• Stop or go? • Undergoing growing pains • Vote McCain • We are family • Are you underinsured? Stop or go? What’s the hold up with traffic lights on the intersection of Waialo Road and Kaumuali‘i Highway in ‘Ele‘ele?
• Stop or go?
• Undergoing growing pains
• Vote McCain
• We are family
• Are you underinsured?
Stop or go?
What’s the hold up with traffic lights on the intersection of Waialo Road and Kaumuali‘i Highway in ‘Ele‘ele? It seems like a lot of money was spent by taxpayers. How long must we wait for it to be in service?
If it were anywhere else it would be up and in service in two weeks. It seems like a few months went by already. Let’s get it going.
Howard Tolbe
‘Ele‘ele
Undergoing growing pains
A lot of rhetoric is flying around regarding the monkeypod trees with one side saying the trees are private property and the owner can do whatever he likes with his land even put a dump there if so desired. The truth is you cannot just do whatever you want with private property, its use must be consistent with its zoning be it residential, commercial or agricultural. Many municipalities or communities will also require you to maintain a certain level of upkeep as anyone who lives in Princeville will tell you. Usually a permit is required to remove a tree over a certain size. If a house is determined to be of historic significance any remodeling will require it to maintain its original appearance. The government can even take your property away from you if it’s needed for redevelopment or other infrastructure improvements.
The owners can do whatever the Planning Department allows them to do, so perhaps the protesters need to ask their elected representatives why the trees were deemed expendable.
Regarding change on Kaua‘i, be aware that America and the world for that matter has changed a lot since the 1960s and 1970s. In fact the population of Hawai‘i has actually increased less as a percentage than has the Mainland. You are certainly not the only ones undergoing growing pains. I remember a more innocent and quiet time in California as well. Growth is inevitable, what is needed is proper planning. In the Bay Area non-profit organizations were formed to buy up land so it would always be kept undeveloped, thus ensuring rural spaces in and around cities. What is needed is higher density in urban areas and lower density in the rural areas. Requiring an acre or more of land to build is one way to reduce density. Before you demonize the rich man for building one house on five acres, be aware that he is contributing to a lower overall density. Would you rather have 30 homes or 200-plus apartment units with all their associated cars and garbage occupying the same space?
A frequent complaint is for more affordable housing and less people, traffic and development. You are asking for two things that work against each other: more affordable housing equals more people and traffic; less development means the existing homes will increase in price and supply versus demand.
Kaua‘i can look to the Caribbean for examples. Do you want to become like Puerto Rico, overcrowded with lots of poverty and traffic ? Or the more exclusive Bermuda or St. Barts?
Trevor Cameron
Boulder Creek, Calif.
Vote McCain
Hawai‘i Republicans have a rare opportunity to right a past wrong on Jan. 25 by voting for John McCain. McCain was wrongly vilified in South Carolina in 2000, lost an election he should have won, and has since emerged as the most honest politician in Washington. He deserves the respect (and the vote), of Hawai‘i’s GOP on the 25th.
Jeff Robertson
Honolulu
We are family
For former University of Hawai‘i football coach June Jones, his idea of ‘ohana has a lifespan of nine years, but for the thousands of us locals who have always supported UH sports, in good times and bad, ‘ohana lasts forever.
Raymond Catania
Puhi
Are you underinsured?
On July 13, 2007, a fire broke out in our home in Kapa‘a. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and saved our home and we are grateful to them.
As tragic as a fire can be, it has been nothing compared to what we have been through settling the insurance claim with a local insurance company. Fully insured and diligently paying premiums, suddenly we were told that we were “underinsured” and subject to a co-insurance penalty even though our house is new and our insurance policy only three years old.
It took three months and countless calls to even begin to reach a settlement. We paid for repairs out of our own pocket and were finally reimbursed five months later. It’s lucky that none of the unfortunate people in the Southern California fires were insured by this company.
Bottom line is that a value was placed on our home by our insurance agent upon signing up with the company and our premiums and limits were increased automatically each year. If this amount was not adequate, why didn’t our insurance agent tell us? What is the function of an agent if not to advise and guide their clients?
I think the public should be aware of this insurance scam. The agent insures your property and when a claim is filed, the adjuster pronounces it “underinsured.” The client, who has been faithfully paying his/her premiums, expecting that his/her agent is looking after him/her, is penalized.
The object of insurance is to provide help and support in a timely fashion after a tragedy, not add to it.
We no longer use them. Buyer beware.
Michael Clark
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