City Manager Virginia Valentine and County Manager Dale Askew are crying foul at this very moment. With more needs than bucks, and not enough people willing to place increased burdens on the gaming industry and state business owners, there is plenty of talk about changing Nevada's tax funding formula. But whether it's a property tax increase, business activity tax, or sales tax, it's a certainty if the formula remains consistent, there still won't be enough money available to salvage Nevada's image as a war zone for children and the poor. One group of Assembly members has gone so far as to craft a resolution calling the creation of a state lottery to fund public education a good idea. They're correct, of course.
Poor dreamers buy many more lottery tickets than wealthy lawyers.
It's the coward's way out, but then the state isn't exactly brimming with Audie Murphys. If not, start panhandling and take a lesson from those casino legends whose gift of overstatement made Las Vegas what it is today. We could always build the world's largest tin cup. John L. Smith's column appears Tuesda y, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.