• Stadium roofs could protect shearwaters, players • Outrage over tax hike, no warning
Stadium roofs could protect shearwaters, players
Editor’s note: This letter was sent to Kauai council members and representatives and published in The Garden Island at the author’s request.
Aloha council members. Perhaps there is a solution to having our football players and the Newell Shearwaters live and play together in harmony. Has anyone investigated having shelter tops (roofs) installed over our football stadiums? This would protect our players not only from the sun, but would eliminate rain-out games. Kauai is noted for solving its own problems, to name a few; repairing the Polihale road after flash floods, saving the Hanalei Pier from being torn down, repairing the Kilauea Lighthouse. Why not unite all our KIF and Pop Warner officials, players, coaches and parents in a fundraising effort to install shelter tops?
Not that these people don’t already have their hands full with team obligations, but we, as residents of this island, can all request assistance, ideas and suggestions from our council members, mayor, Kauai’s representatives and senators, the Rotary Club, private contractors and the people of Kauai with generous hearts. Maybe even our governor would take an interest. Residents could purchase plaques or stepping stones.
This would be a win-win solution for the players and the birds. Instead of waiting for Fish and Wildlife to come forward, or purchasing an incidental take permit, which is not a solution to the problem, why not create a lasting lifetime memory. The teams and people involved could look back at what they have accomplished with pride forever. Future teams could play their night and day games in comfort and an endangered species would be saved. Kauai is a special place, let’s take the time to keep it that way. After all, one day our youth will be the stewards of this aina. We all need to learn to live with nature, instead of against it. Extinct is forever.
Peace … amongst humans and animals.
Stuart and Mika Hollinger – Kilauea
Outrage over tax hike, no warning
Many of us saw our property taxes increase. Increases with no explanation, only a kind message that we have until Aug. 20 to pay such an increase or be assessed penalty fees of 1 percent per month.
I am not a vacation rental owner, operator, or landlord. I am 67 years old, though I continue to work for a living, I am receiving a ridiculous increase from what I had to pay in February. An increase with no real warning. What needs to be done, is to explain the increases on our tax assessment statement and also project what the new bill might be.
The rush to get the new property tax increases in our hands with 30 days notice of collection was done hastily. And now you wish to hold a workshop to try and make amends? How many can attend? And if so, how chaotic will it all be. Will my own particular problem be addressed. The attempt might be valiant but hardly a solution.
I do have respect for those that work hard in trying to make a difference. A difference for the benefit of our island and its people and our future. I believe the trying in this case was done with little practicality in mind.
A workshop will not lessen the burden of taxation nor solve the problem unless you put the current bill we received on hold. We pay the taxes we were assessed last time around giving a chance for
new changes to be rectified. New laws until they can be shown and explained on assessments received with advance projections so that we can all plan accordingly.
This action will stall the placing of your constituents in a sinkhole in their own backyard that may never belong to them again. In this case common sense, budgetary constraints, and a true tax bill can be done that we can all embrace over the long haul.
Andy Melamed – Hanalei
