A New York Times editorial Sunday remarked on a Nevada boondoggle - the state's sale of federal lands to finance local and state recreation projects. An earlier Times article, December 3, 2007, reported that a law shepherded through Congress ten years ago by some Nevada legislators allowed the state to sell federal "environmentally sensitive land", and pour the money earned, $3 billion so far, into various other projects.
The law intended that the money be used for "conservation projects". However, the Times noted that quite a few of the projects were more "something-for-everyone"; ie: land for developers, parks and recreation facilities for citizens, road construction, fire stations, and parking lots.
The benefits to Nevada include increased property values, and new areas for expansion that benefit individual towns. But some critics don't understand why American taxpayers are funding Nevada's local projects like housing and community oriented public works, which should be funded with either with state and local taxes. The New York Times editor asked why "federal lands should be tapped like some desert A.T.M., forcing taxpayers in the 49 other states to subsidize the booming regional growth around Las Vegas".
