Letters to the Editor: February 23, 2021

Texas has us beat on electric rates

To all those “experts” who claim that Hawaii has the highest electric rates in the nation: Recently it was reported that the citizens of Texas were billed $9 for each and every kilowatt-hour used per meter.

This is beyond insane because our Hawaii Island rates for February 2021 vary for residential customers from 29.8330 cents per kWhr to 34.2840 cents per kWhr. Therefore Texas customers pay between 26 and 30 times more than Hawaii customers.

The Lone Star State is the overall winner when it comes to the highest electric rates in the nation. Here in Hawaii we might think we pay high electric rates, but Texas has us beat by a long shot.

Michael L. Last

Naalehu

Get your act together

The last six times I’ve been to Holoholokai Beach Park in South Kohala, the men’s bathroom has been locked. I have to assume the women’s bathroom is locked as well. Perhaps not. But no matter, it is a quite frustrating situation. During my most recent visit in the evening to watch whales, I observed approximately 35 people picnicking and/or with their beach chairs set up to watch humpbacks as well. And again, no bathrooms.

Believing that the Department of Parks and Recreation was responsible, I fired off an email and got a quick reply that those bathrooms are under the control of the Mauna Lani hotel. I called the hotel and was directed to someone in security who explained the reason for the closure had to do with vandalism.

While I understand that vandalism is a big problem, that doesn’t negate the fact there needs to be a solution in the short term while working on the long-term fix. At least a port-a-potty or two would be nice.

But who’s working on it?

C’mon Mauna Lani. Get your act together.

Bob Waliszewski

Waikoloa

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