Self-discipline can help community

George Clare, Las Vegas

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

J. Patrick Coolican gets it right in his recent column “On self-discipline, success and problem gambling.” The conclusion is that those who focus only on short-term goals do not find long-term success.

It’s unfortunate that moguls of Las Vegas’ gaming and entertainment business and our government officials don’t understand this basic building block of successful civilizations. If they did, they would have supported reasonable business taxes so Nevada could have a top-notch education system — producing a workforce qualified to support diverse industries. If they did, they would eliminate billboards promoting sex and immorality — blotches on our landscape that are abhorrent to many business executives outside the gaming industry.

Absent those blotches, many executives would be willing to move their wives and daughters — along with their businesses — to the Las Vegas Valley. If they did look long term, our leaders would agree to fund and support a fully effective police force capable of suppressing drug and sex trafficking throughout the city. A lower crime rate would be far more attractive to business leaders looking for a place to expand their operations.

With a more balanced economy, including opportunities for the moguls, to support investing in business outside the “entertainment” field, the unemployment and foreclosure rates would be closer to the national average, or even below!

A dose of self-discipline would go a long way to making Las Vegas a truly world-class city. Time will tell whether our leaders have sufficient self-discipline to trade instant gratification for long-term success. I pray that they do.