Shut down the shutdowns
This stupid situation in Congress regarding continuing budget resolutions and shutting down the government is patently irresponsible and a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money.
Contract awards are delayed, planning is hindered, hiring freezes inhibit economical staffing, etc, etc, etc. Government employees who are furloughed with a shutdown wind up getting extra paid leave because, to my knowledge, they don’t lose any pay. For political and other reasons, legislators always ensure they are fully compensated when they do return to work…experiencing only a delay in receiving their money. Meanwhile, we’ve lost their productivity during the shutdown period. Makes no sense whatsoever.
The current stalemate over border wall funding can be easily resolved by holding Trump to his repeated promises. Just get written confirmation from the Mexican government that they will fund construction as Trump promised during his campaign, and Congress and the American people will have no problem appropriating necessary funds. After all, his assurances that the wall would be built with pesos was a major reason he got elected!
Neal Herbert
Hilo
Kudos to Bezona
I would like to thank West Hawaii Today for Norm Bezona’s horticultural column.
In one of his recent articles Norm wrote about giving our gardens the Christmas gift of love and attention by being observant as we move into the winter season.
I would like to bounce some of that love and attention back in Norm’s direction and offer the observation that his weekly column is a delight. He consistently blends a wise, informed general commentary on Hawaiian plants and gardening with helpful specific recommendations. The travel-based global horticultural perspectives that he adds so often to his essays are wonderful. And his constant optimistic affection for the islands always is evident as he gently encourages us to take care not only of our gardens, but the plants and the forests of the world at large in a long-term effort of love. Thanks, Norm!
Eric Lindborg
Kailua-Kona
Solutions for drunk driving needed
Thank you for the well written article of 12.18.18 by Tiffany Demasters addressing the HPD efforts to crack down on drunk drivers during the holiday season.
I appreciate the efforts of the HPD, and salute their desire to keep the driving public as safe on our roads.
However, as we have all seen with the exponential population growth on the island in the last 10 years, vehicle fatalities have now become a major concern.
I’m afraid the HPD is woefully understaffed to address even a portion of the blatant moving violations that are now a constant reality. I’m sure they understand and see as we all do that an increasingly higher percentage of drivers have little or no regard for basic traffic laws. We all witness drivers running red lights, stop signs, and speeding with impunity in all of west Hawaii.
It is well intentioned to set up Sobriety Check Points, but I believe it’s a waste of resources to target only one issue of a much larger problem. It would seem that the time those officers spend in one location, would be more effective if they were out on patrol.
Rather than just complain, I advocate and support some thought to overall solutions. Such as; doubling or even tripling fines for all moving violations. With the potential increased revenue, I would image it could fully fund hiring at least two additional Police officers, pay their salary and benefits for an entire year, within three months.
I urge West Hawaii Today to consider an investigative story into the statistics of traffic fatalities for 2018. Because it seems that over 30 fatalities in a year, is considered a very high, per capita death rate for any area of the country, let alone Hawaii where life is supposed to be slower.
Michael Pargett
Kailua-Kona