Letters 9-4-13

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Social Security office hours a federal problem, not county

Social Security office hours a federal problem, not county

Judging from the letters in this paper involving the Social Security office and the way the Hilo office is perceived to treat the people of West Hawaii, I suspect that there is a problem. Dragging the problem before the public by digging up the old bones of “east versus west” argument is the wrong way to solve the issue.

At one time, the inequity did exist but our mayor has done a very good job of bringing equality to our island by the services provided and appointments he has made. We are one island and either side needs the other side.

The problem is with the federal government. Our congressional representatives are on vacation and touring the island asking for feedback. Contact them with questions and don’t be satisfied with the answer that sequestration has cut funding affecting islandwide travel.

Ask questions like why is the administration spending $680 million to sell the American public on Obamacare when it is already a law? Ask our representatives why they sit back and say nothing when the president goes to Martha’s Vineyard on vacation then flies the family dog over from the White House on a jet that costs $11,000 an hour? Of course, if that is acceptable to those inconvenienced, then silence is golden.

Where does the convenience for seniors seeking Social Security fit into the priority of things? Pitting east against west only serves to keep the problem at the local level, out of sight and out of the minds of those who have been chosen to represent us on the federal level where the answer lays.

Leningrad Elarionoff

Waimea

County needs to keep Hilo garbage in Hilo

Here we go again. Our dollars go to Hilo and in return we get their garbage. This has been going on for two decades. The talk about various companies being studied to process garbage to power has also gone on for some years and it seems the last word was there was not enough garbage to justify building such a plant. If Hilo builds one we could send our garbage to them, including that from the 12 transfer stations now being trucked to West Hawaii, including Laupahoehoe and Naalehu.

Brenda Ford is right. We don’t want Hilo’s fire ants or coqui frogs, so, please keep your garbage over there. We may be able to help out and send Hilo the crucial bottom layer of garbage needed to complete the lining of soft garbage for their new cells at the Hilo landfill.

Something needs to finally be done about this. Please, more action and less rhetoric.

Christa Wagner

Kona