Nix birth incentives
Nix birth incentives
The almost well-written piece in Sunday’s Tribune-Herald (“Teen pregnancy drops”) would have been better had it not been for the photo of a pregnant woman wearing a wedding ring.
Another piece of sublimation was the use of percentages verses actual numbers; 2.5 percent sounds small, but what (were the actual numbers)?
The results on teen pregnancies were not surprising. The prospects of the future for both the girls and their children cannot be bright when the money they receive (those on public assistance programs) is spent on electronic devices and their boyfriends’ toys.
It was nice to hear that the numbers are lowering. I hope it is because there are young girls out there who want to experience the fun that awaits them in the real world.
My advice for lowering the percentage is, as always: Cut the amount of money given for having babies.
Help but do not enable.
Carmine Spada
Pahoa
Enough spending
Our state debt a year ago was such that it would require every taxpayer in Hawaii to donate $25,000 for us to be free and clear. Now, a year later, it would cost each of us $32,700. So when does the spending stop?
When Neil Abercrombie was running for governor, he said elect me and he will end our financial woes. Well, that has not happened, and he seems to be spending more and more. But then we also have a progressive state Legislature to blame. They just cannot stop spending, and it seems that they are addicted to spending money that is not theirs.
What is wrong with the people we put in office? Why do they become so addicted in their desire to spend and spend? Do they do this at home? Do they max out their credit cards as well? I think not. So why is it that they continue to max out the people’s tax money? We do not need new programs, we need accountability in spending.
Every day in our lives, we see the cost of living rising. Gasoline costs more than $4 a gallon, while on the mainland some places it goes for $2. The sad part is that Chevron refines it here and ships it to the mainland, where it is sold for less.
In a few months we will have elections. If everyone called their elected officials and told them to stop the spending and get us out of debt or they will be replaced, maybe that would help. If not, then we are responsible when our state has to file for bankruptcy.
John Gallipeau
Honomu
Mahalo for the help
On June 20 at about 2:50 p.m., I slipped on the wet floor at Walmart.
There two women who came to help me. I didn’t get your names, but I did want to formally thank you for coming to my aid. I was so shaken up, I didn’t even think to ask your names. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such angels!
Jeanne Matsuzaki
Hilo