• Taxpayers make up budget shortfall • Reporting on majority not uncommon • Many questions about Hawaii land ownership Taxpayers make up budget shortfall In Sunday’s Garden Island newspaper, there was a article about the different states grappling with budget gaps. I noticed
• Taxpayers make up budget shortfall • Reporting on majority not uncommon • Many questions about Hawaii land ownership
Taxpayers make up budget shortfall
In Sunday’s Garden Island newspaper, there was a article about the different states grappling with budget gaps. I noticed Hawaii has a projected shortfall of $193 million forfiscal year 2016. How is it that state legislators don’t realize when they give raises to state workers it increases the shortfall? Where are they going to get the money? Oops, Iforgot, they just don’t return the taxpayers’ refunds.
JoAnne Georgi, Eleele
Reporting on majority not uncommon
Paulo Tambolo writes that all these here praying folk should lock themselves away and no reporting on religion should appear in the paper (TGI May 13).
In recent Pew and Gallup polls in America, those identifying as Christians number 77-80 percent, non-Christian religions such as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and others make up 4-6 percent, 7-10 percent will state “spiritual but not religious” (invented by Match.com), 4-7 percent will identify as atheists and around 5 percent don’t usually respond to the question.
Therefore, those who manufacture outrage over what doesn’t do them any harm whatsoever are like the flea on the tail wanting to wag the dog!
Should the overwhelming majority care what the fleas say?
Perhaps. But, we don’t, really (except that the majority also has some who are busy manufacturing outrage)!
Stopping the religious from promoting an event in the same exact manner as the Rotary promotes the “Taste of Hawaii,” would require an unconstitutional law because we’re not gonna do it voluntarily for the fleas!
Pete Antonson, Lawai
Many questions about Hawaii land ownership
Can someone explain “land ownership” as it exists here in Hawaii?
At one point in time, land could never be “owned” or purchased because that simply was the way it was. People had “stewardship responsibilities” but no one owned land. When did this change? Or, is this concept still in effect? There are title guarantees to parcels of land, but what does that really mean?
There were people who were awarded the status of being “in charge” of taking care of the land, but where are the deeds of ownership?
There is the claim that there are ceded lands being held in trust, but what does that truly mean?
There are those who believe that the current “control” of land is being challenged, and that “change” in the current status is eminent. How so, and when?
It would be interesting to have people discuss these concerns and issues in a forum so that the public can hear the different interpretations of what land ownership is all about!
Jose Bulatao, Jr., Kekaha
