Letters to the Editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

Do we need a town board?

I don’t usually respond to writers who purposely provide false information or writers who are just ignorant of the facts about subjects of interest to our community.

However, after reading the letter to the editor by Richard Bushart, in the Friday, October 3 edition of the Pahrump Valley Times, I felt that a “correction” of the misinformation (or omitted information) was justified.

Of course, much of what he stated is true about hiring a town manager, a treasurer, other town staff, and an attorney on retainer. What he doesn’t state (either on purpose or out of ignorance) is that the funds are already there.

How is that possible? Well, please recall that in 2015, when the town board was disbanded, your taxes didn’t go down because the funds that ran the town (paid the town manager, a treasurer, other town staff, and an attorney on retainer) continued to be collected in 2015, 2016, etc., and are still collected today.

So, there is no need to raise taxes when the funds (taxes) are already being collected and directed by the county commissioners. Please remember that they are county commissioners, not town commissioners, and their focus is on the county of Nye (as it should be), regardless of where they live.

So, do we need a Pahrump Town Board??? I think YES!!! We need the focus of the decision makers to be on the people of Pahrump and the town of Pahrump.

Thanks to some very energetic and concerned Pahrumpians, the collection of signatures to place the subject on the ballot is moving forward at a rapid pace. This will allow all Pahrump voters to vote Yes or No on whether “we” want a town board or not. Those opposed to a Pahrump Town Board should energize their supporters to vote in the 2026 election and accept the consequences … as I plan to do.

NOTE: Pahrump, with a population of nearly 50,000, has no town board nor a town advisory board.

Let’s look at other towns (much smaller than Pahrump) that have town boards:

1. Amargosa

2. Round Mountain

3. Tonopah

Now, let’s look at (much smaller) towns with a town advisory board:

1. Beatty

2. Belmont

3. Gabbs

4. Railroad Valley

It’s your choice. I encourage you to find and sign the “petition” to place the question on the ballot and give a voice to the people of Pahump instead of listening to loud voices who want to stifle the vote of the people.

Dr. Tom Waters

Former Town Board Member (2011-2014)