For some reason, page 5A of today's RGJ inspired me to comment.

Gibbons asks agencies to cut 5% from their budgets

Budget director Andrew Clinger says the state might be short $70 million to $165 million in 2007-08 based on declines in early tax collections because sales, gaming and business payroll taxes have produced less income than expected. He blames the housing market, mentioning lower sales taxes from furniture and home furnishings, building materials and garden equipment.

What? Don't we keep hearing that Nevada's economy will continue to boom no matter what happens in the rest of the country?

The end of the article raises more questions for me. "Clinger said Gibbons wants to 'use some precision' in cutting the budget rather than asking for an across-the-board budget reduction based on a flat rate." So why did he ask his cabinet members to trim 5% from their budgets?

Then there are the "one shot" appropriations by the Legislature that are at risk of being cut now—I cringe for the arts council, the new Monte Cristo State Park, and even the TMCC Spanish Springs Education Center. One could make an argument from either side on those. But the "online Nevada encyclopedia" with a budget of $150,000? I'd love to know what that is, why we need it and who is expecting to receive that money.

Tip-A-Cop starts Thursday at area Applebee's

I'll be avoiding Applebee's this Thursday. I give money to the charities and causes I support, but the last thing I want when I go out to eat is to have a cop in my face pressuring me to donate. I've been at Applebee's during one of the past events like this, and it was annoying and uncomfortable.

If I were an Applebee's employee, I would hate these days. The article says the donations "are not meant to replace gratuities for the restaurant servers." Right. After you've been strong armed for a "tip" by a cop, you're not likely to think you need to leave a second, "real" tip. Unless the cop urges you to do that, too. Right.

Council to look at river plaza agreement

I like the idea of creating a river plaza at the Post Office building and keeping postal customer services there. I would hate to lose that building. Mark Lewis, Reno Redevelopment Agency administrator, is "as happy with this as [he is] with the baseball stadium." Believe me, I'm far, far happier about this than I am about the baseball stadium!

Sparks hires lawyer for councilman

Two big companies and competitors—John Ascuaga's Nugget and Red Hawk Land Co.—engage in turf wars. At least one of them enlists the help of possibly naive citizens. Who pays the bills? The taxpayers, of course.

Poll: Nevadans have unfavorable opinion of Reid

I'm sorry to see that. I don't agree with a lot of what Sen. Reid says and does, but he is excellent and effective at what he does—being a politician. We could have a far worse representative than Reid.

I still can't believe one of our local conservative radio talk show hosts was bashing Reid even during the Sparks fireworks show last summer. Couldn't he have set aside his hatred while we all celebrated the Fourth of July together? The poll results, according to the AP article, were "starkly partisan." I can see why.

Regarding Gov. Gibbons' poll results, I couldn't find his favorable rating in the article but extrapolated it to be 33 percent since 29 percent were unfavorable and 38 percent were neutral. It's been in that range since the beginning of his term, and I am still wondering why "we" (not I) elected him.

Of course, only 625 people were included in the poll so I probably shouldn't be too concerned about it.