Vacation rentals need regulation
I am writing this letter in support of council members Karen Eoff and Dru Kanuha. I applaud their efforts to control the quickly expanding trend of short-term vacation rentals. To date, we’re the only county that hasn’t addressed both the positive and negative effects of this industry.
Though I am sure the process has been lengthy for many of the counties that have created laws for this industry, hopefully Hawaii County can use some of these ideas instead of re-creating “a wheel.”
A growing concern for many is the lack of affordable homes to our local people due to non-residents buying up the real estate inventory and using them as vacation rentals. Hopefully, we can find a way to create a win-win situation for all.
Again, mahalo to Karen and Dru for always taking such good care of your constituents.
Kawehi Inaba
Holualoa
The USA wins the Gold in school gun violence
Congratulations to all the Republican lawmakers who have received $17,385,437 from the NRA and the $21 million given to President Trump, you have won the Gold for school gun violence deaths.
In just the first two months of 2018 there has been a school shooting every 60 hours. What a great record! You go GOP! Russia’s NRA donations are paying off, killing our students, teachers and coaches. The Russians have used the NRA as a funnel to pay Trump to do their bidding.
This morning a GOP senator said that gun laws weren’t the answer but that schools needed to be made more secure. So these schools, that are already struggling to provide quality education on dwindling federal funding, are now supposed to come up with a way to turn their buildings into fortresses. The only solution is to vote the Republicans out of office and rid this country of the Citizens United decision. We have to get money out of our political system and move to public funding for elections or the NRA will destroy this country one dead student and teacher at a time.
Marian Hughes
Waimea
Rambling My Turn leaves lots of questions
Addressing Mr. Elarionoff’s letter on Thursday, Nancy Pelosi did not say anything about a wall violating rights of immigrants. Before spreading such rumors, it would be good to first check the facts. Taking a minute to type a few key words, will bring up various sources disputing this.
As for the rest of the letter, I’m unclear as to what Mr. Elarionoff is trying to say. That little fire ants are being allowed into the state, but are not allowed to leave? Or is it that he sees immigrants as an invasive species that will ruin Hawaii as paradise (a Hawaii he already describes as tainted by fruit flies, haoles and little fire ants). And what does Ms. Pelosi have to do with this, anyway?
Phyllis Hanson
Kailua-Kona