• Time for transparency at Kaua‘i Humane Society • Get with the times • Serious challenges, major consequences • Mahalo for caring, Kaua‘i • Don’t cause an accident Time for transparency at Kaua‘i Humane Society What has happened to our
• Time for transparency at Kaua‘i Humane Society • Get with the
times • Serious challenges, major consequences • Mahalo for caring,
Kaua‘i • Don’t cause an accident
Time for transparency at Kaua‘i Humane Society
What has happened to our Kaua‘i Humane Society? In October, we had a mysterious disappearance of the director, and shortly afterward, the operations manager also left — and nobody knows why.
It has been many months since Dr. Rhoades inexplicably left, and to date there is only an interim. I have to question whether someone with neither direct shelter experience nor a medical/veterinarian background is qualified to deal with serious animal-related issues.
KHS has a solemn duty to shed light on the goings on at the shelter in an open, transparent way. They are not only beholden to the taxpayers for the county share of their budget, they are completely dependent upon donors’ goodwill as well. As a taxpayer and a donor, I fear for the future of this, our only animal shelter on the island.
Some questions for the board: Are animals being properly cared for? When will they appoint a new director? What happened to make the two people in charge leave? How much money has been spent on 1) getting rid of the former director and operations manager, 2) finding replacements (which hasn’t even happened yet), 3) dealing with mistakes and inefficiencies caused by this rapid “decision-making.”
One has to wonder, do the board members have the best interests of KHS at heart (and mind), or are they more interested in funding boat payments for their lawyer friends?
It is a shame upon the KHS board that they let this happen. It is time for transparency at KHS.
Sandy Strauss, Kalaheo
Get with the times
Plastic grocery bags used to be a very common sight blowing along the roads and beaches here, and have become much less common since the plastic bag reduction bill went into effect.
I have been enjoying the improvement in our local environment, and I am concerned that the recently proposed amendment to exempt food establishments may set back much of this progress.
There’s quite a bit of a stretch that the proponents of the change are making in their arguments: food poisoning from bag re-use? Really? And we’re supposed to believe the only safe alternative is plastic bags?
Even McDonald’s has been using paper bags for a long time, with no public health concerns. Kalaheo Cafe has gone a step further and uses all biodegradeable takeout items, even for takeout trays. These items have been available for over 10 years.
Food establishments should get with the times, or at least follow the law, and not ask to be exempted at the expense of our environment.
Kristen Ma, ‘Ele‘ele
Serious challenges, major consequences
Gov. Abercrombie’s proposal to tax retirement benefits will be very painful to all but the wealthiest of retirees.
I believe that it is very shortsighted and in the end may cause the state to lose more revenue than it stands to gain. Few think of retirees as a major source of revenue helping support Hawai‘i’s economy, but we are.
The reason is that trustees of non-governmental retirement funds — be they for unions, companies, nonprofits, etc. — invest the funds and then pay retirement benefits from earnings on those investments. The investments may be anywhere in the world; it is rare that a high percentage would be in the state of Hawai‘i.
Thus, most of us retirees import money into the state and spend it here. That is true whether we were born and raised here or moved here after retirement. Unlike tourists, who also import money, retirees are part of the community and contribute in many other ways.
Full disclosure: my wife and I made our first visit to Kaua‘i in the late ‘60s. We fell in love with the place and the people. We came back as often as we could over the years and were finally able to buy a small piece of property, build a modest house, and retire here in 1991. We have loved living here and contributing to the community ever since.
If Abercrombie pushes through taxes on retirement income, people like us will face a difficult choice: accept a reduction in our standard of living, or leave a place and people we love for a state with lower cost of living and lower taxes. Arizona and Texas come to mind. Some of us will certainly leave. And others considering moving here will decide not to come.
In closing, the governor faces serious challenges. We think he should take a page from the revolution going on in Washington, D.C. Don’t raise anyone’s taxes, do cut the fat out of government (are there really as many bureaucrats as teachers in the DOE?), and focus on the priority functions of government. We’ll have some suggestions in a later letter.
John Love, Kapa‘a
Mahalo for caring, Kaua‘i
I am writing this on behalf of my wife who survived a serious automobile accident.
A woman named Petra, whom my wife had never met, stayed with her and comforted her until the ambulance came. Petra, what you did was a blessing, which my wife will not forget. She realized that the accident almost claimed her life and your presence as well as your words were a voice from above.
I, as well as my family, give you our deepest and sincerest thanks.
Monroe Richman, Kalaheo
Don’t cause an accident
The man on a 10- speed bicycle at Koloa Road and Kukui‘ula Bypass Road rides daily in the middle of the road.
Please use the bike path. You are going to cause an accident.
Mahalo drivers. This is a very heavily used road for cars, trucks and SUVs.
Shiela Young, Kalaheo
