Letters | 11-29-15

Contain dengue by using resorts to house people

I am a Holualoa resident and I have an idea I wanted to share regarding the dengue outbreak and how resorts could make a positive impact both for their business and for the Big Island community as a whole.

Here is the challenge: I have heard of several people in the Big Island community who have contracted dengue fever but do not have adequate ability to prevent themselves from being bitten because their living situation is not mosquito proof. Many people in Hawaii, especially in South Kona and other affected areas live semi-indoors and it is implausible that they will be able to keep from getting bit. This is alarming to me because these people are causing exposure risk to others if they get bit but are no risk to others if they are in a place without mosquitoes, such as a room at a resort.

Therefore, in coordination with the Department of Health, the resorts could offer an all-expenses-paid “retreat,” basically a voluntary quarantine in the lovely, air-conditioned rooms for people who test positive for dengue fever. This could drastically reduce any potential spread and could be good PR for the resorts plus, as I understand, it would not put any of the resort staff or other guests at risk because it is a mosquito-borne illness.

Despite the expense that would be incurred, it seems that a rapid response to stop potential spread would be in the best interest of many of the hotels and resorts because they will suffer from any decline in tourism the longer we have this dengue outbreak.

Thank you for your consideration.

Pulelehua Kimball

Holualoa

New homeowner’s exemption plan confusing

I was pleased to find out that we were not the only ones confused by the letter sent to us by the county that is apparently meant to catch people who request a homeowner’s exemption but are not entitled to it. My wife and I have five advanced college degrees between us and we don’t understand how the new rule could catch tax cheats. I contacted the county to request a clarification of the new ordinance and was told there was no one available to answer questions.

The issue became clearer when I read the article in the West Hawaii Today on Nov. 22. The idea for the scheme came from, you guessed it, Margaret — “I never met a tax/fee increase I didn’t like ”— Wille, council member from Waimea. She is characterized in the article as indicating that “She’s pleased that the new policy is finally coming to fruition.”

My wife and I have been homeowners for 18 years. We have no state taxable income and receive a homeowner’s exemption. We feel strongly that individuals who own property here but are not residents should be prevented from receiving a property tax exemption. However, this convoluted ordinance does not do it. This ordinance scares the living day lights out of us because it appears that the exemption could be taken away unilaterally through no fault of our own.

The County Council must have been asleep at the switch when they passed this ordinance. For God’s sake, please rescind it.

Dennis Brown

Waimea