Letters for July 11, 2015

Letters for July 11, 2015

Elect councilmembers by district

While I am tempted to support term limits because they will eventually apply to Mr. Kagawa, I do not believe that we should have them. Instead of term limits, councilmembers should be elected by districts and this would guarantee representation to all parts of the island.

The present “at large” system of voting provides built-in protection for incumbents. There is no way for a person to run against a specific councilmember whose performance they do not like.

Instead, they are forced to run against the entire council.

It is my opinion that the council does not support districting because individual councilmembers are afraid of having specific opponents who could call them out on specific issues. In addition, there are so many councilmembers clustered in one area that they might be forced to run against each other. Wouldn’t that be a shame!

Why not put districting as well as the the elimination of term limits on the ballot?

Linda Estes

Koloa

Children must have adequate space

One-third of children in child care are being warehoused. Two of the largest nonprofit and for-profit corporate providers sit on the state child care advisory board and if they cannot find adequate enclosed space, they count anything outside that’s covered toward inside space, with many more programs falling suit because, “that’s the way we do it in Hawaii.”

Best research says 42 square feet per child is recommended and Hawaii goes with 24 square feet per child of enclosed space for one-third of children in licensed care. The federal government is OK with state licensing. As a child care provider, I’m required to report child abuse and neglect.

Kamahamaha preschools use 42 square feet per child, protecting children and Mauna Kea with aloha.

Brent Cappell

Lihue