• Taxing timeshares preys on ‘fair game’ • Why not do road work at night? • Judicial activism at play in Supreme Court decision • Ashamed of ancestral disrespect Taxing timeshares preys on ‘fair game’ In response to the comments
• Taxing timeshares preys on ‘fair game’ •
Why not do road work at night? • Judicial
activism at play in Supreme Court decision •
Ashamed of ancestral disrespect
Taxing timeshares preys on ‘fair game’
In response to the comments made by Council Finance Chair Tim Bynum’s remark that “timeshares have a sweetheart tax deal” and that a “bill is being introduced to change this.”
I would like to inform him that I work for a timeshare resale company, and am constantly being called by Kaua‘i timeshare owners who are bailing out of their timeshares due to skyrocketing maintenance fees.
These are Kaua‘i property owners who are already being taxed twice! They pay their taxes as a part of their maintenance fees, and are then taxed again when they check in, by the TAT!
These property owners cannot vote on Kaua‘i since they are not residents, so I guess they are safe “fair game.” Any further taxes on this part of our visitor industry is just insane.
And another thing! If the county is running a surplus, why are we residents suddenly being charged a mandatory refuse collection fee, even if you wish to haul your own rubbish to the dump? Wake up, folks, let your voices be heard!
Tom Moore, Princeville
Why not do road work at night?
It is mind boggling to me as to why the Department of Transportation doesn’t work at night repairing the roads, particularly the Kapa‘a bypass.
Makes no sense to have crews working just day shifts (last time I drove by it wasn’t 3:30 and all were gone already) when it would take half the time working at night as well.
Working 24 hours a day will get the job done fast and employ Kauaians. Working at night is an option. There would be cooler temperatures to work, no traffic and no headaches for all the taxpayers who are sitting in traffic for hours trying to get through Kapa‘a. DOT, get it together. It is really sad.
Tomilyn Clark, Kapa‘a
Judicial activism at play in Supreme Court decision
It is time to call for impeachment. No, not of President Obama.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned years of precedent when they decided in “AT&T MOBILITY LLC v. CONCEPCION ET UX.” that individuals can no longer ban together in class-action suits.
When John Roberts and Sam Alito (George Bush appointees) testified at their appointment hearings, they said over and over again how important tradition and precedent were. So how can one explain the 5-to-4 decision — in which all lower courts had found for Concepcion — that found a corporation is immune from class-action suits?
Roberts and Alito lied to Congress. Perjury is an impeachable offense.
This decision means that if you find an error in your phone bill of a few dollars, or if your mortgage company overcharges you $100 for some non-existent service, that you have no option for recovering that charge.
If you discover that your neighbor and friends have also been affected by these bogus charges, the law used to allow you to band together as a “class” and bring a “class-action” suit.
Consider that if the corporation makes the same $100 mistake for 1 million customers, they will have fraudulently stolen $100,000,000!
And now, there is nothing you can do about it. Talk about judicial activism.
John Zwiebel, Kalaheo
Ashamed of ancestral disrespect
To my Kaua‘i ‘ohana and those visiting and investing in our islands, let me express my objection and disapproval of yet another desecration of kanaka maoli burials.
Here in Iraq, where I have served two combat tours, we Americans are not allowed to enter a graveyard, mosque or cultural site without approval by a much higher command and Iraq’s government.
Even the slightest disrespect of their cultural values or religion could and has cost a few military members their job. This is true for Afghanistan also where protocols and respect of the Muslim culture is always stressed.
In Hawai‘i, however, it seems that even though many kanaka maoli have served in the armed forces and given their lives, we have no problem digging up their ancestors, building bathrooms on sacred sites, or arresting their people practicing there culture.
All I can say is I am ashamed of anyone who would do this and call for a full investigation as well as prosecution of those who would allow this genocidal attitude to continue.
David Denson, Hanalei
