• KIUC’s fluctuations • Teachers, not schools, should pay for drug testing • Ownership defines responsibility • Why let unruly travelers stay? KIUC’s fluctuations Recently my electric bill went down from 53 cents to 36 cents for 375 kilowatts per
• KIUC’s fluctuations
• Teachers, not schools, should pay for drug testing
• Ownership defines responsibility
• Why let unruly travelers stay?
KIUC’s fluctuations
Recently my electric bill went down from 53 cents to 36 cents for 375 kilowatts per month, one month after my neighbor’s did. The fellow in Princeville was paying 43 cents for 600 kilowatts and another guy in Kapa‘a gets only 114 volts to 127 volts power.
Here on the Westside power average is 112 volts to 120 volts — standard. Why?
Here is what my professor at KCC and some KIUC engineers told me: The old electric grid is set up to supply the biggest users — hotels. So if you live near a hotel, you enjoy a steady supply of cheaper power, hence the Princeville guy is 10 cents cheaper than me with no hotels on the Westside.
Also the consumption graft is base on the average use of about 600 kilowatts per billing cycle not days. Use more, pay more. But the graft is U-shaped, penalizing the home that uses less. Use less, pay more!
The reasoning is that for KIUC to supply a readily available 120 volts, it is wasting its poles, transformers and wires for the small potato.
KIUC used to have peak hours, but no more. You could save some money by washing your clothes at say 2 a.m., when peak load was down.
Conclusion, it doesn’t do any good to try to conserve until KIUC improves its system. Just like Young Brothers’ 17.9 percent increase for harbor improvements, the PUC will grant KIUC a rate hike to cover in-house improvements.
KIUC is supposed to save for this future investment and not pass it on to the consumer.
• Bobby Ritch, Kaumakani
Teachers, not schools, should pay for drug testing
In response to lisakauai’s letter, “Who pays for drug test?” from Dec. 27: You teachers are already in a very high paying profession. So, why not pay for your drug testing out of your own pockets? Do not take it from the school’s budget.
There have been too many times teachers have been caught with drugs in their possession. Some used it themselves, and some sell for their own gains. Who did they sell the drugs to? I hope not our students while in school.
As for the supplies for students, maybe it should put on the list of things that parents should purchase for their children’s need throughout the school year, such as blank CDs, a ream of paper, and so on.
I’m sure that the budget and the money spent out of the teachers’ pockets for supplies that you mentioned in your letter is one of the least concern to the governor and the people.
I think our concern is safety for our students and yourselves. Also, to know that a teacher is teaching with a clear mind and performing their work as professionals by setting a good example while our students are around them.
• Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
Ownership defines responsibility
The letter from Mr. Sonny Gerardo (“Pflueger needs no defending,” Letters, Dec. 21) was right on the mark: Ownership of something defines responsibility for it.
A careful review of the chain of ownership of the Kaloko Dam shows that the ownership of the water rests with the state. Further, the ownership and responsibility for the dam itself was held first by Kilauea Sugar, who built the dam.
It was then sold to Kilauea Irrigation Company, KICO, who operated it (thanks to the right to sell the water). And KICO had to petition the Public Utilities Commission for that right. Which they did.
• Paulo Likeke Kaunahoakalani, Kaimuki
Why let unruly travelers stay?
In response to the irresponsible parents and their “hoodlums” (“Unruly travelers at hotel, too,” Letters, Dec. 27): I don’t understand why they are allowed to remain at the hotel if they are wreaking havoc on the place.
I know the hotel just wants to maintain its reputation and not be known as the hotel that kicked a family out at Christmas. However, the line needs to be drawn somewhere.
And if they think they’ll get bad publicity from kicking them out, think of the bad publicity the other guests will be promoting. They’ll go home and tell all their friends, relatives and business associates about the horrible time they had at the hotel because of the hotel allowing these people to stay.
Or worse, what about the publicity the hotel receives when someone gets hurt? You know darn well that if one of those “crazed kids” should get injured, the parents will blame the hotel and find a way to sue them.
The hotel management should call Child Protective Services and have the children removed if the parents aren’t able or willing to care for them. Whether the parents are aware of it or not; child neglect is a form of child abuse.
Just think, these are the future leaders of our world. So sad.
• Fran, thegardenisland.com
