Letters -4-22-2012

Social Security

Monthly processing is a disservice to residents, seniors

This is the experience I had when I went to the Social Security office in March: I heard if your Social Security card was laminated, you couldn’t use it to renew the driver’s license. There were 40 people when I arrived at 8:15 a.m. People were sitting on the cement, on the steps and standing. Someone said you had to fill out a form before they would see you. I asked where the forms were. One lady said she had gotten hers at the mayor’s office, so I asked where that was. There were many older people with canes, so I asked if I could have a stack to hand out, so the elderly wouldn’t have to come upstairs to get one.

I handed all of them out, so a young man went for more since more and more people kept coming. There were no tables or chairs so we had to sit on a cement slab with the paper beside us and try to make it legible from that uncomfortable position. Finally, around 9:30 a.m., two people arrived from Hilo to open the office. A line started forming and many who had just arrived were ahead of the earlier ones. Some had babies and small children. Late arrivals didn’t know about the form. People kept coming. The parking lot was full.

There was no way two people were going to be able to process all in 21⁄2 hours. They only come to Kona once a month.

I got in line and was visiting with the people when I decided to go up to the Department of Motor Vehicles to see if it was true that I couldn’t use my laminated Social Security card to renew my driver’s license. She looked at my card and said mine was OK because it didn’t say “Do not laminate” above it. She said I would need to bring my passport. (How many people have passports?) She said if the name on my Social Security card and the name on my passport didn’t match exactly, then I would have to bring a certified birth certificate and, if my present name is different than on my birth certificate, I would have to bring my marriage license. I have my birth certificate, but I don’t have my marriage license. I don’t even know where it is. When I got home I checked my passport. It has my middle name on it. My Social Security card only has my middle initial. So, what do I do now?

By now there must have been 150 people there. One older lady said she had to leave because she couldn’t stand in the hot sun any longer. I left because I needed to go home and check my passport name to see if they matched. I am a former legislator from South Dakota. I moved to Kona eight years ago. I hope something is done about the atrocious situation being perpetrated on the people in Kona who need a Social Security office that is open more than 21⁄2 hours once a month. One lady had to take the day off from her work and wasn’t even sure if she was going to get to see anyone. I wish WHT would send a reporter/photographer out to record and report on this situation. They come the fourth Friday in the month. DMV said they come from 9 to 12. Others said they never get there until 9:30.

I would be happy to help with anything that would alleviate this situation for all of these people. I hope you can help get something started. I have some suggestions but wanted to see what you and others might come up with. Thank you for your time and attention. By the way, did you know that the new passports will have a chip in them. One man in line had a new passport but didn’t know about the chip. A lady showed him where it was on his passport.

Beverly Halling

Kailua-Kona

Impact fee

Opposition dismaying

I was dismayed to hear why Councilman Dominic Yagong voted against implementing an impact fee ordinance at the recent Kona Town Meeting. He said he believes it will negatively impact the Big Island’s construction industry. However, Mr. Yagong fails to see the big picture. He wants to streamline county government and make it more accountable to the citizens of this island, but his staunch opposition against impact fees contradicts this goal.

The current fair share system isn’t codified into law and was declared unconstitutional in 2007 by Judge Ronald Ibarra. In addition, Hawaii County is unfairly saddled with the cost of constructing infrastructure.

For example, the county recently floated bonds to construct the Laaloa Avenue extension. The developer should build this roadway, not the county.

Hawaii County already has $305.6 million in bond debt, which is consuming about 15.9 percent of the budget. This debt will increase until developers start paying their fair share.

I hope Mr. Yagong realizes the fallacy of creating short-term construction jobs and changes his opinion on impact fees.

Aaron Stene

Kailua-Kona