The Kauai County Council is again
engaged in time-wasting— namely, its plan to vet the idea of a
county manager position.
Long the cherished dream of Ken Taylor,
Glenn Mickens and Walter Lewis, the manager concept gained traction
when they approached Councilman Mason Chock, who just can't say no.
So now an idea previously considered and rejected by the charter
commission after it conducted road shows to gauge public interest —
there was none — is the focus of a fullblown Council subcommittee.
To its advocates, the manager position
is code for this belief: The county needs a white guy from the
mainland to sort things out.
And of course the Council likes the
idea, because they'd get to hire the manager, giving them power the
mayor now holds.
For those who think it's a good idea to
let the Council choose someone to run the county, consider this: The
Council hired Auditor Ernie Pasion, who for years produced nothing of
value on a $114,848 annual salary, allowed himself to be used for
political retaliation and then sued the county — collecting
$300,000 — when they tried to discipline and then fire him.
I've done political reporting in cities
with the manager system, and found they were just as corrupt and
dysfunctional as the one on Kauai. Only today I noticed an example of
how such a system can fail, in an article about a rookie cop who
reported two Oklahoma police officers were beating and shooting stray dogs:
The chief has said that when the
allegations were made, both officers were immediately pulled from
duty and put on administrative leave. However, Konawa City Manager
Tony Lowery has decided to allow them to work while they are being
investigated by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Folks need to face the facts: The
problem isn't the system, but the people in it. And that includes
misinformed, woefully ignorant voters.
Like the people who are crying
and screaming and wailing because the court struck down Maui's illegal
GMO moratorium. Lacking an education in basic civics, and its three
branches of government, they see the ruling as somehow depriving them
of their vote and constitutional rights.
So what do they do? They stand out in
front of the place they claim is delivering daily doses of toxins, wearing silly
masks that would do nothing to hinder the poisons they fear. Because, of course, it's all for show.
 |
| Maui Councilwoman Elle Cochran |
Meanwhile, they happily swallow the dogma
peddled by paid anti-GMO lobbyists like Babes Against Biotech, which
immediately posted an insulting meme of the judge sitting on a papaya
and this claptrap:
Judge Susan Oki Mollway suspends
democratic initative [sic] voting rights, rules in favor of
#Monsanto & #Dow! Refuses to enforce citizen GMO moratorium
vote and compel safety testing!
The Babes and their sheep just can't,
or won't, face reality: The language of their law was fatally flawed
in numerous areas, and they had a crappy lawyer who didn't actually
provide any facts to refute claims made by the opposing parties.
Which is why, in toddler temper tantrum fashion, they resort to inane claims like this:
Just because they didn't say we won
doesn't mean we haven't.
Uh, OK.....
Sadly, people who should know better,
like Maui Councilwoman Elle Cochran and Kauai Councilman Gary Hooser and his son, Dylan, who ran a
failed campaign for a state House seat, perpetuate this ignorance of
civics. Gary repeatedly bashes seed companies that “refuse to
follow our democratically passed laws” — all of which have been
overturned by the courts, and thus are no longer actual laws that
need to be obeyed.
And Dylan parrots Papa:
Wow. The people on Maui voted to pass
their moratorium and a judge overturned it. Pretty lame when the
democratic process doesn't mean shit anymore. Many people worked
countless hours to get their voices heard amongst the millions of
dollars the chemical companies spent just to have it disregarded.
So tell us, Dylan, if a majority of
voters on Kauai passed a law banning sunrise shell collectors and
wearers of tacky aloha shirts from the island, should it stand, as
the will of the people? Or should you and Daddy be allowed to
challenge its legality in court?
The BAB-sponsored Mollway bash-fest
elicited a feeding frenzy of stupidity and ugliness, as befits the
group:
Zach Price – There's a word for women like her
Babes Against Biotech – "Judge?"
Hahha. "GMO Lover?" Just kidding don't answer that.
Dallin Freestone – Traitorous b#%^#
is a fitting title.
Michelle Schumacher -- I hope she gets
the first of what ills are coming
Brenton Shaffer – Is "Hell-bound"
too harsh?
Scott Baykok Reinke – Remove her from
her post....arrest her for reckless endangerment and exile her from
the islands
Sharon Lampley – Crimes against
humanity. Class Action Law Suite to have her put in prison - Judge
Susan Oki Mollway
Michelle Schumacher – Corporate
tool.
