Fix the roads
Fix the roads
Our county is sitting on millions of dollars collected for road and street repair. Mayor Billy Kenoi has not released the funds to repair our roads and streets. He will let us spend money on repairing our automobiles, while he states that we are in top financial condition.
I hope that our new auditor looks into that and gets things moving around here. I hope that she publishes her findings and recommendations, publicly.
Bob Dukat
Pahoa
A man is a man
It matters very little whether a man is of the “civvies,” cloth or uniform, he is still a man of the human race, with similar instincts.
It is that similarity of desire which oftentimes brings about degradation, humiliation and disrepute to some great men, regardless of his position or chosen profession.
Yet, ironically, it is that very same characteristic and trait of men that makes our world go ’round and function as it is!
T. Ono
Hilo
‘Single-payer’ support
I was happy to read that Gov. Abercrombie is a supporter of single-payer funded health care. Although the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has provided many improvements to our health care system, it still leaves the insurance companies in charge, although they take 25-30 percent of our health care dollars as profit and advertising costs.
We need an improved and expanded Medicare system that covers every resident from birth to death and is tax-funded as our Medicare system for people over age 65 and the disabled is today. It would eliminate the risk of medical bankruptcy and guarantee lifelong health care for everyone, without the fear of medical debt.
Currently, we are taxed 1.45 percent of our earned income to fund Medicare. Financial analysis has shown an additional 5-7 percent tax would pay for this expansion for lifetime care.
Many states are working to design single-payer systems as is allowed under the ACA in 2017. Here in East Hawaii there is a group of single-payer supporters who are working to educate the general public about the logic and financial benefits of joining this progressive movement. If you would like to learn more or join us, please call me at 935-3973.
Lynne Penek-Holden
Hilo