• Taxpayers getting short end of the stick • Cold-hearted person • Prophecies will come true • Congratulations Taxpayers getting short end of the stick Bravo, Councilman KipuKai Kuali‘i for your outstanding Powerpoint presentation at the May 18 council meeting
• Taxpayers getting short end of the stick •
Cold-hearted person • Prophecies will come
true • Congratulations
Taxpayers getting short end of the stick
Bravo, Councilman KipuKai Kuali‘i for your outstanding Powerpoint presentation at the May 18 council meeting regarding the Kaua‘i Marathon.
You expanded on Councilman Rapozo’s former example of why $270,000 of tax money should not be used to fund a private event. Your hours of hard work and research resonated well with members of the public who attended this meeting.
Regretfully your factual report that was so well done didn’t change one of your colleagues minds from the last committee report that ended in a 3 to 1 vote approving the total $270,000 funding. In fact, since Rapozo was away on county business, Councilman Dickie Chang had to recuse himself, and Chair Jay Furfaro voted for the funding, the vote was 4 to 1 to approve.
Initially it could be understood why some members of our council might be caught up in the hype of holding this event — bringing tourism to our Island and the charitable benefits outlined by the holders of this race. And, as was pointed out in TGI story of May 20, “Council reduces marathon funding by $50K,” it was good to see Councilwoman Nadine Nakamura introduce an amendment to lower the taxpayers burden from $150,000 to $100,000 and have it passed.
But, as Kuali‘i pointed out, if we suddenly “found” this $50,000, wouldn’t it be prudent to defer this issue and very possibly “find” enough funds from private sources to completely eliminate asking for public money?
However, for some unknown reason those council members who were proponents of this “gift” were unwilling to consider all the facts as presented by Rapozo and Kuali‘i and to wait and see if other funding could be found and the measure was passed
Even one member from the public read a section of our county code that appeared to make this grant from the county to the marathon illegal due to the application process, but no one seemed interested in finding out if there was validity to this.
Hopefully, enough people will watch this meeting on Ho‘ike (channel 53) and demand to know why your presentation, Kuali‘i, was not even addressed — why the taxpayers are again getting the short end of the stick.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Cold-hearted person
Burr… It took an ice, cold-hearted person to complaint about banners on the fence of Kapa‘a Beach Park. I don’t know what he/she was complaining about.
Maybe the banners were a distraction to drivers or maybe the banners were blocking the view of the beach park. I guess, we will never know.
The banners were just to show that the friends and family are proud for their graduating seniors’ accomplishments.
At most it would have stayed up only a week. Shame on those who took the banners down and claim that only signs allowed are politician signs during campaigning and Realtor sign.
Is this sending a message that “money talks to put up signs” and/or, “what‘s the big deal?”
Are our constitutional rights to freedom of speech and to express ourselves being violated by these selfish people?
If it’s not late, or should I say, “better late than never,” let the banners hang back up on the beach park fence at least for a couple of days or more.
For you cold-hearted people who complain: Don‘t look at the banners as you drive through the section of Kuhio Highway.
Also, if you have to see the beach drive up to it. There’s another road to the beach just off the highway.
Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
Prophecies will come true
The Palestinians seek recognition of a Palestinian state, while refusing to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people.
They are attempting to complete Hitler’s insane mission, and the sad thing is that the leadership of this country supports the Palestinian cause.
Therefore, the prophecies outlined in Revelations will soon come true.
Roy Ota, Honolulu
Congratulations
I would like to share my disappointment with our students and parents regarding the banners. This is tradition enjoyed by generations to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work our kids have put forth through their years of education.
How rude to complain, this occurs every year it would have stopped long before your petty complaint if there was a problem. Did it obstruct your view? How fortunate they don’t log the names of those making a complaint. I wonder if you have the courage to explain to our kids why they are being denied the hanging of their signs during the graduation celebration.
I hope you object to the over abundant election signage as well, not just our kids. Shame on you for putting a damper on a proud and happy occasion that would have those signs up for a couple of weeks at most.
To the class of 2011 from all three schools we are proud of you and congratulations! Good Luck in your future endeavors!
Sean Ornellas, Kapa‘a