Norman Bourque – Appeal her
ruling....she should be disbarred...huge conflict of interest.
Sheila Storms – The meek shall
inherit the Earth. Karma is coming for you Lady.
Jenny McGrath – Stupid. Cow.
So if you rile up people who don't
understand, accept or believe in the rule of law, what's next? Mob
action? Violence? Not surprisingly, other posts received comments
like these:
Peter King – Is Now when the People
take the law in their own hands and shut down Monsanto?!?!?!
Kawika Cockett – Burn the fields
Jenna Rosberg – I say we burn all
their testing crops hehehe
This is the Hooser-Margaret Wille-Elle Cochran-Russell Ruderman-Josh Green-Center for Food Safety-Earthjustice constituency, folks.
This is the Hawaii anti-GMO movement, unmasked.
Take a good long look at the true toxins in the Islands.
Posts
65 comments:
very true post ms. joan. and these guys wonder why they don't or will not get any respect. they are the evil ones.
But everyone in the inner circle knows that they better get a county job now when their sloth Mayor holds office because "afta dat no mo".
Look at Kauai jobs indeed and you will see 10-20 county if Kauai positions. No wonder the council wants to raise up GET general excise tax, while local people have to slave 2-3 jobs.
Kagawa and the whole haole TVR fiasco shows how idiotic he is. Basically he just signed and sealed a legitimate civil suit against a councilman who disenfranchised a group of people for another group of people (whites vs locals). By the way what local families can afford to buy 500K to 600K houses in Kauai? Oh wait the underqualified Mayors admin that makes 110K can afford and their families that all have county jobs that pays 60K to 115K.
Fraud, Waste and Abuse.
Someone like a retired general would be able to act as a county manager and get the job done, reduce spending, reduce dead weight non qualified individuals, pay on base of performance, line by line scrutinizing the budget, get a drug facility built and get rid of the half way houses that are no help but puts money in people's pockets for a failure, and so on.
Trust me military and military officers and most importantly a retired general will have to much pride to FAIL and look bad without having a conscious.
This Mayor and his cronies and this impotent county council has to get out of office. Tax, Tax, Tax that's all they know how to create more taxes and hidden taxes to keep their families and friends employed receiving county welfare benefits. These frauds must GO!!!
10:21 Kagawa ain't no idiot you are why don't you run against him lets see for real who's the idiot.
This is so amazing and entertaining. It makes me wonder if these people have any children, what they will grow up to be like their parents. We are so lucky to be living in the USA. We only fear fear itself. Our military provides us with this FREEDOM that we take for granted. Democracy wins even if you cheat to win. Decisions are made and we should respect it. Kauai is such a beautiful island to live on. If you have issues and are not happy move to Maui or Hawaii. We seem to get a lot of "rejects" that want to instill there unhappy lives on us because they cold not get their way from where they came from. It might be our fault for letting them get away to this point. Really, go back home to the place that pushed you away. No can already. You would never fit in anymore. When in Rome do as the Romans do.
"Basically he just signed and sealed a legitimate civil suit against a councilman who disenfranchised a group of people for another group of people (whites vs locals). "
That was the first thing I thought when I read Kagawa's comments. He is like a confederate flag guy - sort of in reverse. He's like the kooks in South Carolina that want succession so they can start exporting the black people. Blatant racism. Bad news. And top vote getter, His comments on making Haole's sell their houses back (sic) so local people can get them back will grace the pages of legal briefs for a decade, and you all will pay for it. Thanks Ross.
0:21 Kagawa ain't no idiot you are why don't you run against him lets see for real who's the idiot"
Ask the Republicans - winning the elections just proves who is the biggest idiot. :)
You can't sue an elected official for an opinion he makes. Who's advising you Jonathan Chun? Dont believe him he wants your money.
You need to wake up. The county does not control the housing market or the financial income of the residents. I am born and raised on Kauai, but I do understand the sacrifices that must be made if I want to continue to live the island lifestyle. You wanna make more money, own a home and work one job? Quite simply just move. If not just accept the fact you live on a beautiful island that is uncrowded.
10:43. You're soo way off the mark the b&b and TVR owners outside the vda are wrong and the silent majority of KAUAI is 100 percent behind him to put a stop to this abuse period
I am very concerned that the actions by the Anti-GMO folks: parading around saying they won; disparaging a Federal judge and demanding that "democratically passed laws" rule the land is making a mockery of the idea of the Rule of Law in this and many cases around the state.
