Nov 18 2009: Potluck, Mayor Oscar Goodman and Election!
We had a Thanksgiving potluck dinner, a humorous talk by Mr. Mayor, who might or might not run for Governor, and Election of new officers for our club.
Frank Fopiano, our newly elected President, is everywhere as you can see in the pictures in our photo gallery! We welcome Wendy Gross and Edith Byrd as Directors At-Large. Thanks to Steve Fernlund for 4 great years as President - he really grew the Red Rock organization. A special thanks to our other outgoing officers, Joyce Brink and Sue Brooks for all their hard work over the past few years. Pictured below: Frank, Wendy, Sue, Steve, Renee, Edith and Traci.
Since
the beginnings of our country until today, the hard-rock mining industry, which
extracts minerals such as gold, silver and lead, is considered a privileged
industry by both the Federal government and the State of Nevada. The Federal
General Mining Act of 1872 was instituted to encourage the development of the
western frontier of the United States. The Act declares that anyone can mine
for free on public land, with no government royalties and the land can be purchased
for $5 per acre or less.General Mining
Act of 1872 was so successful that the generated fortunes from the silver and
gold mines became the fiscal bases and incentives for the founding of San
Francisco and Nevada.
The original goals of settling the West have
been achieved and even surpassed, yet the Federal General Mining Act of 1872,
remains in place today without any review or change. Is it because the
financial and political power developed by the mining industry still makes
legislation for change so difficult?
The
mining interests financial and political power was demonstrated in the early
history of Nevada when the mining interests held up for 10 months the
ratification of the Nevada State constitution, necessary for statehood. The
mining industry wanted a net proceeds tax on earnings to be included in the
state constitution, not a gross tax. A draft of a new constitution was drawn up
with a provision taxing only the net proceeds of mineral sales which is what
the industry wanted. Thus, Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864.
