•‘Yes, we can!’ •Kindness begins at home •Corn Maze a success •Stop graffiti •Request to all veterans ‘Yes, we can!’ This is a follow-up to the insightful Garden Island letters “We are all Keynesian puppets” (Nov. 5) by Ron Holte
•‘Yes, we can!’
•Kindness begins at home
•Corn Maze a success
•Stop graffiti
•Request to all veterans
‘Yes, we can!’
This is a follow-up to the insightful Garden Island letters “We are all Keynesian puppets” (Nov. 5) by Ron Holte and “Solar is the answer” (Oct. 29) by Kawika Moke.
Mr. Holte astutely wrote, “… we must take actions at the local level to provide jobs … We cannot rely on the federal or state governments to solve the problem … We need to take better advantage of our resources: land, water, sun, wind, ocean, by private enterprise … The county can issue Build America bonds established by the stimulus act to raise seed monies…”
Mr. Holte and Mr. Moke are spot on a solution. Mr. Holte is exactly right that solutions will have to come locally, and the areas he identifies are where economic localization can take place to capture localized economic multipliers to fill the void of structural changes that are taking place in the national and global economy.
I would like to add one more piece to this puzzle. It is using municipal bonding authority to finance solar on residential and possibly commercial property. Specifically, the idea would be to use the county’s bonding authority to finance photovoltaic solar and possibly solar water heaters on private property.
The county would pay the upfront costs of solar installation and property owners would repay those costs over 20 years through an additional modest line item assessment on property tax bills. If a property owner moves, the solar system would stay with the property and the new owners would assume the remaining years of the assessment.
Oh, you might say, “Too simple … can’t work … no can.” Ah, but it is working, in Berkeley since last summer with the Berkeley FIRST (Financing Initiative for Renewable and Solar Technology) Program and in the past year many other states and municipalities have copied Berkeley’s idea. Typically the savings on electricity bills are equal to or greater than the slight increase in property tax assessment spread over 20 years.
A key point is that the idea caps electricity costs to the property owner with the solar installation costs spread over 20 years, but the electricity itself would basically be free from the sun. As volatile utility rates based on liquid petroleum go higher in the future, a major concern on Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i, the savings to the property owner would become greater. Those savings will create localized economic multipliers.
Additionally, in the immediate term the concept would create well paying jobs for electricians and in solar sales jobs as local property owners take advantage of the program over a number of years.
Brad Parsons, Hanalei
Kindness begins at home
A neighbor has large dogs contained in cages — these are not hunting dogs.
They are animals that are not exercised and appear to be anything other than pets that one should treat with kindness and love.
When they bark it sounds like a desperate plea for help. Their mournful barking is in the evening and early morning hours, when one needs quiet and rest.
The owner never shows regard for these dogs or respect for his neighbors. Another resident keeps small dogs in a cage in his hot garage. This is not how pets should be treated. With no laws to protect these animals, it will continue to happen.
There are children present in these households. What are they being taught about love for animals and respect for neighbors?
Wake up, Kaua‘i bureaucrats and do your job so I can get some sleep. Laws that protect animals work, I’ve seen it in action. We all gain.
Frank Olsen, Kalaheo
Corn Maze a success
Our whole leadership team would like to thank the wonderful people who came to get lost in this year’s Corn Maze.
The laughing and energetic kids leading their mixed up parents out of the labyrinth was always fun to watch.
We also want to acknowledge those who helped make this bit of fall season community fun possible: Grove Farms, Pioneer High Bred, AJAR (Adam Killerman, Scott Bloemke), BASF and especially Kirby Kester.
We appreciate the support and aloha from the fine folks who came from all points of the island.
It was a pleasure to meet and serve you.
Rick Bundschuh and the 2009 Corn Maze Crew, Kauai Christian Fellowship
Stop graffiti
I want to address graffiti problems.
I live in Hanapepe on the Westside and I’m a daily driver. The problem is the graffiti on county and state property such as speed limit signs, stop signs and traffic signs.
What are the steps that we as a community can do to legally fix this problem?
Dominique Booth, Hanapepe
Request to all veterans
Once again this year, Ms. Guzman’s Leadership Class at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School in Puhi has spearheaded their school’s efforts to prepare and deliver ti leaf lei to adorn the graves at the Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery in honor of Veteran’s Day.
The students will deliver 1,900 lei to the Veterans Cemetery at 9:50 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9. As a result of school furloughs limiting available class time, they only have 30 minutes to place a lei on each grave.
It would be wonderful if our veteran community would greet these students when they arrive at the cemetery, assist in distributing the lei, personally thank them for their patriotism and hard work, and for their efforts to honor the sacrifices of our veterans.
Tony Elliott, State Veterans Services Counselor – Kaua‘i
