Where are our taxes going?
Correct me if I am wrong. According to West Hawaii Today’s Dec. 22 issue, Waimea is getting a new park, the primary purpose of which is “to address a deficiency of athletic and recreational opportunities for Waimea.” Now let’s compare “opportunities” in two highly taxed communities.
Waimea has numerous large parks, at least three gyms, a community center and a senior center. Waikoloa has three small parks, no gyms and no community center or senior center.
A review of the South Kohala Community Development Plan reveals a difference in the perceived needs of these communities. Waimea’s “Policy 1: Preservation of Waimea’s sense of Place. Strategy No. 1.1 Protect the Puu of Waimea.” However, Waikoloa’s “Policy 1: Provide infrastructure and facilities for a growing community. Strategy No. 1. Plan, Fund, and Construct a Community Center and Community Park.” Review of the planned developments around both communities show many more planned units to be built and a more pressing need in the Waikoloa area.
The County of Hawaii created the CDPs. Don’t you think they should follow them? What am I not seeing?
Bob Green
Waikoloa
Noise abatement is not simple to accomplish
There have been several letters printed recently about noisy vehicles, so West Hawaii Today has probably received 30.
Noisy vehicles are a perpetual source of annoyance, but stopping the practice is maddeningly complex. Noise measurement requires special meters. Noise must be measured according to a protocol for a citation to be valid. The protocol usually specifies an idling engine a certain distance from the meter, but the worst offense occurs during acceleration. That makes it doubly difficult for an officer to catch and cite the offender. Some jurisdictions require original equipment exhaust, but that requires periodic inspections that can be circumvented. Then there is a political aspect to the arguable biker defense that “Loud pipes save lives.”
Hawaii County has a very low population density, which means that each officer has a huge territory to cover and lots to do. Noise abatement is not likely to be the highest priority.
Ken Obenski
Kaohe