Someone (Bueller, Bueller....) need to step up and both call out the ignorance of these groups and then promote to the highest degree possible the idea that this state is run by the rule of law.
"Government should be of laws, rather than of men" ~ The Junior Chamber Creed. Someone needs to stand up and say we should respect this, rather than running around, spouting off about how right they are and leading more sheepish people in this town. We already have enough people not paying attention to politics....look at our voting rates. God knows misinformation and policy-by-emotion arguments ain't helping.
10:43 Ross is da man. He got balls. For the Aina. Keep it going, they all worried because we got someone fighting for us. No stop, get those Air B&Bs too. They bring these cheep skate tourists that end up homeless, destroying our Aina. These cheep skate tourists ride the bus, camp at our beach parks, crowd our beaches with their stink body odor, add to our homeless population, enough, get um out Ross. They're all over, Hanalei, Anini, Kapaa Town, Lihue Civic Center, Ahukini, Hanapepe Valley, Waimea Town, and the list goes on. We need you to be strong, you are the one with the strength to say no, let's do this for our children.
These tourists "camp at our beach parks, crowd our beaches"
By "our parks, our beaches" whose do you mean. "Locals" like Ross said, or "anyone who call Kauai home", like Ross said?
Just being born here doesn't qualify anyone to be called a local. More so, What is a Kauai Local? Everyone is born ignorant, no can talk, no can see. First thing you do is cry. Get your nose cleaned, get eye drops...As you grow up you learn what is the right thing to do from your parents, relatives, friends and enemies. you listen to the stories, myths and legends of the island, you slowly realize that what you have on this island is really special. You think back and reflect on the stories, myths and legends of the island and have a reason to keep Kauai Kauai. The $$$$ bring bad things to the island in many shapes and form. Just because you call yourself a local doesn't mean you are. We are what we are.
I have not been impressed with R. Kagawa, he seems to misunderstand basic tenets of law.
Typical answer from someone who got there's and high noses the rest of the struggling families that are in the grind.
Must be a county welfare recipient. Cannot help the fact that everyone see's the county vehicle fleet rivals any car dealership.
Why does the county need the newest and biggest SUV's and truck guzzling gasoline wasteful spending vehicle? When a small economic car is all that is needed on this island to travel from kukuigrove, Kmart, or Walmart and back to the county round bldg.
That's where you will see most of this vehicles doing the business hours. While the other county workers use old vehicles or use their own vehicles.
Everytime I see a county vehicle during business hours out and about, I just have to think about how many parents out there have to work 2-3 jobs to support this wasteful abuse.
The state of Hawaii and the federal government is already at the pinnacle of fraud, waste and abuse that Kauai is heading towards.
Get these clowns out of office! Vote to reelect no one.
Ross is a normal person sitting on the council and for that we are grateful. Not a politician , he may have not stated it the politically correct way, but really it is a fact the homes in residential areas should be for residents, maybe the local families he was referring to is no more than residents which is the law.
And whether you are a council person or not, everyone gets to have an opinion and sorry but he can't be sued for that.
"Wow. The people on Maui voted to pass their moratorium and a judge overturned it. Pretty lame when the democratic process doesn't mean shit anymore. Many people worked countless hours to get their voices heard amongst the millions of dollars the chemical companies spent just to have it disregarded."
Just mere days ago, Dylan and his father both posted on FB in support of the Supreme Court's ruling that legalizing gay marriage. Don't they realize that citizens in many states worked countless hours to get gay marriage bans passed in their states? Just to have them overturned by the Supreme Court? Yep. The democratic process really doesn't mean shit.
Seriously, do they not see the irony in their statements?? I'm amazed at the stupidity.
THE SUPREME COURT is what it is. Blame the IRS. When you fill out the Tax forms you are asked, Married/Single.
10:43 yep, the mainland transplants on Kauai are just as oppressed as the slaves brought to America in chains.
Im glad you wrote about the county manager ridiculousness.
Pretty shocking that 3 persistent one-note crackpots can actually influence policy – all it takes is 1,000 letters to the editor on the same topic published over and over and over and over.
