What a great idea
We’re “snowbirds” coming from France every year to spend three months on the Big Island.
We read in the Feb. 13 edition of West Hawaii Today about Mayor Mitch Roth who wants to charge the tourists who snorkel at Kahaluu Beach Park and other places. What a great idea. Tahiti and French Polynesia should thank him for promoting their destination. He should have listened to a Beatles song: “Taxman.” “If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street. If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. If you take a walk , I’ll tax your feet.”
Marc Butel
France
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Do not pass bill
The bill to create a state management group for Maunakea should never pass. The House appears to want to prevent state agencies like OHA from being audited. An agenda by House Speaker Scott Saiki tries to fire the auditor instead of getting the auditor the information needed to complete the audit. There can be no trust in a state management group. Consider how badly the rail project is being managed. They are estimating an annual budget for this new group at $4 million. This is currently $3 million more than the lease amount. This appears as a money grab with no benefit to the public. Taxpayers do not need another state agency. Didn’t the state Legislature grab enough money last year when they eliminated the previous county share of the state Transient Accommodations Tax and cut the budget allocation of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. It has already been shown by the federal government that there has been corruption in the Hawaii government.
Michael Wilson
Captain Cook
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12-step program needed
Regarding Jim Albertini’s letter in the Sunday edition, much of what he says is correct and I agree, especially regarding weapons being produced for profits. I would add it’s not only our nations addiction to war, it our nation’s addiction to guns. Over the past few decades hundreds of thousands of men, women, children have died due to gun violence, including suicides and mass shootings. Some 45,222 total gun-related deaths just in 2020. The estimated number of guns sold in 2021? Some 18.8 million and that’s only the guns we know about. And, 2021 is on pace to be the worst year for gun violence in decades, surpassing even the high levels last year; the complete figures not out yet. I think Americans are in need of a 12-step program to end their addiction to guns.
Kathy Awai
Waikoloa
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