• Affordable housing cart came before the horse • Kapa‘a soccer team represents Kaua‘i • SB456 advances, but still needs support • Save swinging bridge • Westside wheelies Affordable housing cart came before the horse In the very near future
• Affordable housing cart came before the horse
• Kapa‘a soccer team represents Kaua‘i
• SB456 advances, but still needs support
• Save swinging bridge
• Westside wheelies
Affordable housing cart came before the horse
In the very near future the 82 low income housing units in Waipouli will be open. Do we need more low income housing units on Kaua‘i? Certainly, but with one big caveat.
The area where these units have been built is already very congested with a shopping center, restaurants, a gas station, condominiums and two traffic signals.
Two recent letters to the Forum were right on target by noting that this is the wrong place to build housing units that will put another 100 vehicles on Kuhio Highway where traffic congestion is already at the gridlock stage. And, at least one and maybe two new traffic signals are programmed to be installed in this area meaning more traffic backup and more idle time in vehicles.
So, the biggest question arises as to why our County Council gave Kauai Lagoons permission to build these units in an already overcrowded location?
At a recent council meeting, our chair was saying that it was the council’s decision to let Kauai Lagoons build their other 38 low-income units in Lihu‘e — supposedly a good choice. Kauai Lagoons was mandated to build a total of 120 low-income units in return for their constructing 715 units at the Lagoons.
But when our chair was asked who was responsible for locating the other 82 units in the “wrong” place, he failed to say it was also the council’s decision. So when the decision is a good one the council is ready to take the credit but when the choice of the area to build is wrong those responsible are mute.
In all fairness, the three new members of the council had no responsibility for these decisions — good or bad. But hopefully they will have the wisdom and the foresightedness to make sure that the big picture is fully explored before any decision-making is done.
Glenn Mickens, Kapa‘a
Kapa‘a soccer team represents Kaua‘i
Congratulations to the Kapa‘a varsity soccer team for bringing home the state crown!
The dedication and perseverance of Coach Cram, his coaches, parents and ‘ohana to bring this team to the championship is unparalleled and much deserved.
You are special. Enjoy the moment!
Esther Estes, Waimea
SB456 advances, but still needs support
Is Senate Bill 456 a statewide issue or something just Kaua‘i needs to deal with?
That was one if the issues brought up at the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection meeting Friday when our coalition was pleased and honored that the legislation made it through its first committee with a unanimous vote of 7-0.
This moves it on to its second committee, and its third and final reading in the Senate, before hopefully crossing over to the House, one step closer to it becoming a law in Hawai‘i.
In our opinion, it does not matter whether rampant discrimination against “source of income” is currently occurring in every single county across the board in our state at this time. The facts are clear that in other states this law has passed because in certain areas of the state the practice was overtly blatant and in most cases was not occurring at the same level in those states across the board.
That the loophole exits and the ability is there to legally discriminate against a group of people in the state is enough reason to pass the law. Closing this loophole forever is the most sane and rational course of action for any state, especially ours, the aloha state.
Please support the passage of SB456 by e-mailing or phoning the members of the Judiciary and Government Operations Committee in the Senate.
Anne Ponuho, Fair Housing Law Coalition
Save swinging bridge
The Kapaia Swinging Bridge was closed more than two years ago due to maintenance neglect by the county.
Since then, concerned citizens have petitioned the county to repair the bridge.
Although our previous County Council unanimously supported and appropriated $250,000 to repair the bridge, our administration, Public Works Department and Attorney’s Office continue to drag their feet on this project.
To this day, the bridge remains untouched and is rapidly deteriorating.
With an outward show of concern, such as the letter written by Laura McNichols (“Don’t let swinging bridge rot,” Letters, Feb. 12), perhaps our island leaders will understand the importance of moving forward before the Kapaia Swinging Bridge falls into the stream below, washing away forever a historical and engineering masterpiece which can never be replaced.
Laraine Moriguchi, Lihu’e, savekapaiaswingingbridge@yahoo.com
Westside wheelies
Is riding ATVs and motorcycle in the dark without lights at night becoming a new night activity?
Some bike riders are riding on the stretches on the Westside. They are racing and popping wheelies on our highways.
This practice need to stop. Don’t wait until someone get seriously hurt or dies.
Howard Tolbe, ‘Ele‘ele