These guys don’t know what they’re in for. The elite corps of city managers in California are making $250,000-$450,000 a year with scads of benefits and gold-plated contracts that acknowledge the perilousness of working for councilmembers who can get swept away in one election. You want to get rid of one? You’re going to be paying his salary and benefits for the next 5 years while he goes back to Cali and gets another 6-figure job. My experience in California was most of these people are pretty professional but they wield a lot more power than we’re used to here – they can pretty much fire everybody, police chief, fire chief, etc. But knowing Kauai we’ll try to cheap it out, hire some failed bureaucrat from a small town in Idaho for $150,000 a year and then face the Paison mess all over again.
Is it worth having the discussion? Sure. But we already had it. And with all of the problems confronting our island – and all of the time already being wasted by the council on nonsensical crap like the constitutional amendment resolution (Mel has already pretty much given up trying to keep the meetings on track) – do we really have the time to piss away on this exercise?
The council would hire someone like Jay or if we are not lucky, Jackpot, someone who could no longer get elected, wait, maybe it would be Joann. What makes these guys think the system would work any better than the failed auditor, first auditor ever the council hires and he has no auditing skills. Ever hear of an auditor who is not a CPA? The checks and balances of the mayor/council system works just fine.I'd vote for Ken and Glenn to go.
I certainly wish the definitions and descriptions could be changed to something a bit less derogatory: like use "resident", instead of "local". Hawaii Revised Statutes §11-13 pretty clearly spells out their requirements for "residency":
1. The residence of a person is that place in which that person's habitation is fixed, and to which, whenever the person is absent, the person has the intention to return;
2. A person does not gain residence in any precinct into which the person comes without the present intention of establishing the person's permanent dwelling place within such precinct;
3. If a person resides with the person's family in one place, and does business in another, the former is the person's place of residence; but any person having a family, who establishes the person's dwelling place other than with the person's family, with the intention of remaining there shall be considered a resident where the person has established such dwelling place;
4. The mere intention to acquire a new residence without physical presence at such place, does not establish residency, neither does mere physical presence without the concurrent present intention to establish such place as the person's residence;
5. A person does not gain or lose a residence solely by reason of the person's presence or absence while employed in the service of the United States or of this State, or while a student of an institution of learning, or while kept in an institution or asylum, or while confined in a prison;
6. No member of the armed forces of the United States, the member's spouse or the member's dependent is a resident of this State solely by reason of being stationed in the State;
7. A person loses the person's residence in this State if the person votes in an election held in another state by absentee ballot or in person.
---------------------------------------------------------
Whether you are a haole or local, you are a resident of Kauai! We may not agree with one another, but using "resident" would certainly help to neutralize some of the vitriol. We all are riding the same barge here, either by choice, or by birth, and no one's opinion of the way they think things should be (or not be), is any more or less relevant than the next 'residents". We all have one vote. Yeah, I know...they say I'm a dreamer...
Thank you Joan for your comments on the County Manager system.
Leave things the way they are. Nothing constructive will be done until the County stops hiring more people. The Government workers already soak over 80 percent of all Kauai money for salaries and benefits. There is even a separate 10 to 14 percent part of the total State budget to cover the cost of retirement and medical for the retirees. So we the County workers are probably sucking closer to 90 percent of all money. So Capital Improvements languish.
Don't listen to the clap trap spewed recently by a Government Union officil saying that 35,000 was the average pay. 35K is the absolute lowest. Add health, pension etc and you have a nice number. Most of the workers get big dough. Like Jay Furfaro who get over 100K (that pads his pension plan) for a job as Head of Boards and Commissions...what? gag me with Michael Dahlig's ego. Boards and Commission members work their asses off to put forth good ideas, but the Council and ANY F*ckin' Department Head can disregard or use back door influence to disregard these good citizen's work.
There will be no changes until a real leader in the Council stands up and says "ENOUGH, the County is broke and we can not rely on the built in Property Tax increases to continue the spending frenzy. I command all Departments to cut expenses by 5 percent. All Departments will have their budgets cut"
Speaking of Voters. All of the the NS gluten free anti- GMO Fistees vote. The newcomers all vote. AND they may have about 30 percent of the voter pool. JoAnn, Mason and Gary (and maybe even Tim Bynum, if he resurrects himself from his $300,000 hallucinatory ecstasy he stole from the County ) all benefit from these new voters.
