Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter to the editor:

South can’t expect fairness in Nevada

Another view?

View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:

Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.

Columnists - local and syndicated writers.

Letters to the editor - readers' views.

Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.

Andres Ramirez’s column, “On education, Southern Nevada is a ‘state apart,’” told it like it is.

Over the years, many others, including some of Nevada’s most prominent leaders, have also pointed out the absurdity of the north-south, urban-rural funding disparity. Unfortunately, it’s one thing to know that something unfair exists, and another to do something about changing it.

In this state, the status quo always seems to win out. Forget that Southern Nevada generates more than 80 percent of the general fund revenue for the state, or that nearly 75 percent Nevada’s population is here.

And forget that the Clark County School District is the fifth-largest school district in the nation with a student population of 311,238 and a minority student population of 70 percent; or that there are more than 70,000 English-language learners in Southern Nevada.

And forget that 80 percent of all Nevada students enrolled in colleges and universities are in Southern Nevada.

For a 32-year resident like me, I have come to expect nothing less from the Nevada Legislature and the governor’s office.

Nevada is in one heck of a mess and no one really seems to care.

That is the sad reality of Nevada politics and it isn’t likely to change soon.

So, despite factual, insightful articles like the one written by Mr. Ramirez, things will go on as they always have with the south subsidizing the north, and the Legislature every two years embarrassingly talking about changing things. And so it goes and goes and goes.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy