Rita De Silva’s suggestion in her column (Nov. 5, “Please, please, bring back the Kapa’a bypass”) that a larger tax base would improve Kauai’s roads does not compute. The ratio of citizens to roads between Big Island and Kaua’i shows
Rita De Silva’s suggestion in her column (Nov. 5, “Please, please, bring back
the Kapa’a bypass”) that a larger tax base would improve Kauai’s roads does not
compute.
The ratio of citizens to roads between Big Island and Kaua’i
shows that Big Island has only 111.54 people paying for each of its 1,300 miles
of well-paved roads, while Kauai’s poor ones are supported by 122.2 of us per
mile. If Rita were correct, our roads would be 9.7 percent better than Big
Island’s.
My property tax has increased 350 percent, while the population
increased 200 percent. By Rita’s “logic,” it should have been
reduced. Places like New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and New Jersey should have
the lowest taxes and the best roads and services. They don’t.
We hear this
obviously false claim – that increaing the tax base will lower taxes and
increase services – repeatedly from those who want more development. I am
disappointed to see it espoused by a TGI staffer.
ARNOLD
NUROCK
Kilauea
