Slow response
Slow response
The county and the state are refusing to take the responsibility for the lack of rapid action on the dengue fever outbreak.
Both governments are guilty of lack of action on this outbreak. Once the county found out about this, it did nothing. The state sent somebody here to look at it.
By the time any action was taken, there were a couple of hundred cases reported.
Did not the county stop mosquito spraying several years ago because it thought it was not necessary? I guess it was.
Bob Dukat
Pahoa
Another tax? Really?
I was dismayed to read in the Tribune-Herald that the County Council is looking to add another half-percent to the general excise tax charged on goods and services — funds that could be used for operating or capital expenses.
I have a few recommendations for the Council before it considers more taxes on already burdened Big Island residents and businesses. What about using existing funds more effectively? You can start with cutting your council personal discretionary spending for holiday parties and special events throughout the island. You also can stop handing out $15,000 for field trips.
Basically, take all the Robin Hood funds you all have budgeted to yourselves and fill a few pot holes around the island.
When you have stopped wasting our hard-paid county taxes, then you can come and ask for more.
J. Moncada
Hilo
Regarding Banyan Drive
We don’t lack tourists because of a lack of flights; there are few flights because there is little demand for seats.
We don’t lack tourists because of a lack of hotel rooms; more and more rooms have dropped out of the hotel business since the 1970s because of lack of demand.
We don’t need more hotel rooms; we overbuilt in the 1960s, and they have struggled since.
We don’t have extra millions to use to redevelop Banyan Drive for the benefit of private business; we need every dollar we get for public welfare projects, such as improved medical facilities and better schools.
Redevelopment would be too costly in terms of quality of life on Banyan Drive, with the noise, traffic and dust from tearing down and then building new structures.
Redevelopment of this misguided sort carries the additional cost of removing affordable housing from 1,000 people locally, thereby making the affordable housing market and related problems with homelessness much worse.
This push to “redevelop” Banyan Drive with more hotel rooms is the worst idea our leaders have had in decades.
Carl Oguss
Hilo