HTA not needed
There you have it, folks: The Hawaii Tourism Authority did not need $30 million (yes, $30 million) to help Hawaii residents during the devastating pandemic. The money is still in their account!
And the tourists are back in record numbers, spending more money than ever, enriching the tourist businesses — not enriching the taxpayers who paid them the $30 million in the first place, or those who are struggling with the staggering cost of living in Hawaii.
Clearly, the HTA didn’t need it then, and they haven’t used it since then, so why do we need an HTA?
HTA says it needs to keep the $30 million to “complete solicitation for a tourism destination brand management.” Really?
Tourists will come to Hawaii with or without HTA. Hawaii is not a consumer product, like a box of cereal, that needs a “brand,” for goodness’ sake.
Let’s get real — there are many, many better uses for $30 million. And, if not, then just return it to the taxpayers.
Please get government out the tourism business. Thank you.
Janice Kerr
Kailua-Kona
Regarding cats
Hungry cats will hunt birds, etc., until they are successful, sometimes hunting a second bird or even more if the cats are very large males or nursing females. However, cats who are fed by people hunt for recreation — it is a primally satisfying experience for them, the best fun there is.
The problem is they will keep hunting until they become tired or frustrated.
So, cats hunting for food kill as much as they need; cats hunting for fun kill as many as they can.
I love cats, and I have fed and rescued feral cats in the past, but as I’ve come to learn more about it, I have come to realize that we must either catch and release all feral cats into secured areas (of the forest, e.g.) where few birds or other species cohabitate, or we must give them one last special meal laced with a medication that peacefully “sends them to Jesus.”
Living as they do, where they do, they are a huge threat to birds and several other species, and something of a health threat to us humans, especially if we visit the areas where the cats live, excrete, etc. (e.g., parks and beaches).
That said, mongooses are also a significant threat to bird species and are more likely to target eggs than cats are.
We need to control all harmful evasive species, whether they have been here since before the islands were united, or they just flew in on a United flight.
Carl Oguss
Hilo