Letters for July 8, 2015

Letters for July 8, 2015

Expedite affordable housing process

Kauai County has done a terrific job providing affordable rentals.

However, creating affordable housing for local people to purchase is another story, but much can be done if it is the priority of the County Council and mayor to insure it happens.

Kauai Habitat is a good example. Jay Furfaro, other government and community leaders as well as myself have served on the board. Eighteen homes were built and purchased for the average cost of around $170,000. Forty-eight home sites are almost ready in phase 2 and will cost buyers about $230,000.

Another 59 homes will be in phase 3. Fifteen hundred local families have applied to be the lucky ones to get one of these 107 homes.

This project (phase 2 and 3) has been in the works for over 10 years. Everyone from housing to the mayor wants to see this project move forward. It appears the county system of permitting causes the process to drag on forever.

The Council Council and mayor’s office (planning, engineering, etc) can create a system to fast track affordable housing if that is their true desire and priority. Curtailing TVRs and B&Bs will not create more affordable housing, but only lower tax revenues.

Create affordable housing by fast tracking the system — it is up to the County Council and mayor to demand that it happens. Taking 10 years of effort to generate 107 new affordable homes is not the way to solve this important issue.

Tom Barlett

Koloa

Here’s what God really meant

When God said two men lying together should be stoned, he was telling us to legalize pot.

Bob Downs

Hanalei

When it comes to voting, Bible, God’s laws don’t matter

I read the letter in the forum by LeRoy Manguchei and feel I must respond to it. Mr. Manguchei is upset because the Supreme Court voted to legalize same-sex marriage. Mr. Manguchei talks about the Bible and the laws of God.

Let me be blunt. When it comes to the government and the running of our country, what the Bible says really doesn’t matter. God’s laws don’t matter. God does not get a vote. We have a separation of church and state. As long as we do no harm to anyone else, we can live our own lives in accordance with our personal faith and beliefs, but we cannot enact laws based on our religion.

I would also point out that Mr. Manguchei in many cases himself does not follow the bible and the laws of God. Just as he has quoted a verse from the Bible that supposedly condemns homosexuality, I could quote numerous verses from the Bible that he does not follow. Things like “Don’t cut your hair nor shave.” (Leviticus 19:27), or “Don’t wear clothes made of more than one fabric” (Leviticus 19:19). And there are lots more.

I am sure that Mr. Manguchei can give us perfectly logical explanations as to why we do not have to follow laws like this. That’s the problem. He will apply this logic to verses in the Bible that he disagrees with but will not apply the same logic to verses that he does agree with. He picks and chooses the laws he wants our nation to follow.

I thank the Supreme Court for voting for marriage equality and to Mr. Manguchei I must say, relax, our nation is strong, it will survive this.

Loyd Clayton

Hanapepe

Neighbors helping neighbors

About one year ago, a Lihue resident bicycled up to me at Lihue Gardens and asked for the tenant who is my neighbor. The cyclist found a money order in the road nearby and wished to return it to the originator. I thanked the cyclist, asked his name: “Nelson, not Chevrolet, not Pontiac, but Ford,” So I could tell the owner.

When the money order’s owner returned a short time later, I gave him the money order and the name (which he recognized) and my neighbor heaved a huge sigh of relief expressing a vehement “mahalo” to Nelson and reversed to redeem the cash.

Lucky we live on Kauai!

Alice Parker

Lihue