Reprinted from the Las Vegas Review Journal/January 8, 1998 To the editor:

Attention Kenny Guinn: there is an opportunity which you can take advantage of that will provide thousands of votes in your campaign for governor. They will come from Nevadans who are concerned about wildlife in Nevada, hunters and non-hunters alike.

You could gain this support by promising, if elected, to ask for the resignation of Wildlife Commissioner Merv Matorian. Mr. Matorian has been instrumental in allowing wildlife populations to plummet statewide. He has built himself a reputation of arrogant disregard for sportsmen, who fund 95 percent of Division of Wildlife's operating budget.

Thankfully, the current administrator is retiring. Now the wildlife commissioners must submit names for a replacement. And what does Merv Matorian say about this? He doesn't want any hunters group involved. "It's not going to happen...this is a government function." (Review-Journal, Dec.27). Apparently, Mr. Matorian has no respect for the concept of government by the people, for the people.

It is this type of attitude of many public officials that is causing a stir across the nation. It makes me as a taxpayer, feel unrepresented and elbowed out of the democratic process. The sooner Merv Matorian is out of government, the better government will have become. JOHN SHERMAN Las Vegas