Letters for Friday, March 30, 2007

• Test faculty first

• Wonders why coach’s contract was rescinded

• Get those workers working, Mayor

• Planning meeting evokes questions

• So what else is new with political leaders?

• So what else is new with political leaders?

• Has faith in Coach Borrero

Test faculty first

I think before we start to do drug testing on students we should start on the teachers and D.O.E. faculty themselves. Especially being that our kids do spend more time at school than at home.

And the D.O.E. administrators are by far the main role models that are now lately getting busted for selling and associating with some kind of drug or another.

Kalaheo

Wonders why coach’s contract was rescinded

When Gov. Linda Lingle presented the second-place state trophy to Coach Morgado, she not only congratulated him but personally acknowledged the good sportsmanship and respectful behavior of the Kaua‘i High football team.

With an acknowledgement like that, it’s difficult to find reasons for this coach to be given stipulations and have a contract rescinded by the DOE administration.

Koloa

Get those workers working, Mayor

Two days ago, (I cannot remember the letter title nor the writer) to the effect that our island’s pristine beauty is being overgrown with weeds that one can not see the beautiful scenery the island offers.

Mayor Baptiste, isn’t it absurd? In years past, while growing up on Kauai. I’ve always noticed at least six County workers on a job site with only two employees doing the work (cutting grass and weeds, etc. along the highway). Still the island looked well taken care of.

Nowadays there is the same amount of workers with still two emplooyees working and nothing is getting done. Why are we paying taxes if our island can not be maintained for our tourists to enjoy and appreciate? After all we depend on their mighty dollars.

So, Mayor, never mind the bike path. Because it will probably be overgrown with weeds and trash in a few years or so. Let’s get County workers working cleaning up the highways. Maybe then, we can see the sceneries of “Beautiful Kauai” again!

Don’t let Kaua‘i look like the ghetto of the island chain.

‘Ele‘ele

Planning meeting evokes questions

I was able to watch a portion of the Tuesday, March 27, Planning Commission meeting regarding the affordable housing project being planned in Hanama‘ulu. I’m just curious as to why the members of the Planning Commission are so concerned about this project causing an impact on traffic in the area. It was also stated that there would probably be more than two cars parked at each residence,while there are only going to be two stalls per unit allotted.

My first thought was why would the members of the Planning Commission think that providing affordable housing for residents who live here on the island and are already part of the daily traffic situation cause a bigger problem?

After hearing the second comment about the amount of cars they are expecting to be parked in front of each house, I began to wonder if the cost of such affordable homes is not going to be so “affordable” after all. If it were indeed going to be “affordable,” wouldn’t a single working family be able to afford it?

After attending one of the County-sponsored housing education fairs it became quite evident that there appears to be no near-future solutions to this housing crisis we’re in. We were shown some affordable housing projects that are in the works, then told the projected start dates are in 2009, provided there are no stalls with permitting, etc. Well, we all know how that works here on Kaua‘i.

Does anyone else wonder why projects that are to benefit the people who live and work on the island seem to be the hardest to get up and running.

How is it that all those multi-million dollar projects approved for Po‘ipu, Waipouli, Kaua‘i Lagoons, and Princeville not be contributing to the already horrendous traffic problems this island has? I don’t foresee too many working class citizens of Kaua‘i running out to purchase a home at any of these up-and-coming places, starting in the mid-$600,000s.

And hey, I’m sure all those people who will be buying into it won’t contribute any more traffic to our roads. Yeah right…

Kalaheo

So what else is new with political leaders?

Anika Magwood is exactly correct regarding the regressive taxation if we are charged by the number of containers of trash placed on the roadside for government pickup.

But, what’s new? The state of Hawai‘i and the county of Kaua‘i are infamous for regressive taxation. They tax food, they tax doctor visits, they tax beverage containers, they have a high tax on gasoline, and on and on and on.

It appears that the state and the county really don’t care about the lower income inhabitants of the island/state. They repeatedly tax those who can afford it the least, the most as a percentage of their income.

Then on top of that they fight against companies that offer a better deal for one’s money. For example the Wal-Mart Supercenter. The Mayor and others brag that they don’t shop at the Big Box stores. Hmmmm, it must be nice that our government political leaders are paid so much that they don’t have to conserve in their spending habits.

We are so lucky to have such high-paid county leaders.

Kapa‘a

Has faith in Coach Borrero

Let me begin by acknowledging all the KIF and Pop Warner coaches and staff that have been no less than a small part in my boys’ success thus far in their lives. I am the mother of two boys who have had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of these two great organizations.

As a parent, the Pop Warner organization was a venue that led my boys to excel not only in sports but in scholastics as well, and prepared them for the KIF division which awaited them. As they moved on to the high school KIF division, their knowledge of the sport, be it football, basketball or track, was not limited to the sport; the coaches at all times went abaove and beyond the coaching requirements the job required of them and always lent a caring ear when needed. The program has inspired not only my boys but my husband and I as parents watching the length of time and dedication the coaches give to everyone on the team.

As Kaua‘i Red Raiders go through a small transition, coach Borrero as head Varsity football coach will no doubt as he has done previously as junior varsity coach for the past eight years, continue to be not only a winning top notch coach but an inspiration to players, parents and anyone fortunate enough to have the opportunity to cross paths with him.

Lihu‘e