Letters to editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

Be fair and raise fuel taxes on all, not just diesel

As a diesel truck owner, I object to the raising of the fuel taxes on diesel. As it is, the price on diesel is the highest of all the fuels. It is a far less refined fuel than gasoline! Means there is less work to produce diesel than there is to produce gasoline.

I bought my first diesel in 2002, after the government mandated that all the sulfur had to be removed from diesel. That still made diesel a less refined fuel than gasoline!

If fuel taxes are raised, then do it on all the fuels, to be fair to all. Modern diesel vehicles are more fuel efficient than gasoline powered. That is why they are banned from running in the Indy 500!

I understand the need to raise funds to build and maintain our roads, but all should carry the burden of repair and the raised taxes. I know that diesel cars and trucks have become popular, but there are far more gas-driven vehicles in cars and trucks.

Donald Scheiber

The time has come to reconnect and move on

I’m sure that Tom Waters’ comments about restoring the Pahrump Town Board or seeing the town become incorporated, (PVT 3/5/19) struck a positive note among many valley residents. I for one agree that a community of this size ought to be as self-governing as possible under state law. As Waters so properly indicated, the “will of the people” should be adhered to — and at the earliest possible time.

But while we may sadly reflect on Pahrump’s loss of internal governance, it is also appropriate to consider why it went away in the first place — and resolve to do better in the future.

Memory tends to fade with the passage of time, and certainly my accuracy can be questioned. So if I make a statement inconsistent with the facts, I sincerely apologize for the error. With that said, I seem to recall that prior to dissolution of the Pahrump Town Board, there were reported incidents, actions and behaviors on the part of the board as a whole and some individual members, which led to its termination, and resulted in control of town activities reverting to the Board of Nye County Commissioners.

For example, there were newspaper accounts that on more than one occasion, residents at a board meeting who wished to express an opinion, were denied the opportunity, harassed by one or more board members, and ultimately escorted from the meeting by sheriff’s deputies. It was also reported that one or more board members engaged in some sort of unethical or at least, unacceptable conduct. There may have been other reasons as well that contributed to doing away with the Pahrump Town Board, however, I do not have the specifics available. Again, if I’m mistaken and nothing remotely like the referenced incidents occurred, I sincerely apologize.

One thing is certain. Among the affairs of people and in politics, almost nothing occurs in a vacuum. This happened because that happened. So be it. We are well into a new year and change is a part of life in Pahrump Valley and beyond. Given the chance, I would vote for incorporation and seating of a new Pahrump Town Board, under the administration of a mayor.

Once more I find myself in agreement with Tom Waters that the BoCC has enough on its plate. Pahrump is a busy town now and will only get busier. The time has come to disconnect, reconnect and move on.

Ralph Bazan