• Automatic for the people? • We’re with Weir • One for the Eastside path Automatic for the people? The comments by Mark Jeffers (“The true island lifestyle,” Letters, Dec. 28) are accurate and well-thought-out. Kaua‘i is losing everything that
• Automatic for the people?
• We’re with Weir
• One for the Eastside path
Automatic for the people?
The comments by Mark Jeffers (“The true island lifestyle,” Letters, Dec. 28) are accurate and well-thought-out. Kaua‘i is losing everything that makes it a “paradise” for those who live here and visit. His comment about lights of every town running together and the loss of our rural open spaces between population centers being devastating to our island is true. The problem is not big box stores, which so many people are concerned with right now. The problem is in the agricultural subdivisions that are being approved at an alarming rate. These subdivisions are simply the carving up of our beautiful Kaua‘i by developers of large Mainland marketed estates in the guise of contributing to our agriculture. The main problem facing Kaua‘i today is the destruction of our rural nature and the system that so easily allows it to happen.
I’ve had the opportunity to attend meetings and watch the “ag subdivision committee” in action as they approve these projects. The good citizens of Kaua‘i don’t realize that just three people make the ultimate decision to carve up and develop thousands of acres of Kaua‘i for the other 60,000 of us.
Unfortunately, these three clowns are carving up our beautiful island into fake ag subdivisions for fake farmers with the same attitude you and I use to decide whether or not to brush our teeth. Why? Members of this committee should not have a vested interest in the real estate profession on any level. Why would just three unelected people make these potentially catastrophic decisions for the rest of us? It’s called a failed and not-well-thought-out system!
Kaua‘i, we must organize a quality, like-minded group of leaders from the public to get to the bottom of the gross mismanagement and simple-mindedness of a few that is so devastating to the rest of us. When you get right down to it, Kaua‘i’s only real viable product to sell the world is its beauty. What maniacs would knowingly destroy the brightest gems in Kaua‘i’s crown?
Simple answer: the ag subdivision committee.
Gordon Oswald
Kapa‘a
We’re with Weir
Finally, the voice of reason speaks in R.S. Weir’s letter (“Real force,” (Letters, Dec 29)!
Bastiat, Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Harry Browne and the founding fathers would be proud. By what right does the mayor, non-big box stores or any other entity/individual claim to choose my shopping options?
As R.S. Weir aptly implies, government intervention (force) is a very slippery slope, to the bottom of which I do not trust the mayor, or anyone else to take me.
The power of governmental force responds to interest groups; free exchange (capitalism) responds to the will of the individual.
Do you want to put your trust in interest groups, or your own free will? If your answer is that in this case, you agree that big box stores are bad, how do you know that next time you will be in agreement with the government answer?
John Klein
Kekaha
One for the Eastside path
This is probably one of the best ideas I have seen from the county in years. At least it offers bicycle transportation for those who want to make a difference and cut back on pollution and ride their bike to work. Further, if I had a horse I wouldn’t want to take my horse on a concrete bike path. I think the individuals who will jog, ride their bikes and walk on the path far outweigh the small amount of individuals who want to ride their horses on a concrete bike path.
Let’s face it: We are turning Koke‘e into Disneyland for tourists and nobody is saying anything about that?
Let’s put focus where it belongs, like overcrowded roads, no regulations on diesel emission pollution, selling off mass pieces of land to developers to build more resorts and malls (we still have enough employees to fill those jobs) … how about Superferry and the drama that comes with that, i.e., drug addicts filling up the beaches. Just visualize a tent city here like they have in O‘ahu.
See, nobody is focusing on those issues. Instead worried about horses on a concrete bike path? Or when is the last time you have seen a police officer pull over a car for speeding? I hear sirens everyday because of the mass traffic accidents and no police around to slow the cars down. I could go on all day with the real issues on the island.
Tina Bishop
