Letters: 3-31-16

Everybody loves Billy

Everybody loves Billy, he’s a local guy who gets things done.

Unfortunately, he’s spending money that we don’t have. Hey, that’s OK though, he doesn’t have to pay it back! He will be out of office when the bills come due. It will be up to us, the taxpayers, to pay off that debt through increased taxes.

Future Hawaii Island mayors will not be able to fund important projects, without raising taxes, because we can’t afford to pay the increased bond interest. Billy wins, we lose. Billy looks like a “can do” mayor, future mayors look like losers. How cool is that?

Sort of reminds me of the “pCard scandal,” irresponsible use of public funds.

Joel Aycock

Hawaiian Acres, Keaau

Don’t bite hand that feeds you

The past couple days there have been comments in your paper about Kona Country Club maintenance equipment noise in the early hours that irritate residents and visitors.

The golf course property owner better pay attention. State visitor data indicate the following:

There were 135,000 visitors to the island of Hawaii in January alone (according to state data); each one stayed for roughly nine (9) days. That’s 1,246,000 visitor days, a very, very significant economic benefit to local businesses.

Eighty-five percent of Hawaii’s visitors came to the Kona side, 96 percent of them come for what they label as “vacation,” and over two-thirds (68.3 percent) are “repeaters.”

Whoever operates the Kona Country Club better pay close attention to the fact that their local economy depends on these visitors. Owners and renters disgusted with early morning noise (how about the 5:08 a.m. noise this morning) can take their business elsewhere. Most of your visitors (average age, 51), like me, bring discretionary income or retirement funds that allow them to go wherever they wish for vacation.

Alex Latil, retired economist

Kailua-Kona