• Budget cuts can be made, services maintained • County could use human resources department • Big ag not as harmless as you think Budget cuts can be made, services maintained The Kauai County Finance Committee can accomplish their stated goal if they
• Budget cuts can be made, services maintained • County could use human resources department • Big ag not as harmless as you think
Budget cuts can be made, services maintained
The Kauai County Finance Committee can accomplish their stated goal if they resist dictating who is to cut what. Each will tell you the sky will fall, etc., if their department is even approached with a budget reduction. Bureaucracy self-preservation 101.
TGI published this recommendation earlier. Year 1: Demand each department head propose a 1 percent improvement in efficiency for the following year with no reduction in service. Then appropriate each department 1 percent less funding for that year. This must be coupled with no additional taxes or increase in any current tax.
Year 2, no increase in taxes; consolidate services.
Year 3, repeat year 1.
Year 4, repeat year 2.
Runaway governmental growth and cost is constrained; service levels are maintained.
No blame, finger pointing or posturing; a simple workable solution if you want a solution.
Frank Kelly
Koloa
County could use human resources department
Mahalo Ernie Barreira for your informative article, “Here’s the skinny on charter initiative.”
You highlight the potential advantages of having a department of human resources and state, “the creation of an effective and meaningful Department of Human Resources will result in a substantial higher degree of financial responsibility in the exercise of our public service than to ensure that our communications are governed by honesty and accuracy.”
The Office of the County Auditor was established after the voters overwhelmingly approved the charter amendment which followed the charter process. The proposed charter amendment to establish the Human Resource Department is to make the function already in place. It reflects the administration’s position, “what are we in power for? If challenged, we defend.”
One of the reasons legal costs are so high is because of administration’s actions. Five years ago our County Auditor’s Office was formed and headed by an honest, qualified employee of 14 years in the county, Ernesto G. Pasion, MBA, CFE. He and his staff did eight outstanding audits showing waste and wrongdoings in our system that seriously needed fixing. Unfortunately, some of the fault in his findings stopped at the desks of those in power. Mr. Pasion is now fighting to keep his job with vengeance being the reason for this action.
What methodology can be used to create the human resources department and not have the same outcome that happened to our county auditor? It’s sad to see any department do its job well and get demeaned by politics.
Camellia Ditch-Crosby
Lawai
Big ag not as harmless as you think
I am responding to Masa Shirai’s previous letter on big ag being so pono. Do you not pay attention to global news? They have and are being tried in international court. If they’re so harmless, why don’t you spend a year in Waimea, see how you feel?
Let’s start working on sustainable agriculture, where we can actually eat the agriculture.
Harmony Harwell
Koloa
