• Muslims, Bush, Marriage • Kalapa on Ohana Kauai • se KIUC return for underground utilities • New Chief of Police Muslims, Bush, Marriage There were two letters to the editor in TGI on May 27,2004 which require a response.
• Muslims, Bush, Marriage
• Kalapa on Ohana Kauai
• se KIUC return for underground utilities
• New Chief of Police
Muslims, Bush, Marriage
There were two letters to the editor in TGI on May 27,2004 which require a response.
One was regarding Muslim Culture in which the author enumerated a number of untruths. Or, at least, facts taken out of context. First, the German people were led astray by an evil politician and then betrayed.
Second. It’s about time the various churches start taking some action to educate their congregations regarding the church’s philosophy, especially when it comes to politicians. You better believe the Muslims would.
Third. President Bush did nothing illegal in regards to the Iraqi situation. If he had the Democrats would be yelling for impeachment, and getting it. Because Republicans wouldn’t stand for illegal activities like the Democrats did during the Clinton Impeachment .
Fourth. Marriage is an American cultural thing, regardless of when it started. And it is a bond between a man and a woman. not between two men or two women or any other group. Those who need protection from unfair work and government sources can obtain it in another way. The legislature needs to work on that problem for those unfortunates who have loved ones that are not allowed equal access to whatever a married couple enjoy.
Fifth. Whatever happened in the past, is in the past and if it was wrong so be it, but two wrongs do not make the second wrong OK. So it’s not OK for the Muslims to hate or dislike the Americans because of something that happened centuries ago.
Dr. Gordon “Doc” Smith
Kapa‘a
Kalapa on Ohana Kauai
In his TGI Forum May 29 commentary on the Ohana Kauai Charter amendment Lowell Kalapa claims that he is putting “the truth on the table” but his article contains a number of statements that are misleading or inaccurate.
Kalapa blames our residents when government spending is not curtailed, but they did not vote to have their taxes increased nor given reasonable opportunities to be participants in controlling government costs. Kalapa says that the Ohana proposal does not curtail spending and “they like the amount of spending but are not willing to pay for (it).” No Ohana supporter known to me likes the County expenditure level. While the Ohana proposal does not cut spending, how many tax measures do address spending? Certainly the result of the Ohana program will make the Mayor and Council consider expenditures more carefully.
Kalapa correlates reduction in government spending with reduction in services. Evidently he overlooks reducing costs by improving efficiencies as those who are engaged in business must continually try to do.
Kalapa continues to beat the drum that taxes imposed on businesses will be passed on and says this transfer will be to homeowners. Any cost transfer would be to the customers which would include many others than homeowners.
The Ohana Kauai proposal seeks to reduce the property tax burden of resident homeowners who have seen taxes soar due to circumstances outside their control. Massive purchases principally by non-residents have sent values skyrocketing and the resulting increases in assessments have fueled government appetites for spending. The owners should not have to suffer from factors they cannot control. To the extent that the County does not cut its expenditures, Ohana believes that any burden increment should mostly be borne by those who service the non-residents who created the increase. These properties include hotels, time shares and vacation rentals.
Glenn Mickens
Kapa‘a
New Chief of Police
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to Richard Swift’s opinion on Kaua‘i’s pending Chief of Police position. While his letter, dated 5/27 is full of errors, I do agree with him that “enough is enough”. Enough of this poor status quo that we end up with here on Kaua‘i!
Mr. Swift states that an “educated group of five” has picked a chief and therefore we should all accept this and move on. Well, I’m not sure what group he is referring to, but I have seen the commission at work and I am sorry, but only a few command the English language, so I’m skeptical on the educational status.
More so, why should this community accept this, painfully obvious, rushed process to put a chief in place? In the last two months, the talk at every social event that I have attended, inevitably gets to the question, “Why is our police commission filling the very important position of Police Chief with such haste?” The only answer available is that they had their man and the effort to open up the opportunity to others was minimal, to say the very most. Status quo. The position was posted for one month Mr. Swift, be intellectually honest and tell me, and the community, that anyone living elsewhere would have the time to meet that kind of deadline? Certainly none of your old comrades in California, I can assure you. More importantly, how can this timeframe warrant any credibility for Chief Lurn? Did we get the best applicant to lead our police officers? I guess we will never know.
Scott Jackson
Kapa‘a
Use KIUC return for underground utilities
What a wonderful idea to apply the rebate amounts to an underground utilities system fund!
After reading the letter in the Garden Island from Hau‘ionalani Wyeth, I am also returning my rebate checks for my company and my personal accounts. I am also enclosing the rebate check from one of my clients, who agrees with the suggested disposition of the rebate amount.
I encourage other Kaua‘i citizens to return their rebate checks (or if already deposited send a personal check) . If everyone returned their checks there would be a substantial start up fund to put our electric utilities underground.
Hurricanes ‘Iwa and ‘Iniki raised terrible havoc on this island with the power poles. Hau‘ionalani Wyeth is correct in her letter to you and to The Garden Island News. Kaua‘i’s people do need a safer and and more esthetically pleasing system for the island.
Thank you for the checks-but please put them to better use.
Margaret Ferguson
Kalaheo
Gas prices
I have noticed in the past month or so the gas prices are still rising. I have been watching it. I have notice that a month ago the price for gas used to be around $2.29. Then in a week or less the price rose to $2.33. That is at least 4 cents in less than a week.
Now some gas stations I notice are around $2.48 for regular. I remember when the gas price used to be $1.90, but since the war started the price just went up in an instant. In O‘ahu a lot of gas stations I see on the news are still under $2. What is the difference between them and us? We are not that far apart. So think about how much money you’ll be spending on gas in a month or two from now.
Anthony Baptiste
Kalaheo
