• Everybody wins, except the voter • ‘Thank you’ to a good man • Kaua‘i needs Medical Reserve Corps • Bring curbside recycling to Kaua‘i • Time to consider recall? Liz Stevens Lihu‘e Everybody wins, except the voter Councilmember JoAnn
• Everybody wins, except the voter
• ‘Thank you’ to a good man
• Kaua‘i needs Medical Reserve Corps
• Bring curbside recycling to Kaua‘i
• Time to consider recall?
Liz Stevens
Lihu‘e
Everybody wins, except the voter
Councilmember JoAnn Yukimura was quoted (Legal funds approved for Ohana Kauai battle, The Garden Island, 6-21-2007, A1) as saying, “The lawsuit was set up to get a court determination on the ballot issue.” “And (the council) is sworn to uphold the law. So in order to know what the law is, whether the law is a valid law or not, we have to go to the courts.”
If Councilmember Yukimura has correctly articulated the council duty and responsibility to uphold the law through a process of obtaining a judicial determination on the legality of voter-approved ballot measures by suing themselves to get the measure before the courts, then taxpayers should be prepared to pay enormous amounts in outside attorney fees as every voter-approved ballot measure is subjected to this process.
Hopefully council members can save the taxpayers some money by making an executive decision on a case-by-case basis using the following criteria;
Only sue yourself on ballot measures approved by the people, but opposed by the council.
This discriminatory approach has the benefit of not only saving the taxpayer money but replacing the will of the people with (hopefully) the will of the council, who after all were elected to represent the people and therefore must know what’s best for them. Is this a win-win for everybody or what? Everybody except the voter, that is.
Ed Coll
Puhi
‘Thank you’ to a good man
Regarding Glenn Micken’s question’s for the County Council, I must say they are pertinent and thought-provoking. Those of us who are involved with the Ohana Kauai group are hoping to make it a little easier, pragmatic and fair for the local homeowners and the local “soon-to-be” homeowners taxation on owner-occupied residences. We are actually putting a lot of time and effort into something that actually will not do the OK group much personal good.
I’m over 70 and I believe Glenn is also, thus our taxes are not outlandish. But we feel the pain that the younger owners will go through as their homes become more and more valuable, but their income does not keep up with the inflation caused by low growth and keeping it “rural.” It is conceivable that they will be forced out of ownership due to the exorbitant R.E. taxes on increased property value that does the owner no good unless he/she sells.
Glenn Mickens is a good man trying to look out for the younger people who don’t have the time to attend meetings because they are working two jobs just to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.
So my suggestion is “just say ‘Thank you’” and be grateful for his actions that are his way of “paying it forward.”
Oh, and for the “nitpickers,” I am a signatory on the OK Charter Amendment that is currently being considered by the Hawai‘i Supreme Court and was passed by 75 percent of the Kaua‘i voters.
Gordon “Doc” Smith
Kapa‘a
Kaua‘i needs Medical Reserve Corps
Aloha to all, and mahalo to the Department of Health and Mojisola Owolabi, MPH, for the wonderful and inspiring presentations on the Medical Reserve Corps, a community-wide volunteer effort to support all our health resources in times of disasters.
Hurricanes, tsunamis, epidemics and terrorist incidents cause disruption to the community’s health and access to health care. These events will need a wide variety of support services to operate in a very clear and coordinated fashion.
The Medical Reserve Corps is not just about people with medical skills. We also need talented and experienced leaders, administrators, finance people, people with logistics management skills.
Everyone can help in some way. Volunteers who can help with communication, supply lines, vaccinations, organizing, or setting- and cleaning-up.
Knowing what we will do and who we will be doing it with, will help us feel less anxious, and more calm and secure during times of disruption.
As the military says, “When the challenge comes, we do not rise to the challenge, we sink to our level of training!” Let us all get trained so we can keep our community strong and functioning.
Watch the paper for upcoming training at KCC in Lihu‘e on July 5, or contact Moji Owolabi at the DOH, Ph) 808.241.3555; (F) 808.241-3480, e-mail: mojisola.owolabi@doh.hawaii.gov
I can’t tell you how wonderful the orientation presentation in Waimea was.
Mahalo nui loa to Moji, and the DOH for this great preparation.
Virginia Beck
Lawa‘i
Bring curbside recycling to Kaua‘i
Over 10,000 municipalities in the U.S. have curbside recycling. The city of San Francisco has 65 percent of its trash recycled. The San Francisco council just banned plastic bottled water and previously they banned plastic bags. How about it, Kaua‘i? Let’s tell the mayor that we want to join the 21st century and start recycling here!
Gordon LaBedz
Kekaha
Time to consider recall?
Re: Dire Prediction
One of the prominent national news channels recently featured an economic forecast regarding grocery price increases. According to the researchers, Americans will likely see a 30 percent increase in general food prices by the end of the year.
The prediction is based on use of corn in the making of ethanol for gasoline instead of feed for animals. This analogy makes sense in light of the fact that a significant amount of corn is necessary in this process and directly impacts the price of feed for livestock.
Had our Kaua‘i County Council performed their fiduciary responsibility to the citizen-taxpayers of our island, then the outlook might not be so dismal. As a result of the Council’s poor decision, Wal-Mart is unable to expand and the average resident will suffer because competition has been unfairly prevented through an arbitrary and capricious act.
At the time many reasonable options were proposed to suggest that this decision be left up to the people through ballot or the former process of limiting growth and size through legitimate planning and zoning committees.
The best interest of our citizens have been harmed by these few individuals who have a conflict of interest. It is now time to consider recall measures against these officious politicians, who have ignored the will of the people on our Garden Island.
Robert Louis
Kapa‘a
