One election hiccup
Kudos to your election coverage. Told me everything I wanted to know.
However, you might want to put someone with Hawaiian heritage on your proofreading staff. Your OHA coverage said, “Kalei Akaka, who won the race for Oahu resident trustee, collected 142,988 votes in that contest. He defeated Esther Kiaaiana …” Kalei Akaka is the granddaughter of Sen. Daniel Akaka.
George Lucas
Waikoloa
‘I Voted’ stickers a nice incentive
OK, so you know when you were a kid and a trip to the dentist wasn’t so bad if you got a sticker or a toy?
I got a gillion posts from friends around the USA with “I Voted” stickers. We do not do this. Hawaii has historically low voter turnout. We want stickers. Maybe more folks would vote if we did. Just a thought.
Louise Ann Winn
Honaunau
YWAM should foot own rescue bill
I agree with Tom Pyne. God only knows how much it costs the rest of us to pay for that YWAM rescue on private property. And why were no trespassing charges filed? Do we remember that a couple of years ago, the county got stuck with a $50,000 boat salvage operation when YWAM sent a bunch of inexperienced kids out on their boat in a storm. Worse yet, was that one of their students was killed on the boat. YWAM said that they would pay for the salvage.
Can this paper check that out? We were neighbors of the University of Nations for many years and they were horrible neighbors in many respects, often disregarding all of us with dirt, noise and traffic.
Thank God, we moved. I don’t understand why they are such a sacred cow in this town. When they cause damages, they must be made to pay for it.
Jim Lomonaco
Kona
Raiding land fund robs us all
I have grave concerns about the handling and attitude of our county government with regard to the 2 percent land fund. The law has been in place since 2005, yet the will to implement its intentions are constantly stymied. This forward-thinking law was supported by a large majority (63 percent of voters three times) of Big Island residents to assure our island does not suffer the overcrowding, horrible traffic, etc. as on other islands in our state and to preserve open space and park lands for future generations.
There is $16 million in this fund because the county does not have the will to move forward and buy lands for preservation of our island’s future. When I sent an email to the mayor last year his public relation’s agent told me there were other funding priorities, as if these monies were part of the general fund for the county. They are not. They have been earmarked only for open space land acquisition.
I am so sick of our politicians eyeing a pot of public funds designated for one use and trying to manipulate legislation so they can raid that fund for other uses. It seems to happen every time there is a funding shortfall or natural disaster. Why isn’t the disaster relief fund properly funded? I say, don’t jeopardize our future because of your inability to plan well for potential disasters, economic and social problems. If we do not preserve our lands now all those problems will be significantly exacerbated. Yes, problems need to be dealt with but let’s not get stuck in short-term thinking at the expense of the future of our people. Open spaces and park lands are not just enjoyable. They contribute to the peace and health of every resident and are critical to the environment.
There is a movement by our mayor and other politicians to weaken the 2 percent fund at a time when it should be strengthened. We should not have to keep voicing what we citizens have already made clear. Rather than raiding funds, how about implementing the will of the citizens and take decisive action now by using these funds to acquire more lands for a more secure future for us all.
Kathleen McMillen
Kailua-Kona
