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• County challenged to respond • There are other candidates • Let it be • Repeal resign-to-run law

County challenged to respond

After reading Lonnie Sykos letter in the Forum “Why enforce Sunshine  and UIPA Law?” (Aug. 24), I can only say “Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!”

Over the years we “Nitpickers” have tried to enumerate the myriad of unsolved problems that go on and on with our council and administration. But our efforts at pointing out the ones pale besides these that Lonnie has so well itemized.

As mentioned in the article, the Sunshine Law as interpreted by the OIP (state Office of Information practices) is, in theory, excellent. But, the fact is that this neutral body of dedicated lawyers has NO ENFORCEMENT POWER.

Thus, if the council ignores or violates an OIP opinion, and chooses not to conform all that the OIP can do is to recommend to the protesting party to hire a lawyer.

And, as anyone who has ever gone through legal litigation knows, costs of such action are prohibitive to most citizens. Also if this action is against our county THEY have OUR tax dollars to fight the case as long it takes to win or to exhaust the funds that the citizen has to pursue it. Remember the ‘Ohana Kaua‘i tax initiative case where the  county sued the county after the electorate by a 2-to-1 margin passed the measure?

For the citizen, this is truly a lose-lose situation.

Ironically, over the years our councils have stated MANY times that they are bound by OIP opinions and must abide by their dictate. 

HOWEVER, this “abiding” only occurs when it is a ruling in their favor, NOT when it is adverse to what THEY want!

This outstanding article also said, “County policies publicly debated the last 15 years and apparently decided in private conversation, brought us a popular-with-some-people, but-crazy-expensive-multi-million-dollar path for dogs.” Humm, does this sound familiar?

Wouldn’t it be great if we had someone in an elected position who had the fortitude to address in a forum letter that the people can evaluate each and every statement that Lonnie has made?

We, the people, again thank you Lonnie Sykos for your fine letter. 

Now, Kaua‘i County, the ball is in your court — will you factually (without double talk or rhetoric) address it?

Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a

There are other candidates

Many voters were disappointed in the first two candidates’ forums held on Kaua‘i, because only one party was represented (even though both Republican lieutenant governor candidates were on the island during the recent lieutenant governor debate). But voters can meet many of the Republican candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, state Senate and state House of Representatives — simply by going to the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair. Some Republican candidates will be at the Republican booth — others plan to walk around the fairgrounds — so look for them and drop by the Republican booth.

We’ll also have an opportunity for a multi-party candidate forum on the evening of Tuesday Oct. 12, hosted by the faith community at Aloha Church.

We’ll look forward to seeing you at the fair and on Oct. 12 at Aloha Church — and at any other candidate forums which invite all the candidates.

William Georgi, Chair, Kaua‘i Republican Party

Let it be

Concerning Kaua‘i Springs water, it is wonderful and I hope it can flourish on the island.

I have one proviso that I think would need to come into play with any continued permit to utilize water and that is to make it conditional that the water stays on Kaua‘i.

What worries me is that an outside corporation playing on the “Kaua‘i” theme will purchase the business and export the water in a big way. Coke and other megacompanies have done this with countless water sources on the Mainland.

Imagine our county trying to regulate “water mining” conducted by a megacorporation? If the business stays in local hands for local people and is not being developed with the hopes of a future “windfall” sale to an outside interest, let it be.

Christian Smith, Honolulu

Repeal resign-to-run law

Now that my hero, Mayor Frank Fasi, is no longer with us, it’s time for our state Legislature to repeal the laws that were specifically passed in order to keep him from the governorship. The most onerous of these is the law requiring a candidate for office to resign his present office to run for another. This law directly affects Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who must resign in order to run for governor. It is inherently unfair to require any person to quit his present employment in order to seek another position. It’s too late to help Hannemann, but this law is a blot on our ability to conduct fair and impartial elections for any office.

This is a good example of what happens when legislation is directed at a particular person. I’m sure hat the legislative leadership realizes that the longer this law is on the books, the more unfair it becomes.

Harry Boranian, Lihu‘e