Letters for Jan. 18, 2016

Letters for Jan. 18, 2016

Disagreements actually a good thing on council

Transparency.

It’s great that some people take the time to compose a letter and send it in toTGI. Whether their point of view is right or wrong, it’s their constitutional right to express their opinion and perhaps at least, gets people thinking about the subject which otherwise may never have been brought up or even thought about.

And whether we agree with their opinion or not, it’s our constitutional right to express such.

That said, I have to disagree with the writer of “Get involved, learn about the candidates” (TGI, Jan. 17). Although I agree wholeheartedly with encouraging the younger generation to get involved and to research the candidates of all elections, it is important to first know the reason we elect our lawmakers and the concept of a democracy. And to do so without any selfish motives.

The comment, “I think we all have seen the division amongst our elected officials and that does not help our community,” is a comment made without much thought. Just imagine what things would be like if our seven council members always agreed on everything. We’d have a legislative body much like our state Legislature. And we all know how “great” that has worked out for us.

In my opinion, our existing County Council does a fine job in addressing all aspects of each and every issue that comes before them. Each and every council member always expresses their opinion and always justifies with ample explanations. This is what the democratic process is all about.

Albeit, the clarity of their explanations is not always intelligible nor done in a timely manner. But whatever the outcome, whatever is finally decided, it’s all a matter of public record. It all unfolds from inception to final decision right in front of us. And it then provides the constituency with an idea of where and how the individuals that we put into office stand.

On the other hand, or perhaps a better lead-in would be, “On the other side of the road,” we have one person who presently makes decisions that have tremendous effects on each and every person on our island. Whether it’s a decision to hire unqualified department heads, or a decision on where or how to spend budgeted funds, these are decisions made without any record or “transparency.” And that is what “does not help our community.”

A “council/manager” system would most definitely be a tremendous improvement and would surely provide the “transparency” of our county government to which we all are entitled.

Larry Arruda

Kapaa

A good solution to our problems

Reading the comments section, I notice Mel Rapozo’s comment, dealing with raising the excise tax. I see he has remembered one of his priorities in that it’s an election year! Watching the County Council “reality show” on Hoike as well as articles in The Garden Island newspaper concerning raising the excise tax, I see that Mr. Hooser is the only council member who shows he is adamantly against raising the excise tax and has chosen to be “creative” in finding other ways rather than our wallets.

I have a good “creative” solution that would put a huge dent in the traffic congestion. If the council was to restrict the amount of cars that can be rented to tourists and a “well” planned shuttle system in place that does everything we need it to do for our guests and residents, only then we won’t need to raise the excise tax.

I’m sure the rental car industry will feel the same way as the 320 families who were served letters to shut down their vacation rentals.

Maybe the car rental industry, hotel resorts, shopping centers and all tourist activity outlets should be the ones who should own and provide shuttle transportation to our tourists and their needs.

With all that can be done, I find the evidence to continue to allow our traffic to get worse every time a plane lands is simple stupidity and yes, I’m extremely happy that it’s an election year.

Steve Martin

Kapaa