They do not give 2 sh*ts for economic activity. They do not have kids/grandkids that rely on the local economy. They have NO ties via family to the island. They may feel they are "part of the island", but anyone who disregards jobs and future opportunity for the li'l hanabata nosed rugrats that soon will be old enough to work, are just pieces of shitty flotsam and opala jetsam that flow thru the island.
So unless we vote in some utilitarian Council Members we will continue to have poor service and high taxes/fees and f*cked up anti-farm laws.
On another note. Ross is a good man. His take on the closing down the BnBs as being a vehicle to create housing is misguided. He really don't not like Hoales, why he even has friends who are F*ckin' HowLees.
It is easy for people to divide the community and blame the BnB/TVR people as the reason for the housing crisis. But ANYONE who has been here for a while KNOWS that the number one reason we do not have housing is JoAnn Yukimura.
JoAnn's (and now she has Da Hoos and Mason) leadership as Mayor and her steady influence as Council person has allowed "ANTI-Housing" to be the mantra of Planning and Water. AND for the know-it-alls out there who maintain that Water Dept is a separate kingdom from the Admin/Council...you better do your research. WATER is the real Boss of local housing. And during the next year when the average house price is 700,000 and a shit box is a half a million--thank JoAnn. She is a nice lady, but she has destroyed the future for most young people.
Of course soon Mt Yukimura will be large enough to develop into a methane gas environmentally sensitive subdivision with full blown Niihau views. But in order to qualify you have to sell your car and use the Bus.
Another idiotic statement.
Who pays the pay checks of most of Kauai's working class?
The tourist and the county tax payers pay these idiot councilmembers their salaries so the tourist as in the tourism industry is where you all receive your pay checks.
The problem is that our county is incompetent. You have to find a balance between tourism and local communities.
You all want to blame the tourist or the locals or the mainlanders that moved here. But the people who are paid WELL are the people who are what's failing Kauai.
Do you blame the ambulance for not showing up or do you find fault at the driver and the cooperator of the vehicle at fault?
Why can't the people of Kauai see the big picture?
What too much Meth?
Whether you smoke it, your friends or family smoke it or sell it; we are all affected by this DRUG.
The county doesn't want to take a hard stance against Meth because when there is no problem to fight then people will look into improving government.
We can't have that now because we live in paradise and there's no such problem because Kauai has world class facilities.
Interesting to know how many millions of wasted dollars have the county of Kauai PAID to consultants and didn't they county of Kauai go to consultants to solve this problem like they did with everything else.
WTF: A gym roof 2.5 million dollars
WTF: Bus shelters 77K each
WTF: a bridge 1 Billion dollars
WTF: Bike path 150-300 million
Will the real locals please stand up? I don't care what you call us, we are being driven out by the fake no-aloha locals who can afford to come and live here and change everything to suit their unrealistic fantasies without a real care in the world for the families they're tearing apart, the businesses they're destroying, and the jobs we'll be losing as result. Sure, change is inevitable, but can you even picture your kids and grandkids being able to afford to stay here with these changes? Mine can't.
Many born on Kaua`i are not for Kaua`i. They are for selling Kaua`i.
The truth that these people are so afraid of is coming out. This ship will sink themselves little by little but then blame everyone else.
Funny how I didn't hear anybody whining about lost democracy when the people of Hawaii voted to maintain marriage being only between a man and a woman which was then ignored by the State legislature and the Governor. So....I guess it's only democracy when the anti's want it to be.
OK I've been coming in here talking shit but this piece is good Joan. Spot on. As long as the people are basically politically ignorant it's going to be a free for all anyway. However pessimistic that sounds it's more than likely true. Power breeds greed. Do me a favor. Seriously. Would you do come investigating and/or commentary on the proposed bil to repeal the dog ordinance. Am I correct that someone has put that up for a vote? And your feelings are if it's true?
roof, roof, let me bark. Repeel the stupid barking dog ordinance, dogs are repelled by it.Let sleeping dogs lie and dogs bark, chickens crow and families make noise.It's life. Not fair to only allow vacationers and tell resident dogs to shut up.
8:45 the dog barking law is another stupid bill like Hooser's imu smoke bill and Hooser's 2491. Ross again is attenpting to stop the nonsense. The barking dog law is guarantee looser in court. If that's the case, why in the world would anyone say its a good law? 2491was stopped by judge Kurren because what, it's invalid. Hooser's imu law was just the dumbest thing ever. Think about it? You no like it, move to somewhere where there's no barking dogs. Can't wait to see the hunters hammer Hooser, again.
