Support schools with ‘yes’ vote
Support schools with ‘yes’ vote
The constitutional amendment to fund our children’s education isn’t perfect, as those opposed to it point out. But what is the alternative? Our schools are underfunded now. When those opposed offer a better solution we can amend the constitution again. Voting “no” guarantees our keiki will continue to be shortchanged indefinitely. Please join me in voting “yes.”
Dan Freund, Kapaa
Fix problems on Westside
Why is it that the Westside of Kauai is forgotten, ignored? How long ago was the bridge in Eleele damaged? When will they fix it? Westside residents have always had to wait, never complaining. The roads are a mess, the guardrails stay smashed for weeks, the dump closes early. Rocks fall onto the roadside at Wahiawa bridge, nearly killing my daughter, smashed up her car and no one took responsibility.
Every time we have heavy rain the rocks fall, and the county fixed the same problem in Wailua. Come on now. We also pay taxes and vote.
JoAnn Kawaguchi, Eleele
Taxes have become too complicated
John Zwiebel’s letter (TGI, Oct. 1) about a tax increase for a family of six getting an increase in taxes is missing the calculation of the child tax credit, which has been increased from $1,000 to $2,000 per child under 18. This is a credit and not a lowering of taxable income, which means $4,000 less tax. That means they will pay $3,800 less tax than last year.
Also, a family with three children has a $200 lower tax bill not counting the $3,000 lower tax bill if the children are under 18. Taxes are so complicated that you can’t make statements on the actual amount owed unless the complete individual tax return is completed.
Brian Kasperek, Kalaheo
Dan Freund, our children have been shortchanged for decades by a bloated and inefficient DOE which gets $2 BILLION a year and yet still graduates kids who woefully underperform on every measure of educational achievement. I would only vote YES to a ballot measure that called for an independent audit of this behemoth with its layer upon layer of unnecessary and scandalously overpaid administrators. VOTE NO!
Brian, John’s a notorious spinner of facts for the sole purpose of spreading his liberal loon dogma. He’s an intelligent individual who suffers from being hopelessly lost in the liberal brainwashing he’s undergone, and has just enough information to make him relevant for their purposes, and not enough to make him relevant to reality.
Mr. Freund.
The amendment would be a blank check with no guaranty that the money would go towards education. Before any new tax is proposed to support public education, an audit of the DOE MUST be done to eliminate the massive waste of money with the bloated administrative personnel. Vote NO and demand an audit.
Right, Dan. Vote yes and you’ll get nothing more than increased rents, market prices etc. This amendment proposes a tax on investment property which leads the less discerning to think that only the rich will be affected. Rental and business properties are considered investments and they will be taxed…so who pays? The consumer, of course. Use a little common sense, Dan; consider the unintended consequences of giving the state another means for sucking the life blood out of people.
Hawaii’s educational system is NOT underfunded. It’s simply a problem of the DOE bureaucracy sucking up so much of the funds available. You think throwing more money at these bureaucrats will improve the actual education the kids are getting? Wake up.
RG DeSoto
Dan, the last thing our society needs is more taxes!! Is it possible that our schools are experiencing the same horrible increase in administrative fees that has a tendency to affect certain of our much needed services like schools and hospitals etc? For instance, the vast cost of healthcare no longer goes to doctors who provide the care. The money is eaten up by unnecessary “administrators” and bureaucracies who/that oversee everything to a finite degree! When there are more administrators than doctors you know the money is not being paid wisely!! I wouldn’t be surprised if the same robbery is going on with our schools? What is the administrator to teacher ratio and where could the vast sum of money that goes to education be better spent? I for one will vote NO on any tax.
Brian, Gordon’s a notorious spinner of facts for the sole purpose of spreading his right wing loon dogma. He’s a moderately intelligent individual who suffers from being hopelessly lost in the right wing brainwashing he’s undergone, and has just enough information to make him relevant for their purposes, and not enough to make him relevant to reality.