Get the facts about TMT before deciding
I personally believe that many of the Mauna Kea protectors’ charges are valid, serious and deserve careful consideration — including their legal, environmental, historical, sovereignty and cultural challenges to this project.
But there are a few accusations about astronomy on Mauna Kea that I would like to clear up, for the benefit of both supporters and deniers.
One of the primary leaders of the protectors of Mauna Kea has direct knowledge, after working alongside the astronomers at one of these observatories in the 1980s. She can answer these questions truthfully and with authority, from direct personal experience, if she chooses to do so:
1) Are these observatories actually commercial operations, standing to make millions of dollars of profit, if they are given permission to build on Mauna Kea?
2) Are these observatories falsely hiding their true commercial purpose behind “science,” while in fact performing secret and profitable government, military or commercial research on this sacred mountain?
Kimberley knows the truth. She has inside experience and knowledge. I’d like to hear her answers to those questions, which seem to be central to a lot of the pilikia. I think the true answers to these questions are important to the dialogue — not only in the courts, but for all the people on this island and in Hawaii and the world.
It’s very unfortunate I think, when important decisions are based on faulty or baseless social media pronouncements.
Get the true facts from a reliable source, with documentation where possible, and only then form your opinion and make your voice known. You do have power — please use it wisely.
Joel Aycock
Keaau
The government we deserve?
Historians credit either Alexis de Toquiville or most likely Joseph de Maistre (in 1811) for observing that “every county has the government it deserves.” Now two centuries later when de Maistre looks down on the Big Island from far above, he must wonder what we did to deserve the mess that we are in.
I can’t figure it out, maybe he can.
Richard Dinges
Hilo
Homeowners haven’t forgotten tax hike
How quickly we forget, or at least how our politicians hope we forget.
We all remember when, in the recent past, property values took a steep dive and the politicians, in all their wisdom, raised property taxes. They opined that raising the tax rate on the lower property values that we would not experience an increase in our tax liabilities.
Now they want you to forget the previous property tax increase, so that they can raise property taxes on home values that are returning (slowly) to the levels experienced before the downturn. The result will be a tax increase on top of a previous tax increase.
Do not let them try to fool you again. Speak out and let them know you remember.
Instead of raising more taxes, they should concentrate on finding ways of improving efficiencies in the way they govern.
Gayle Hill
Kealakekua