Letters for July 3, 2016

Letters for July 3, 2016

Still time for common ground on firarms issue

How can an effective means of accountability be established regarding the sale, presence and use of firearms in our communities? Are there ways in which the misuse and abuse of firearms may be lessened?

Let’s find some “common ground” where we can look for suggestions that can lead to solutions to the dilemmas we face regarding these shared concerns, instead of wasting our time pitting our personal preferences against each other. It’s time for the art of diplomacy to replace the arena of divisiveness.

Come on, folks! Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Jose Bulatao Jr.

Kekaha

Opinions should be based on facts

Everyone who writes to the Forum certainly has every right to express their opinion on any subject they wish.

But it would be nice if what they say is fact based and not insinuated as such.

Mr. Dave Au from San Diego in his June 25 letter, “Manager system lacks support” erroneously says, “… the argument that a professional education is desirable in governance or that managers are usually popular is still unconvincing and besides, it clearly lacks popular support.”

Really! When statistics from the ICMA (International County Managers Association) show that over half of the municipalities across our nation have a strong manager/council style of government and that those managers are all highly educated and qualified for their positions, then his words are just not true.

Thank you for your thoughts, Mr. Au, but please make sure you get your facts straight before getting them printed.

Joe Rosa

Lihue

Based on how things are today, manager could only help

I have read and listened to all the positive and negative features that a county manager style of government could bring to Kauai, including one in TGI by Ken Taylor on June 6.

And having lived on this beautiful island for 36 years and having seen problems go unsolved and escalate, I find that I would wholeheartedly vote for this type of government change if our council will put it on the ballot in November.

Rising taxes, no affordable low-income housing 20 years with still no new landfill sited or a MRF being built, the horrendous conditions of our roads and so much more are things that no council or administration has addressed. What do we have to lose by at least trying a system that 51 percent of our nation is successfully using?

John Cooney

Kapaa