• Bridge doesn’t need $1.5 million worth of work • Raising taxes the wrong approach • Supporting the county manager system Bridge doesn’t need $1.5 million worth of work There are 60,000 bridges that need to be rebuilt in our country. The Kahuna
• Bridge doesn’t need $1.5 million worth of work • Raising taxes the wrong approach • Supporting the county manager system
Bridge doesn’t need $1.5 million worth of work
There are 60,000 bridges that need to be rebuilt in our country. The Kahuna Road/Kawaihau Road one is not one of them. They are going to spend one and a half million dollars to rebuild it. It is supposed to be closed for a year.
Many people run and bike and walk their dogs on this loop that they are trying to close down so we can’t use it and have to go almost two miles to see friends and walk with friends. This is a waste of money and could be done if necessary with the residents in mind.
This is a special place that is being ruined for no reason.
Linda Nusser, Kapaa
Raising taxes the wrong approach
No, JoAnn, your constituents and a majority of your colleagues do not want more taxes — excise, fuel, or weight for roads or for your project, buses.
Your article (TGI, May 16) “Why Kauai needs an excise tax” just will not fly.
When taxes that were earmarked for our roads over the years but were going to other sources; when millions of dollars were being wasted on our bridges by not using the prefab type used over the Wailua River and other bridges on Kauai; when we have factually spent a fortune on materials for our roads that we were not getting with no investigation; when our multi-use path is costing us about 15 times more to build (a road 20-feet wide one mile long about $350,000 compared to a mile of path for $5.2 million with no oversight; and when our late auditor, Ernie Pasion did eight outstanding audits that showed a lot of waste that has never been addressed, then why should we punish our already overburdened taxpayers by asking them for more tax dollars? Find out where the waste is going and taxes will not have to be raised.
Yes, we should be getting more of our TAT tax from the state that we deserve. But we cannot keep using what we should have to balance our books as an excuse but use what we have and know we will have to stay in the black.
We desperately need a radical change of government operations from the one that is in place to solve our problems. Only going to a manager style of government can give us that opportunity. And, JoAnn, we certainly salute you for all your efforts to help make this proven, successful system a reality for Kauai.
Glenn Mickens, Kapaa
Supporting the county manager system
Now that the GET tax issue is settled and we are pressed to find more efficiencies in our current county structure, I will be voting for those candidates who support changing to a county manager system.
Walter Lewis and Larry Arruda both presented the concept accurately and clearly in the TGI Forum and comments on Friday, May 20.
I ask the council to allow us to vote on the question of county manager without any other issue attached such as changing council members’ term of office. I’m happy to vote for the extended term of office as a separate item on the ballot.
If we keep doing what we have always done, we will keep getting the same results. It’s time for a change.
Glenn Head, Kapaa