Ross is da man. He knows da braddahs going show up in force and hammer hooser good on this one.
This is what happens when you have to answer to the panders of your campaign donors.
This is also what happens when you put TVR/BNB/Homestays and whatever you want to call mini hotels in neighborhoods.
The tourists are unsuspecting that they are in neighborhoods and neighborhoods have dog to protect against meth addict/heroin tweekers looking to rob and steal from the locals who work 2-3 jobs and the tourists who leave their valuables in the vacation rental.
The tourists complain to owners/investors/realtors then these people who donate a lot of money to campaigns to get the people they want in office introduce STUPID LAWS.
Barking dog law, smoke law, cat law, chicken law... etc...etc...etc
TVR belongs in VDAs and these gentlemen farm resorts has to be put to and END.
If you were African-American, would you ever vote for David Duke? Even if after he first said he wanted to take property away from Ni**ers and give it to white people, but he later said he didn't mean that and he really meant all types of people? Would you be fooled?
I'm not talking about fooled into selling your property for a high price (lol). I mean fooled into thinking this person would ever represent anyone who did not look like him.
I Had a certain respect for Race Kagawa when at least he acted like an honest racist.
Now that he is clumsily back-tracking and saying he really meant favoring everyone on Kauai when he said locals, his honesty seems to have gone the way of his ideas on race equality.
Gotta admit that Gary's plastic bag ban was a good one though.
Everyone is trying to do their best. Sometimes Gary is right. Sometimes wrong (more wrong lately). Same with Mel. It is their job to disagree and test each other's positions. Just like this blog is good for democracy and people can float all kinds of ideas for test.
But some things are so toxic that they re not allowed in public life or even in the discussion of how laws are made. Things like discrimination against women. Discrimination against people because of were they came from or because of their race. Favoring of certain religions. When those concepts rear their ugly head in public life, the head needs to be cut off.
I'm surprised big media has not picked up on this story yet. This is gonna be a 20/20 episode.
Look at Maui. 700 newbies living downwind from a 100 year old plantation, complain about smoke and file suit. maybe thousands acres of ag land will close down and over 700 jobs might be lost. betcha none of the complainers worry about that. same with dogs barking, dust blowing, cats reproducing, ag land and neighborhoods full of illegal tourist rentals on kauai. garens no care from the newbies about how their bullshit affects the rest of us guys.
so what we going do? hang back like usual, let the newbies win; then grumble bumbye?
The plastic bag ban is bullshit. Plastic bags were mostly being made to be biodegradable. We could have gone with making a better degradation process if they weren't perfect. The ban has resulted in paper being used instead and people buying plastic bags for all their needs instead of having a free biodegradable bag that most of us reused for trash can liners, vegetable storage, dog dodo,storing things and any of the uses for which I now spend money on bags for . The bags i now have to buy are not biodegradable and yada yada yada i bring my cloth bag to buy groceries, but i still need a bag for the garden produce or it wilts and i still need a bag for lots of things. If I am any indication, the people who sell plastic bags have made alot of money off this ban and it has had a backwards effect of not reducing, not reusing but increasing the use of plastic.Gary is plastic.
to 1:46 pm:
You are so right.
Unbelievable that Mr. Kagawa said that the "locals" who sold for high prices must have done so because they were fooled into doing so! Of course - being good locals, they could never have sold their properties because they wanted top dollar - nope, only haoles are greedy. If a local sells out for top dollar, its because he or she was "fooled" by the clever haoles!!
1:43. What the heck you talking about Gary and his stupid redsirts were the most toxic crap of bull ever and Ross and Mel were the only two guys who had it right and stood firm so cut your bullshit
Actually the County does control the housing market Yukimura and pols like Hoosier , along with the Water Department have done all the could to make homes unaffordable.
JoAnn, may I build, please? Yes, as long as you give 40,000 per unit to me so I can make some Government run apartments. I know you can put out turnkey houselot packages with nice homes for 450,000, but I want to build little 200 unit apartments for a cost of 700,000 each. The Feds will help me and we can put all the locals into apartments. The apartments cause greater crime and cost more money, the people prefer a real house, but what the hey! I want apartments and I have the power.
