Wrong protest, it should be againt OHA
While the protesters are busy blocking access to Maunakea, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is busy stealing them blind with fraudulent, wasteful and abusive transactions. Maybe the protesters should instead take an interest in their own affairs.
While the Thirty Meter Telescope could benefit the island, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is busy cleaning house. Is there a possibility of a misguided protest or maybe they have their protest priorities in the wrong place? Considering where we are, it’s not surprising.
Vicky Halquist
Kailua Kona
Kona hospital makes great experience
We have recently needed to visit the Kona Community Hospital emergency room on many occasions in the last few months. Our emergency visits were in the afternoon, in the evening and during the wee hours of the night.
The doctors and nurses had such kindness, understanding, professionalism and much-needed humor at times, during our many recent visits to the ER there. My husband was in great need and everyone handled his problem with such caring, as if it was their own beloved family member. This kind of dedication seems rare to us these days and we truly appreciate all that was done for us.
We were treated like royalty and were satisfied that we were given the best of everything. They are all truly angels of mercy! We, who live here in West Hawaii, are fortunate to have such wonderfully caring workers and, of course, the Kona Community Hospital which is available 24/7.
Kandice Crusat
Ocean View
Hawaii’s future looks like Detroit
On page 5 of West Hawaii Today Dec. 10, councilman Tim Richards representing District 9 stated, “I’m somewhat surprised the EPA would ding us for that, (the recently discovered un-remediated large “County” cesspool), because this is actually a pretty good explanation.”
Council Peterson Richards should have stated, “this is actually a pretty good excuse.” What is the real surprise is that an off-shore entity, the EPA, did a better job of scrutiny than our local bureaucrats. Is it not logical that locals should know the local turf better than outsiders? Interestingly, the county accepts no explanations or excuses when one is tardy with one’s property tax payment.
Almost daily, Big Islanders read of excuses from county government about government’s lack of ability to shoulder its responsibility. The transfers station situation, the lousy roads, the burned out abandon vehicle on Highway 270 along with many other abandon vehicles on Highway 19 south of Kona, broken tsunami sirens, the Kona water shortage and more too numerous to write is normal for government here.
According to ballotpedia.org, which gathers data from the U.S. Census and Department of the Treasury in Hawaii in 2016, the latest year for available data, the average local government employee earned about $1,258 per week while the average private sector employee earned $841 per week.
Unionized government workers earned 33.15% more than the average private sector employee. I am not surprised since government constantly complains that it is overworked and under paid. Who do elected officials represent, the general population or the public service unions? Given the data above, the answer appears to be government employees.
When county police are scheduled to receive $50 plus per hour when on off duty to assist in traffic direction, one wonders if government is not out of control. If government in Hawaii does anything with gusto, it insures that it is well compensated.
Please, understand I am not some wealthy mainland retiree. I worked a unionized service job for 36 years. However, I listened to my parents when they said earn good grades, save your money and live modestly. I did exactly that. However, with my lifetime of accumulated resources, a hyper-partisan press now labels me part of that 1% of wealthy oppressors.
At great expense I built a new (offgrid) house in North Kohala. Even with two decent pensions, Social Security and a company pension, I had to come out of retirement to earn extra money to pay my property taxes.
Last year, when Mr. Kim stated he needed to adjust the rates for property taxes, West Hawaii Today published that North Kona and South Kohala districts, with about one third of Big Islands’ population, pay almost 70% of all property taxes collected. The paper also wrote that about 62% of all county revenue goes to pay government salaries. This along with about 12% in debt service payments, is about 75% of total county revenue. The remaining amount, 25%, where government actually fixes stuff or builds facilities, does very little.
If elected officials were to show the same contempt to the “tax-takers” as they do to the taxpayers, most elected officials would be voted out of office. Remember, excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.
Do an internet search on the Detroit bankruptcy to see what is in store for Hawaii if we continue the way we are. Government cannot tax its way to prosperity.
Arthur Warren
North Kohala
