• Why enforce Sunshine and UIPA Law? • Just kidding Why enforce Sunshine and UIPA Law? Thank you Mr. Bulatao for your Aug. 13 letter and your observations that people are wary of secret agendas and business as usual. The
• Why enforce Sunshine and UIPA Law? • Just kidding
Why enforce Sunshine and UIPA Law?
Thank you Mr. Bulatao for your Aug. 13 letter and your observations that people are wary of secret agendas and business as usual.
The policy of having unwritten policies needs to end. Do all council bills require a specific legal review before being placed on the agenda or not? Write it down Mr. Chairman, so you don’t forget again. Together We Can’t even remember what our rules are.
We need statesman and stateswoman, not more slogan-spouting politicians.
Rule of law on Kaua‘i? It is the county’s long-standing policy to have unwritten policies and chaos. Witnessed by the recent “3 ag bills” council fiasco with multiple attempts to violate Sunshine Law, and a debate over tradition versus policy. The three bills are mere Band-Aids for the cancer afflicting ag on Kaua‘i.
The chair’s “traditions” are a different cancer afflicting this county. Which unwritten policy wins is determined by which political faction wins that day’s battle.
One major issue for Kaua‘i is whether to write down actual functional policies, or continue with the traditional charade of constantly re-interpreting vague traditions. It appears there are no rational sets of written policies that define council business, or movie policy, or diversified ag economy sector development, or crime and social issues, or farm housing, or anything on Kaua‘i. Together We Can create more chaos.
Furloughs?
Does Kaua‘i policy include continuing to spend big money competing with Cannes and Sundance and Maui for a major film festival? Some $15 million “left on Kaua‘i” (a dishonest and meaningless statement from our Mayor’s Office) from this summer’s productions comes to $250 each for a population of 60,000 residents. Subtract the county promotional budget and wages spent, Police Department expenses, expensive swag and other red carpet freebies expected by the stars, hotel profits, airlines profits, out-of-state workers’ wages, inter-island transportation costs, and lastly, the public’s time wasted stuck in traffic.
The mayor got to rub elbows with the ultra-rich. The public’s benefits include not one finger lifted to help the Native Hawaiians. No support for Kaua‘i export products. No stars promoting our GMO industry. No film jobs with a potential future. No live public service announcements or donations to help charity. No school clinics or support for drama clubs, glee clubs, theatre, performing arts, KCC programs, prison programs, Habitat For Humanity, and on and on. No drug treatment facility publicity and financial support. No support for the Humane Society. No beach safety promotion and stars funding Dr. Downs’ anti-drowning stations. No pre-recorded public service announcements for future charity events. No Pirates Art Scholarship for KCC, no Anniston or Stiller culinary scholarships, no We-Love-Hanalei “Turn a Home into a 5 Star Motel” Entrepreneur Scholarship. Mr. Mayor, what benefits?
Movie production is just one example of the damage done by public failure to scrutinize policy, as encouraged under Sunshine Law and UIPA. What damage? County policies promote Kaua‘i through movies and tourism as a travel and property investment destination. Policies enticed people to move here to buy the land on Kaua‘i they saw in movies and on vacation. County policies encouraged, by failure to prevent, the division of ag land into gentleman’s estates. Neighborhoods into Visitor Destinations. County policies were never, and are not, about sustaining profitable local owned ag activities.
According to some politicians and community members, the “gentleman’s estates” and “outsiders” are the problem. I believe the councils and mayors, for over a decade, are the real problem. Keep Kaua‘i Kaua‘i!
The Sunshine Law is a civil rights issue.
County policies, publicly debated the last 15 years and apparently decided in private conversations, brought us a popular with some people, but crazy expensive multi-million dollar path for dogs; and no new job sectors; no honest open government; no low-income, elderly, affordable or gap housing solutions; no drug treatment facility; no easy electronic access to public records; no functional diversified farming plan; no ag parks filled with legal farmers; illegal farm housing; 99-year land lease conflicts; ongoing farm labor abuse; ag condo subdivisions; landfill debacle; million-dollar reform candidate fiasco; Superferry mob rule.
Does the public want more of the same from the same politicians? Keep Kaua‘i Kaua‘i?
Lonnie Sykos, Kapa‘a
Just kidding
I would like to respond to Kim Nofsinger’s Aug. 21 letter “Problem with language? Move to Boston”. This was in response to my Aug. 17 letter “Re-elect nobody.”
I was making tongue-and-cheek fun of professionalism, just like the council members don’t wear shorts, T-shirts and slippahs to County Council meetings or court appearances.
I don’t understand the rationale of moving to Boston because you may disagree with me. I am not from Boston and why should I move to Boston? Should everyone who disagrees with you move to Boston? Plus, I enjoy it here.
There’s a time for everything and for everything there is a time.
You are over intellectualizing and putting things out there that I, the writer, never wrote or intended.
If I offended anyone, please accept my apology. I was just trying to add a little wit, fun and humor and make light of a sad day in politics.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapa‘a
