Too much tint?
Three decades ago, a Maui policeman explained to me one of the reasons for Hawaii’s window tinting law. “When I pull someone over, I have a right to see who’s in the car and what they might be holding in their hands.”
It made sense. But after moving to the Big Island, it became apparent that this must not be a local priority, since countless vehicles, including many with a blue light on the roof, sport windows that are literally black.
So with my long history of skin cancer, including melanoma, I decided to risk it and go one step above what I was told was legal — not for looks, but for its potential life-saving UV protection. But now, I’m unable to pass the safety check requirements until I have it removed.
So I’m confused. Is this law still even on the books, and if so, why is it not being enforced? I can stand on any street corner in Hilo for a few minutes and see several vehicles with windows far darker than mine.
Dale E. Crabtree
Volcano
Expensive and bad
Our county is in trouble. Virtually every department is understaffed and in many cases undertrained. Time and money are wasted every day, even as we are asked for more and more money. Nothing gets done, or it gets done badly.
How much did we spend to “improve” the median on Highway 11 during the past few years? Still unfinished, and it looks awful.
Why is there still no access on Highway 132? Everyone wants it.
Are we supposed to trust the police? We aren’t even allowed to see their disciplinary records, and what we do hear is sometimes appalling.
When we had a major disaster last year, it was the community that stepped in and provided goods, services and housing.
We have paid for study after study for various projects, only to see it come to nothing — and sometimes after years have passed we get to pay for yet another study on the same item, knowing it might come to nothing as well.
We still haven’t got the medical services we need, and lives are lost every year because of it.
Food sustainability is no better, maybe worse. Violent criminals are released accidentally on a regular basis. Our county buildings are left to rack and ruin with no maintenance schedule. It goes on and on. County employees are the best paid and recipients of the best benefits, far better than almost all of the rest of the workers on island — why is it so hard to recruit and retain good people? And why so hard to get rid of bad ones?
County of Hawaii: Do something NOW! By the way, take the total county budget and divide it by 200,000 — that’s what every man, woman and child here is on the hook for every year just for the county.
Are you getting you money’s worth?
Laura Buck
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park