• “First shot” • Response to Stoessel “First shot” Recently, the Garden Islandreported that the “first shot” of the coming election campaign was “fired from O‘ahu” by Maryanne Kusaka. The basis of the charge, that Senator Hooser is soft on
• “First shot”
• Response to Stoessel
“First shot”
Recently, the Garden Islandreported that the “first shot” of the coming election campaign was “fired from O‘ahu” by Maryanne Kusaka.
The basis of the charge, that Senator Hooser is soft on drugs, paints a picture that will take on more clarity as this campaign wears on.
A proposal now in the legislature would widen the government’s rights to use wire-tapping as a means to fight the drug “scourge.”
The drug problem is very deep, complicated, and blankets every strata of society. In an era where the drug – alcohol – is used freely by youngsters and adults alike, while antidepressants like Prozac and other drugs, such as Ritalin, are routinely dispensed to children, the use of ice is not an isolated occurrence; rather, we are facing a much wider drug challenge to our civilization.
Knee-jerk reactions such as wiretapping merely increases suspicion in all of us about widening governmental powers while providing a questionable solution to the problem.
I should hope that we can find other ways to ease the ice epidemic rather than darkening the shadow of fear that already covers much of our community around the drug dilemma.
How much thought has been given to the home environment of young people who use ice? For example, are their parents employed? Are they suffering the hardships associated with economic burdens brought on by rising taxes and shrinking housing, by-products of developmental mania? And what about alternative activities and gathering places on this island for teenagers? Once again, tapping phones of private citizens is a shallow attempt to treat the symptom while ignoring the cause.
Yes, there is no doubt that we have a big problem here. Apparently, Senator Hooser supported a drug bill that widens the authority of the police but without the right of random wiretaps.
Richard Moll (Diamond)
Kapa‘a
Response to Stoessel
In Wednesday’s paper, Horace Stoessel (a member of the salary commission) made some very good points.
The pay increase for Council members has merely been proposed n not yet decided. He also urged us to participate in this decision and pointed out that whatever the ultimate pay scale, we have the power (if we choose to accept it) to vote out of office those who do not earn their keep.
Not too long ago, however, the same salary commission authorized large pay increases for appointed county ‘officials’ based simply on their job title, the pay extorted by public employee unions, and earnings of those with similar titles elsewhere. There was no mention of merit n nor any way to reward those who perform well or get rid of those who do not.
How does this fit in with the mandate to ‘set salaries for adequate compensation for work performed’?
Stan Godes
Hanalei