So kids, even tho' your parents and grandparents grew up in single family homes with gardens and fruit trees (thru the Plantation) now you have to listen to your neighbor's bodily functions all day and all night. Viva Apartments, Viva future Ghettos. Let's stick all the less than rich folks into sardine cans. My friends like their Ag Condos and do not want you living next door. But I really do care for you and please don't forget that every ounce of trash contributes to my legacy, Mt Yukimura, so pile it on....because I think we will turn my Mountain into a methane gas source, so I can be vindicated, because I am earth friendly. All the proceeds from the Metane will go to GMO studies and Of course the Bus. Maybe even a hard rail sysyem...we will soon be gettin' another half percent from taxes...that is millions.
I don't know who you think has been running this county for the last 20 years but it hasn't been Hooser or Yukimura.
How long has Yukimura been on the council, with a stint as Mayor and another bid to be Mayor, she has been in elected office her whole adult career. Gary is a rerun on the council and he only tries to be as influential. Though Yukimura has changed her policies to benefit her friends and so has Gary.
Thats exactly what we need! normal. Politicians is why America is screwed up.
County government needs to be trimmed 10%-15%. Start with the vehicle and bus fleets and job cuts across all departments including the council. Put a cap on settlement pay outs. Litigate as needed and establish or improve employee codes of conduct. Un-elect the mayor and all the tax and spend crowd. Life would be a lot easier on Kauai if we did not have a bloated and out of touch and nespotic county government.
It's all in the name of Hypocrisy. The county wants the citizens to reduce waste and recycle but does the county practice what they preach?
They want the citizens to pay more taxes and balance their check books but does the county balances its budget and reduce spending.
The $190 million dollar over bloated county budget factors in with 90% going towards paychecks and benefits are the most ridiculous business model ever.
If any business on Kauai operated with this kind of plan then they wouldn't last a year on Kauai but with the county they can find and figure ways to tax and create hidden taxes on the citizens to keep up with the Jones's.
I know how the county of Kauai can save 2-3 million a year and make a profit. Sell the Wailua golf course. That's 2-3 million dollars off the books right there. The Mayor and his cronies had an idea to build a $150 million dollar park on the west side of Kauai and be in the red their for $2-3 million in salaries and benefits. They wanted to pay $2.5 million to fix the Kilauea gym roof, $2.5 million who's get rich quick idea was that? $70K to $80k for each and every bus shelter. What is it made of? All I see is a concrete slab and a normal $1K shelter. Who's getting mine idea was that? All the sidewalks and potted plants in the Wilcox area is nice and all but is it a necessity at this time when Puhi road and other roads are worst than old plantation dirt roads. The county needs to get their mind right and figure what are priorities and what are luxuries and may be they can see what is a neccesity and what can wait.
What is with the county purchasing brand new Toyota 4-runner SUV's at $40K each and wasn't those 6 electric vehicles priced in at over $30K each?
Come on 10:23 AM !!! The contractor has to recover the funds used to bribe the County for approving their bid. Why else would the bus stops be sooooo expensive? They must be organic.
Let the protest begin with the landfill screw up. They asked us to recycle, we did. What did we get nada. Beginning next ALL my trash is headed to the land fill. No more trips to the green bins until they take positive steps to secure a new landfill location.
Let's see how long it takes to over fill the Mt. Kekaha.
If 60 % of the people take up this form of protest and the county has to start running trash trucks seven days a week I'll bet we would see some action. Less BS and prancing about give us some real debate and decision making. We'll see who the real leaders are!!
The guys who also bellyache about the county reducing spending should get a grip. The population has doubled, tourism has skyrocketed, of course it takes resources , money and more jobs to run the county.
The hidden KCC Kauai Bus Tax came from my song that I wrote in 2012.
December 10, 2012 at 8:47pm
I wanna be a business owner so frickin bad
Sell all the things I've never had
I wanna be on the cover of Money and Fortune magazine
Smiling with a platinum grill next to Bill Gates and Adulyadej the Thailand King
Oh, every time I have nothing to eat with my rice
I see my name on Mount Nounou in Lights
Yeah, a different successful business everywhere
Oh, I swear Kauai would be a better place
For when I'm a business owner
Yeah I would have a show like Bula'ia or Augie T I would be the host of everyday Ice Mess in the islands, give me your wish list
I'd probably pull a Guido or Angelina
And get rid of the MTV shows that degrades the ladies that take care of their babies
Give away bus passes, like students with goals and dreams deserve this
And the ones that have the least, won't be last on my list
It's been a couple years since I've written a single so
You can call me collect cause I've got unlimited minutes
Get it I'd probably be where Sandy hit
And damn sure do more that what the politicians did
Yeah, Usher Raymond sang it... Yeah...
