Who is going to
pay for all of this?
While I admire Councilwoman Jenn Kagiwada’s persistence in being a strident voice for the homeless, a few questions spring to mind after her recent impassioned letter (Tribune-Herald, Jan. 12).
1. OK, let’s assume we do need truly affordable housing. (What is the difference between “truly affordable” and plain ol’ “affordable”?) Remembering the rapidity with which things get built here, how long will it be before such housing is available? What do we do until then?
2. Who is going to build this housing?
3. Who is going to pay for it?
4. Will there be residency requirements to live in this housing — e.g., no drug use, taking prescribed mental health medication, no fighting? If the residents violate these policies, what happens?
5. Of the 311 people moved off the streets, how many are again homeless, and how many are living in a real place?
6. How much was spent to relocate these individuals?
I hate to sound like pre-conversion Scrooge, but the costs matter, and who pays matters.
Politicians often fail to realize that politics is about choices, and money spent building and maintaining such facilities is not available for other important services. There is no magic wand to build housing and keep people happily living there. And no bucket of gold to help them gratify their desires, no matter how noble.
Charles Clark
Hilo
Suggestions for some
busy streets in Hilo
Whether it is a county or state issue, there needs to be left turn traffic arrow lights at the intersections of Puainako Street and Kilauea Avenue, and also at Puainako and Kinoole Street.
Because these two intersections are the main roads — especially for large commercial trucks going to and coming from the Saddle Road side — these two intersections are like clogged arteries, especially during peak traffic hours.
Many intersections along almost at the entire length of Kilauea and Kinoole have left turn arrows where traffic is much less congested than these two major roadways.
Also, that grassy traffic island in the middle of Puainako just below Kilauea Avenue, at least part of it, has to be cut in half lengthwise to allow motorists wanting to turn left onto Kilauea. This would give other motorists a nonclogging passage going further up Puainako.
County officials, what say you?
Rick LaMontagne
Hilo