Letters for July 28, 2015

Letters for July 28, 2015

Changes needed in county government

Ironically the headline story in TGI (July 5) “Poor infrastructure, high shipping expenses to blame for state’s rank as worst business climate in U.S.” solidifies the claim that we need a change in the operation of our government — basically a county manager.

Maybe we cannot control the high shipping cost due to our location but the article goes on to say that our infrastructure and taxes “were the main contributions to the Rainbow State’s bottom ranking for the second time in three years. About 40 percent of the state’s bridges (including our 13-year-old one-lane bridge problem) are rated deficient or worse, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.”

Business owners are screaming about Kauai traffic that is adversely affecting them. “The two-lane highways are often jammed with vehicles and Kapaa’s traffic woes are notorious.”

Business people are saying the obvious, that “infrastructure is a huge problem on Kauai. There is frustration that everybody experiences in getting simply from the airport to the North Shore, any given day and back. Mostly it’s the roadways and it’s so narrow and tight we don’t have the proper places to turn off”— no alternate roads!

The bottom line here is that this is just another source of complaints telling us to change our government to a county manager type remembering that none of these problems happened yesterday but have accumulated under a system that does not work.

And who can be opposed to at least trying a system that is so successfully used all over the world? Only those who are benefiting from the status quo and not the citizens who expect that their taxes and fees should give them good roads like the Big Island; a fair tax structure for everyone; alternate roads to use to alleviate horrendous traffic; efficiency and accountability put into our system; and a person, a manager who will be responsible along with a council for the welfare of all of us.

Glenn Mickens

Kapaa

Council shouldn’t rush to judgment

Is it the dog in our neighborhood?

Each time the police are called. The owner gets a citation, the dog goes to the humane society only to be given back to its owner.

The owner gets a plea deal, all charges dropped. Three days later, the dog not only attacks another dog, but harms both owners.

The dog goes back to the humane society. Owner gets another citation.

Next week, our beloved council votes on a barking ordinance. Councilmembers, instead of trying to make amendments to the law, four members decide to rush to judgment and follow in the spirit of bullying, political self-serving, spiteful game playing.

Like the owner of the dog out of control, the four councilmembers should rethink their obligations to Kauai residents. I am really saddened that political pressure outweighs common sense.

The reality of right from wrong can make a difference when the playing ground has honesty and fair-minded councilmembers who believe in value that’s best for Kauai. I believe that two of the four are simply on the council to play follow the leader. They have no self awareness or the guts to believe in themselves to voice an opinion, even if it fails to fall within the norm of the chair.

Let’s see if one of the four has the guts to align himself on the side of reason.

As for the owner of a vicious dog, will the dog be put down for the selfless actions of its owner?

Ronald Horoshko

Kalaheo

Amend, not repeal, barking dog law

After the ordinance passed the all night howling in my neighborhood stopped and there have been zero enforcement actions and less confrontations. Please have the common sense and courage to amend versus repeal.

John Glover

Kalaheo