Let the people pick
Councilwoman Margaret Wille proposed asking the state to allow Hawaii Island to legalize bingo and thereby increase the revenue available to the county. The basic principle behind the proposal is good.
Since the state Legislature is so hung up on gambling, the people in each county should be able to give it a thumbs-up or down. Individual counties would be responsible for implementation, reap the benefits, deal with the associated issues, and keep all revenue generated.
Put specific gambling proposals on the ballot as initiatives. Give the people a voice. Then the County Council/mayor can either choose to support the will of the people or not. The purpose of government is not to protect people from themselves. It’s time to encourage individual responsibility, not dependence.
Fred Fogel
Volcano
Another dollar taken
So Mr. Mayor (Billy Kenoi), regarding your …. proposed wage hike, let me get this straight. You want to give yourself a $22.000 raise and other county employes, yet you … cut jobs, teachers, children’s education, furlough, raise taxes,on our all ready high gas prices. Everything is on a ridiculous downward spiral, like our government misuse of power and the cause of our economy downfall.
Yet small business and people taking a second job struggle to stay a float. Now you are thinking small business should pay another tax fee for dumping our green waist. What next a tax fee for our home trash? We are all ready struggling to survive in this economic time. Instead of cutting programs and jobs, do what you have promised the people of Hawaii: help the economy.
Think about that, not your pocket. Well, you and your county employes will take the raise anyway.
Wally Lee Loy
Hilo
Mahalo, mayor!
During the 50th anniversary of the Merrie Monarch Festival, Hilo showed to the state and the world like it has never before done.
I want to express my personal gratitude to our forward thinking Mayor Kenoi. His administration, under his leadership, put together massive planning to undertake great projects to put Hilo’s best face forward for the world to see. From the beautiful renovations at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium, to the sprucing up of Banyan Drive, the beautiful new comfort station at Reed’s Bay Park, the amazing renovations at Mooheau Park and the great parking lot.
Mayor Kenoi’s efforts were very obvious, the streets were clean and the parks were manicured. His forward thinking will be rewarded many times over. People see Hilo for the beautiful city it is and they will return again. They will invest in this beautiful place and we will all be the better for it.
I’m truly glad we have a brilliant leader at the helm. Mahalo, Mayor Kenoi.
Steve Pavao
Hilo
Flawed council
What is wrong with our Hawaii County government? I live virtually without television or newspaper, but still I couldn’t ignore these two stories, no matter how much I tried.
I read how county government was going to “cut services” if revenues are not raised. I have a couple of suggestions. Let’s cut the board that determines what amount of raise our representatives receive, mayor on down. Cha-ching! Then let’s cut the mayor’s raise out. That’s $20,000 right there.
Then let’s cut the 19 percent raise for our local reps. That’s probably quite a few thousand more. Then let’s cut the pay of representatives to coincide with their performance; you know, just pay them per bill passed, for attendance, community visibility and involvement.
Yeah, raise the bus rates — at least double is still a great deal. By the way, those drivers are incredible at their profession. I ride it regularly.
I know this will never be done because those very same representatives must introduce bills to pass these suggestions into laws. Kind of like letting the mongoose guard the chicken coop.
What do you know, I just saved $100,000, and I don’t know anything.
Now, about the “statue” and Uncle (Abel) Lui. Let me see if I get this right. You can put $300,000 statue up in the middle of a park, but you cannot plant taro, coconut and aloe, in this time of need, in its presence, because the guy who made ‘em is insulted it was done to “his” statue.
I didn’t hear anything about it dishonoring our great king. Not one word. You know why, because it’s his people doing this. In Lui’s way, he was honoring Kamehameha, not disrespecting him. Maybe hanging the banner on the statue went a little bit too far. However, they in their passion were only trying to garner attention to their cause.
The county also went a little too far in staging the raid prior to Merrie Monarch. Grandstanding is what it was. The peaceful protest was in keeping with the Hawaiian culture and issues. They should have embraced the event and made it a part of Merrie Monarch instead of stepping on their necks.
You people need to look in your hearts and start doing the right things. By the way, just how much did it cost to stage this raid? CHA-CHING!
Thomas Jelf
Pahoa