Everywhere I go people will sing my music
Oh, every time I have no food with my rice
I see my name on Mount Nounou in lights
Yeah a different successful business everywhere
Oh I swear Kauai would be a better place
When I'm a business owner
Oh oh oh oh for when I'm a business owner oh oh oh oh
Work cited Travie McCoy/Bruno Marz-Billionaire lyrics
We have an incompetent administration. Total recall for the mayor is the only solution.
Any Council member supporting a Managers system on Kauai will become a target in the next election. I and every sane citizen on the island reserve the right to Elect The Mayor.
With Hooser, Bynum, Yukimura (Married to Haole), and Chock (talk like Haole), leading the charge for the Haoles, it is easy to hate Haoles. They pass stupid laws like 2491, Barking Dog, Cat License, Smoke Bills, All kind stupid stuff. And then they get the nerve to say Ross "watch what you say." Fuck them they the ones who are and have ripped our community apart. Bill 2491 is Invalid, Should be killed immediately, but the healing will never be restored until the 4 donkeys at the top are off the Council. It almost happened a few months ago, it must the next time.
Yes, and all those new people, residents and visitors, are generating more & more tax revenue which is going where? Into bureaucratic pockets with absolutely no increase in efficiency. Just pay raises for all the slow movers.
Hey! I totally agree with you 8:41 but I'n a hole so don't make this a racial thing.
@10:23am
Don't forget about trees being planted three feet from the road on Hardy St. Imagine the tree maintenance and road maintenance when the roots lift the pavement. Also they front Wilcox School and will become a visual obstruction when children are walking on those side walks. Plus the trees each take up a parking stall. Retarded engineering and planning. Who approved this project.
Oh and how about the County Energy Planning fiasco in putting GPS's in all county vehicles which caused all of the batteries to die. They had to remove all of the GPS's and scrapped the project wasting thousands of dollars.
@10:23 am
What about the planned bike path that will go down Haleko mill Rd. The road won't be realigned or widened but a bike path will be added. How much will that cost and who's bright idea is that? It seems like a County Engineer is making his personal bike path to work. Boy this administration sure knows how to waste our tax dollar.
@8:41am
Start your positioning now not next year. Plan on voting for Council in 2016, vote Rapozo, Kagawa, Kanashiro, Kualii, Brun, and DeCosta.
Re 8:41am
Imagine if we were under the County Managers System and the 4 you list were to select the Mayor.
8:41 am
....applause!
How much consultant fees did it cost the citizens of Kauai? 200K-1Million?? With nothing to show for.
Just like the drug rehab center in Isenberg park area. Why did those consultants choose an area where there are many half way houses? They only rejected that are because the half way houses would lose federal/state/county funding. Who's fooling who round hea.
The Kilauea gym 2 million for a roof then they reduced that bid to 250K but people as in general contractors are saying no way!!! It's a scheming hustle.
This is like the over bid of 9million for the wailua bridge that actually cost the cost and state over 45 million. Now if any of you buys a house at the market rate at around 500k then when you go to pay, they say is actually going to cost you 5 times more at 2.5 million. What fricking idiot would fall for that trick? The county because they know it's not their money and its a blank check for the pyramid scam to collect and pay out to the gudots.
I met some county workers who are pissed with this admin and council. They have given them and their families bad names and all they wanted to do was work hard and earn an honest living.
When the animals run the farm, the circus goes bankrupt.
Interesting solution from mainland as to all the "illegal" lockout units and housing shortages:
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/7/10/los-angeles-considers-amnesty-for-illegal-apartments-to-ease-shortage.html
Yesterday's Garden Island published the auditor's payroll audit. What a shame, what a waste of our hard-earned tax dollars to pay for this incompetent and corrupt Carvalho administration. Fire the HR Director and her payroll staff who were sleeping on the job, or didn't know what they're doing. I noticed when there's a gaffe in the county operations, the usual county's response is "we will look into it and will be corrected..." Only idiots including the current council will believe that boiler-plate reasoning.
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