Letters for Monday, March 24, 2008

• Health contract award needs look

• Country in grave danger

• Ease transition for nurses

• Council-manager system would be an improvement

Health contract award needs look

The article on the protest by AlohaCare (“AlohaCare protests $1.5B contract,” A1, March 19) concerning what appears to be an illegal awarding of the Medicaid contract to WellCare Healthplans Inc. and UnitedHealth Group seems at best a fraudulent award, possibly even criminal.

Both companies have been in legal trouble. WellCare offices were raided by the feds for billing fraud. Its top executives and lawyer all resigned so there must have been good cause. The article also shows that UnitedHealth was investigated by California and is being sued by the New York State Attorney General. A class action lawsuit has been certified against UnitedHealth. WellCare and a subsidiary agreed to stop marketing Medicare because of unapproved marketing.

There seems little doubt that there was some behind-the-scenes marketing, perhaps dropping money in someone’s pocket. With the information presented anyone who would award contracts to either of these companies needs to have their head and or their pocketbook examined. If it is true that the state did waive the 4.265 percent tax on for-profit health care systems, now would seem to be a good time to start checking for sudden deposits in Switzerland or the Caymen Islands banks. Someone should be held accountable for this travesty and be looking for a new job. An investigation should bring out who made the ultimate decision to approve this horrible decision.

Bob Yount

Kalaheo

Country in grave danger

Mahalo to the M19 committee for organizing a local gathering to show support for our troops and advocate for an end to the wasteful and excessive destruction of Iraq. Our country is in grave danger of creating a world of global terrorism due to our occupation of Iraq and the continued mishandling of the situation in the Middle East and abroad. Our national resources and treasures (our youth in the Armed Services) should not be expended in such a futile endeavor.

James Trujillo

Kapahi

Ease transition for nurses

My wife is a dialysis RN and we are looking to move to the island.

We have been there and the people are the best. We respect the culture and the land as we do here now. I have read of the nursing shortage there and the fact that it will get worse. If there were some person or organization to help with the move I am sure the islands would have no trouble fully staffing their nursing positions.

I am not saying have someone pay for anything. Just assisting with finding temporary living quarters until the person gets settled in. If the island truly wants nurses this would greatly assist those looking to be there.

We are finding the logistics of moving almost overwhelming, but our love for the islands will eventually lead us there.

Glen Skrent

Caro, Mich.

Council-manager system would be an improvement

On March 15, an article ran in The Garden Island entitled “Voters unlikely to see county manager system amendment on ’08 ballot.” To promote a dialogue, I’d like to offer some observations and comments.

Eventually, despite foot-dragging by some in government who worry about any kind of change or about their personal opportunities, the voters of Kaua‘i will likely vote on whether to have a council-manager system of government or continue with the present council-mayor system. The council-manager system is not new. Many communities elsewhere have benefitted from its less political, more professional style for many decades.

It is only prudent that Kaua‘i voters learn more about, it but islanders also need to understand this is not an experimental governmental system. Instead the council-manager system is one with a proven track record that would likely shine compared our present council-mayor system.

First of all, a council-manager system can require that a county manager have a university degree in public administration and years of on-the-job experience. That alone would bring a huge benefit to county management, rather than placing that burden on elected politicians who often have little or no prior business or administrative experience or training.

Kaua‘i’s annual budget is about $156 million. None of Kaua‘i’s past mayors had experience in handling operations and budgets anywhere near that size before coming to office. Most were small business people and lawyers, and as such were not trained as professional public administrators.

The idea of requiring qualifications to occupy a management position is already in place in both the county and state government. Our county attorney must have a law degree, and our county engineer must be a registered engineer. There are other government jobs that also require professional credentials. Should not the chief executive be similarly qualified?

Don’t expect politicians, especially career politicians, or the political parties or their close supporters to jump at a change to a council-manager system of government. I suspect many of them benefit by the status quo in which the mayoral position is seen as career stepping stone and as a dispensing source of political patronage. Reducing or removing the specter of politics from the county chief executive and in department head appointments would likely prove beneficial to taxpayers.

Some may suggest that a manager appointed by the council is not accountable to the voters, and only the council would have oversight. It is hard to imagine that a poorly performing county manager would be allowed to be unaccountable by a council. Voters must decide whether Kaua‘i’s present system of government is a model of accountability and efficiency or can it be improved by changing to a less politicized system?

By the way, our County Council itself is elected at-large rather than by island districts, which would provide greater accountability to voters. In the past, many council members spoke against charter amendments for district-level representation and its inherent accountability.

We do not need an expensive government study on this. We do need to offer voter education on the council-manager form of government. Workshops, and so forth should begin now so that Kaua‘i voters can make an informed decision soon. We can make our county work better and be more responsive to its citizens.

Donald L Bodine

Anahola