Public input doesn’t sway decisions of elected officials
Public input doesn’t sway decisions of elected officials
I received an email blast that said “numbers matter in essence to the General Plan that the County Council will soon vote on. So please if you care be there. Tragically, the Planning Commission moved the zoning from Agriculture (Ag) upward to allow Hokua Place to build 780 dwellings behind the Kapaa Middle School, and the County Council may keep it there. It’s necessary to speak up now, before it’s too late.”
I once asked a former chair of the County Council if his mind was ever swayed by somebody’s testimony or did he think any other council members vote was swayed by public testimony? Do you know what he told me? His mind was always made up before any public testimony, and as far as he knew, nobody had ever changed any council member’s mind.
It’s nice for the public to testify and get things off their chest, it’s a beautiful exercise in democracy and it’s the politically correct thing to do. However, does it make a difference in any council member’s vote? No way! So voice your opinions if it gives you “the warm fuzzies,” just know you are not changing any minds. The only way to get your vote noticed is get more issues on the general ballot for “We the people” to vote on ourselves and not leave our future in the hands of seven individuals and at the hand of special interests.
James “Kimo” Rosen
Kapaa
Wow a semi coherent letter from Kimo. Keep it up and make sure Ivanka gets his dog food!!
Two sides to the debate. Yes, Council Members, OBVIOUSLY, don’t listen to testimony. You see it every time during testimony……..Council Members on their phone, on their iPad, or reading a piece a paper. Complete and utter disgrace.
Too many, during public testimony, come completely unprepared, and shoot-from-the-hip. It is painful to watch. Many of the “regulars”, that are not employed, just babble.
Eliminate public testimony, and just make it WRITTEN TESTIMONY. Have staff members read the written testimony at Council Meetings to ensure the Public’s voice is heard.
Out with the old. In with the new!
U.S. ONLY offers Rigged voting gigs. If you vote, you ARE the problem. Kauaians plan on eliminating any semblance of a precinct and will be confiscating all voter name printout, so we have a master sheet of all that will be leaving these islands as american citizens, Not Lahui Nationals in this Hawaiian Kingdom. You invested in land, poohting, you all should have investigated the reality. WHY do you pay insurance for ‘title guarantee corporations?
Anybody really interested in whales, forestry, agriculture, traffic, gun control laws, food manufacturing, then I would think voting is your rights. Democracy. Equal rights and say to voice one’s opinion. Do you like your politicians enough though, to voice a concern? Or even go out and vote. Probably for some, not the case. They just won’t vote. Not part of the democratic process.
Flogging a dead horse? Seems like electing the leaders of Kauai fits that category. People here have always relied on others to make decisions for them therefore the same types get elected to the board over and over. Anyone who attempts to buck the system and attempts to run for office without PAC money and influence behind them ends up getting clobbered in the election. What we need is financial backing and grass-roots support for the little guy. It can be done, reference our current POTUS’s landslide victory a year ago. It’s is Kauai’s only hope to not become another Oahu or Maui. . .
What is it that Bernard p. CARVALHO JR. is interested in? I saw him in a 2017 book by Dick Tomey and Lance Tominaga. RISE OF THE RAINBOW WARRIORS. Out at B & N store.
Are they paying the mayor to be a former college football player at UH? Hey, no problem. Take more tax payers money, mom and pop’s store taxes, bus fees, property taxes, so he can eat. Fair. We know him. He likes football.
I never heard of “Stupe” Shimogawa. Mr. Referee. On files. Ok? Good…
He died at age 92′. Mr. Role model for the mayor. A football referee since the 1968 league at Hanapepe field. High school.
Mike Tressler knew him. Also Mr. Football with Bernard at the uh telethon fundraiser for Norm Chow or was it Greg McMackin. Also at UH football. #37. Also never heard of him and on files, ok? Good…
Prediction, about 1,000 people west side and easy side will show up at Stupe Shimogawa’s funeral. Look it up.
January 6, 2018
8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. 10 a.m service to follow at Kalaheo, Kalaheo missionary church.
Stupe Shimogawa’s funeral.
And predict about 1,000 people will show up. He was Mr. Football to Kaua’i.
Wow, Kimo! i am extremely excited that you are awakening, where before you were still believing that our government was good.