• Not enough to make a difference • Salt Pond is not a NIMBY issue • Ban is ‘slap in the face’ of the working family • What else is on county leaders’ agenda? • Put shopping carts in stalls
• Not enough to make a difference
• Salt Pond is not a NIMBY issue
• Ban is ‘slap in the face’ of the working family
• What else is on county leaders’ agenda?
• Put shopping carts in stalls
• Mahalo for Big Box vote
Not enough to make a difference
Once again our County Council moves against the sentiment of the constituents they represent. They are supposed to be the voice of the people, and yet consistently speak on only their own behalf.
Alexander Hamilton was correct when he said the general populace was not educated enough to elect a proper representative. Look at who we as an island keep putting into office. If Wal-Mart sues, I fear the financial burden all will pay. They have more money than our whole state, but you watch our council approve legal fees to try and fight them. They approve legal fees to fight their own citizens for Pete’s sake.
This is a complete waste of time to even write this. Nothing’s going to change, and everyone will continue to whine about the same things. I guess there aren’t enough of us who want change, to make a difference.
Joseph Lavery
Kapa‘a
Salt Pond is not a NIMBY issue
Regarding the Salt Pond issue: It is not “NIMBY”, but a genuine regard for ancient sacred grounds that gives the people pause.
The Hawaiian people have already had so much stolen from them … Shall we continue to repeat the sins of our forefathers and develop that land at any cost, without reverence for the indigenous people of Kaua‘i?
I should hope not. I, for one, did not come here to turn this beautiful land into another metropolitan city, but to help preserve what is left. Aloha.
Rose McAfee
‘Ele‘ele
Ban is ‘slap in the face’ of the working family
I read with disappointment the news that the County Council has passed the ban on “big box” stores. It seems that the “big box store” issue has clouded the “big picture” issue. While it is commendable that council members want to preserve the “rural character” of Kaua‘i while supporting local storekeepers, it is also short-sighted.
The population of Kaua‘i remains relatively stable, even with the influx of newcomers. Why? Because the people of Kaua‘i can no longer afford to live here and support their families here, so they’re moving to the mainland, where the cost of living is within reason.
And what does Kaua‘i get in exchange for their core workforce? Retirees who don’t need to work, thus shrinking taxable incomes as well as increasing the number of jobs that go unfilled.
Most people trying to make a living on Kaua‘i have to hold multiple jobs just to stay alive with a roof over their heads, leaving no time (or money) to enjoy the “rural character” of Kauai.
To ban “big box” stores that could offer lower prices to local residents is a slap in the face of the working family, the very people that Kaua‘i needs to survive. When all the workers are gone, who will be left?
Who is the “rural character” being preserved for? Certainly not the residents of Kaua‘i — we’ll all be on the mainland, able to make a living with enough money left over to shop somewhere other than Salvation Army (and the time to do it).
Robyn Witt
Kapa‘a
What else is on county leaders’ agenda?
Once again our so-called county leaders have found a way to stick-it to the very people they are supposed to be representing. Nice to know that the voices of everyone who opposed Big Box Bill 2203 weren’t heard.
It’s been said repeatedly by the Planning Commission and the County Council that this bill was not “against” Wal-Mart, but against any future businesses that planned to come in and do business on Kaua‘i. If that were true then why did this bill not go into effect after Wal-Mart’s Supercenter got built? It seems this bill was totally out to get Wal-Mart and was seeking to protect a handful of so-called mom and pop stores.
I’d like to know how Big Save, Inc. is considered a “mom and pop store” when they have six grocery stores, along with all of their Menehune Mart stores. I’m sure that back in the day, Big Save was considered the “big box store” and weren’t concerned that they were responsible for closing down the real mom and pop stores (Hmm, wonder whatever happened to Yukimura’s grocery store).
I see three solutions to this problem:
1. Everyone shops at only Costco, Wal-Mart, and Kmart (sorry, Foodland and Safeway, we’ll include you after that pedestrian bridge is built).
2. Wal-Mart sets out to build a 75,000-square-foot store in every neighborhood (after all, no one wanted one centrally located store).
3. We all hop on that Superferry and shop till we drop (to stock-up) on O‘ahu.
Also, hope all of you people who keep voting for the same County representation will get a clue and take into account all the times they voted against you (your wants and needs).
After all, they’ve already rewarded their voters with higher property taxes and food costs, hey why would they want to stop there? Who knows what else they have on their agenda to “stick it to us.”
Francine M. Grace
Kalaheo
Put shopping carts in stalls
Attention Costco shoppers: please remember others in the parking lot. There are a good number of stalls for the shopping carts/wagons but we still leave them all over the parking lot. Especially when the trades are in play, this is dangerous. Dangerous for other cars, other shoppers and let’s not forget our keiki!
The lot slopes right down to the store so the carts that get loose pick up speed and cruise right down there until they hit a car or you or your child or maybe your aunty.
Please, take a few steps and a little effort to put the carts away!
Frederick Kuhne
Lihu‘e
Mahalo for Big Box vote
Congrats and saluds to our County Council for voting for JoAnn’s Big Box block bill. Thank you for listening to all sides and voting with us tax-paying little folks who love and take care of our island.
You have the guts we voted you in for!!
Su Haynes
Kapa‘a
