Letters to the Editor

Town board supporters need to list performance positives

On Friday, September 19, the Pahrump Valley Times published an opinion article by Tom Waters entitled “Do we really need a town board?”

In the nearly full-page piece, Dr. Waters argued that a town board would have been able to catch a decision by a staff member in the Nye County treasurer’s office not to enforce the collection of late fees from approximately 2021 to 2024. This is an ongoing matter that does involve a relatively significant amount of unpaid fees — according to an audit, a total of $86,755.

However, of this amount, approximately $70,000 went uncollected in Tonopah. That leaves about $16,755 from Pahrump, Beatty, Gabbs, Manhattan and Amargosa Valley combined.

Again, this is over the period of four years. Some, including myself, would argue that this is a thin justification for adding a layer of government in the town of Pahrump.

Moreover, there is no guarantee that a town board would have any way to detect these fees having been improperly waived by the clerk.

As a relative newcomer to Pahrump, I have to rely on YouTube videos, the limited amount of information that exists online and the memory of other residents to assess the value and accomplishments of the board prior to its dissolution in January 2015.

Some of the highlights in available videos include an attempt by a citizen to arrest the entire board, a brief debate on establishing a red-light district on the south end of town, multiple accusations of impropriety and discussions about purchasing land to develop a fairground - plans for which the board supposedly spent over $400,000 to accomplish little if anything.

Other criticisms I have heard from long-term residents include significant property tax increases and meetings having been televised circuses that were embarrassing to watch. In a video available on YouTube titled “08/19/2025 Town Hall Meeting” Dr. Waters suggests that the board only requested those property tax increases and did not have the power to actually set tax rates. Note the request was made by the board and the taxes were increased.

Whether or not the negative claims about the board are all valid, one thing is certainly true: the voters decided in 2012 that the town board should be dissolved based on performance and its perceived value to the town. If Dr. Waters wants to bring it back, he should list positive things that were in fact done and propose changes for the future - not make an argument based on a hypothetical.

I hope the Pahrump Valley Times will invite him to make that case. Pahrump’s voters deserve that from a former and, ostensibly, would-be future town board member.

Paul Greenawalt

Should utility companies be owned by the taxpayers?

The United States already provides tax-supported education to children because the future of our country depends on having adults who can support themselves and contribute to the greater society. I would go a step further and provide all vocational college paid for by tax dollars. These skilled workers would have higher paying jobs and pay higher taxes.

Our country pays for medical care through Medicare, MediCal and veterans’ care. It’s time to have universal health care for everyone — it costs less and people live longer. Why not have the government develop and provide medicine for all at less expense rates? After all, the National Institute of Health is tax supported and already pays for 90% of drug research.

Thank goodness for public libraries, public transportation and public land and parks. Maybe it’s time to think about our utilities being owned by the taxpayers. If I’m correct, 1% own 95% of the county’s wealth. Maybe it’s time for average wage earners to own and profit from the basic needs of its citizens.

Judith A. Beay