meet.

There is absolutely no justification for building a new library. The present library is more than sufficient for our needs.