• New fees could cure ailing roads • Pay attention to political posturing • Quality of life should come before growth New fees could cure ailing roads Many people seem to complain about the roads and all the fast growth of our island.
• New fees could cure ailing roads • Pay attention to political posturing • Quality of life should come before growth
New fees could cure ailing roads
Many people seem to complain about the roads and all the fast growth of our island.
Here is an idea I stole from our president.
Charge an additional $10 for all car rentals per day, charge all the timeshares an additional $10 per day as well as all hotels per room and all other vacation rentals. This should generate enough dollars to fix our roads without hurting all the local people financially. These fees would be added to the bills of the tourists and no tax increases are needed for the locals.
Just make sure it goes to a special “road” fund and not into the “general” fund.
Some may think that these fees will slow down the tourist industry. I have been in business for many years and every time I had to raise my prices I was concerned about doing so, but guess what? The sales still came as the product was good, so this should also work on Kauai if implemented.
Tourism will not slow down and if it does, it would only be for a while. Kauai is the greatest place on Earth and believe me tourists will still come .
Michael Radeczki, Kilauea
Pay attention to political posturing
The Hawaii State Republican Party invites arguably one of the most hated, vile politicians to ever darken the once progressive state of Wisconsin.
Hawaiians, pay attention because unfortunately this “party” isn’t telling you all you need to know: If you want brother against sister, family and friends divided, hatred and anger; further destruction of aloha spirit; further destruction of your right to know what is in your air, your food; eliminating collective bargaining and workers having at least a modicum of voice; policies one after the other thrust upon you by American Legislative Education Council, then Walker is your guy!
I was born, raised, educated and worked in this once amazing state but I assure you that partisan politics, a totally Republican-dominated legislature; take always of public interests for the sake of corporate handlers; destruction of public education and higher education; a demoralized workforce; and destruction of natural resources; and losing your voices, will be the result!
Believe me if it can happen in a once progressive state like Wisconsin, it can happen here!
Please pay attention before it becomes too late!
James Ahasay, Lihue
Quality of life should come before growth
Wait a minute. Does anyone else feel ripped off? I have no problem with encouraging conservation. As a matter of fact, I actively promote it. I do have a problem with uncontrolled growth at the expense of the residents of Kauai.
Once again, locals are being asked to conserve to accommodate unrestrained growth (TGI, Report: Kauai faces future water shortage; Feb. 17, 2016). There are two large resort projects approved for the Eastside, complexes underway in Princeville, and Hanalei, as well as Poipu, and yet the Kauai Infrastructure Assessment predicts a deficiency of 10 million gallons of water per day by the year 2035.
What the article didn’t mention is waste water treatment plants will also be inadequate on the east and south sides of the island by 2035. So be prepared to eat less, use the bathroom less, or have a bigger chunk of your earnings taxed. Either way you will be paying for unsustainable growth.
In my opinion, the residents of Kauai are being dumped on and asked to conserve while transient accommodations are being promoted. All the while the residents are working harder, putting up with increased traffic congestion, community centers that are in disrepair, parks and park bathrooms that need a facelift, roads with potholes, and increased noise pollution.
I think there needs to be a moratorium on new transient accommodations until the infrastructure can support it. Let’s improve our infrastructure and quality of life before adding unnecessary density. Let’s conserve at all levels so that we have a sustainable future, promote happiness, and respect the aina. Quality of life should come before money!
Sea Peterson, Kapaa
