Broken system
Well they got the raises (“Top officials to get pay hike,” Tribune-Herald, Nov. 28). Where will the county get the money, more than $482,000, to pay for this? This is plus benefits.
The reason they give is the supervisors need to be paid more than the union employees. That is another subject. There should be no government employee unions; at minimum, each county should have their own bargaining contracts.
Ever heard of Puerto Rico or Chicago? Both are almost bankrupt because of unfunded government employee benefits. We might be next.
The whole system should be redone, but no one has the fortitude to do it. It would not be popular with the unions or employees.
Bob Dukat
Pahoa
Raises not balanced
I could not believe my eyes when I read Tuesday’s Tribune-Herald.
The raises given to county officials are so out of balance! The lowest raise is 12.6 percent! Why does anyone think this is OK?
Is this why Mayor Harry Kim raised our taxes?
I had a lot of hope for the Kim administration, but it’s been a big disappointment so far.
A. Yamamoto
Hilo
Selfish tours
Last week or so, I heard a tour helicopter owner talking on NPR about why they shouldn’t have to fly over the ocean to take their customers to see the lava and other natural features. It’s just too expensive for them and scary to crash in the ocean.
For some reason, helicopter tour companies think they own the skies above us all and they subject us to their noise and the resulting PTSD anger minute by minute, and we are supposed to feel sorry for them because it would cost more money for them to fly over the ocean.
They continue to fly anywhere they want, as low as they want, showing our backyards and front yards to their paying customers.
Doesn’t matter what time in the morning, on Thanksgiving or any holiday or day of the week. Dozens of them fly back and forth, day in and day out, ad nauseum. Those of us in the flight path face a mental health crisis daily because of their uncaring, selfish operations.
Why do tour helicopters get to make their own rules and hurt tens of thousands of residents on a daily basis?
Sara Steiner
Pahoa
