Hawaii and Detroit have nothing in common
The Tax Foundation of Hawaii comparison of Detroit and Hawaii by Tom Yamachika was unfortunately seriously flawed. First of all, Detroit never had a tax base of 4 million. Its population never exceeded 2 million, and that included the untaxable poor. The well off had all moved to the suburbs. Likewise, the big auto plants had moved to Pontiac and Flint. The city was still burdened with the cost of cultural sites, museums and libraries patronized mostly by suburbanites, who were beyond their tax reach.
Hawaii is a state with much more control of such issues than a city ever could have.
Ken Obenski
Kaohe
Legislators should OK raw milk bills
I urge lawmakers to vote yes on HB 4307 and HB 4038.
Everything about raw whole milk with all the cream on top is such a blessing to drink when I can find it. It’s also knowing that none of it has been altered in it by heat — pasteurization. The ice cream I make is like no other. Nice to know that there is no artificial sweetener aspartame (made with wood alcohol — a poison) in it, too.
Dana G. Moss
Kapaau
Let’s make all of Alii Drive 15 mph
Alii Drive through the “village” is about five and a half miles. At the posted speed limit of 30 mph it would take about six minutes to drive that distance. Why not change that speed limit to half that — 15 mph? It would take 12 minutes end to end.
Cars are much quieter and safer for everybody at the lower speed, and if you need to be at your destination at highway speed may I suggest you use the highway?
Me, I’m checking out the surf conditions and gawking at the scenery, not exactly in hurry-up mode.
Richard Swann
Captain Cook