• Kauai doesn’t need state laws • Rising taxes will hurt Kauai in long run • Phasing out cesspools a win-win Kauai doesn’t need state laws I’m very much against relying on any state statutes regarding health because we are a home-rule county
• Kauai doesn’t need state laws • Rising taxes will hurt Kauai in long run • Phasing out cesspools a win-win
Kauai doesn’t need state laws
I’m very much against relying on any state statutes regarding health because we are a home-rule county and therefore we make our own laws rather than rely on state statutes. That is our prerogative. Most importantly, the biotechs are suing the county over Ordinance 960 because they claim we must rely on the state health statutes, so handling this cesspool issue via state health laws rather than making our own health laws in this regard is shooting ourselves in the foot.
I’m for improving groundwater by phasing out cesspools. However, I see one-sided use of our own home-rule legislation here. (Yes, we need a Kauai ordinance proposed and put on next year’s ballot). If we are going to make use of state laws governing the quality of groundwater affected by cesspools, then we must simultaneously put the same restrictions on biotech contaminants poisoning our groundwater. Anything less is putting the entire burden on the people while ensuring that the groundwater remains unfit for human consumption. When the onus is put on the people, then it must simultaneously be put on those inferior inhabitants, as corporations are not citizens or even persons and this is an important fact to keep in mind since the intent of the framers of the U.S. Constitution is clearly stated during their convention. They were concerned only with human rights and not corporate privileges that can be rescinded if the charter is forfeited under RICO once the corporate veil is pierced for malicious and wanton wrongful death and injury.
Did you know that the Code of Federal Regulations is not law? Bureaucrats are not elected representatives. Therefore, they cannot make law. They are merely employees of the companies being regulated and they regulate themselves any way they want. Therefore, those dirty three-letter agencies in the District of Criminals do not have any right whatsoever to tell me that I must accept certain quantities of poison in my body.
To the contrary, since I am the only one with the right to decide what to do with my own body, Roe v. Wade, I do not consider even one drop of Atrazine in my body to be acceptable. It is my right alone to make this decision, U.S. Constitution, Ninth Amendment. When are lawyers going to stop practicing the law the way they always have and try something new instead, like pleading the Ninth Amendment?
I demand it.
Dorothy Kulik, Kapaa
Rising taxes will hurt Kauai in long run
It is interesting to watch Kauai follow the same path as California relative to raising taxes on businesses and the more affluent residents. When California raised taxes on more affluent residents in 2012, many moved out of state, taking their disposable income to another state.
When California raised taxes on businesses, the businesses moved to other states, such as Toyota (Texas), Tesla (Nevada) and others, rather than pass on the tax increases to the consumer. In either case, the long-term effect is fewer jobs for California residents. Kauai will see the same effect in future years as taxes increase on hotels, vacation rentals and affluent residents.
For mainlanders, Cabo San Lucas is looking less expensive than Kauai and that difference will continue to grow as the tax increases get passed to the guests visiting Kauai.
David Vandervoet, Seal Beach, Calif.
Phasing out cesspools a win-win
Converting cesspools to septic tanks or sewer hookups is a win-win for Hawaii, and especially Kauai. First and foremost it will provide a healthier environment in terms of safer drinking water, as well as cleaner, healthier recreational waters. Secondly, converting the 14,000 cesspools on Kauai will mean the creation of more jobs on Kauai. This will stimulate our island economy and create even more jobs, as well as demand for housing.
I am disappointed that the local professional real estate industry has come out against the proposed changes in the Department of Health regulations that would phase out cesspools. My perception has been that the real estate industry has usually touted Kauai’s healthy life style as well as supported new job creation. Could it be a short sighted concern that their sales commissions might be negatively impacted by the proposed changes in the regulations?
Peter Nilsen, Princeville
