County informed about dangerous crosswalk

(The following letter was sent to county officials.)

Thank you for your collective assistance with the repainting of the crosswalk on Lahainaluna Road. I am still awaiting an answer regarding the legality of ingress/egress for the produce market, where the cars cross the sidewalk. That remains a dangerous situation.

The purpose of this e-mail is to please draw your attention to another dangerous crosswalk situation. A section of Wainee Street near the intersection of Dickenson Street was recently repaved. The contractors paved over the existing crosswalk on Wainee, and it has yet to be repainted.

Additionally, the remaining crosswalk on Dickenson at that same intersection is so faded it is barely recognizable as a crosswalk. This is a busy pedestrian area, as it services Sacred Hearts School and Maria Lanakila Church, as well as the shops and parking lots nearby.

I greatly appreciate your attention and actions to help keep our community safe. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

KIRK BOES, Lahaina

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Tax increases are unfair

(The following testimony was submitted to the County Council.)

We are writing in strong opposition to the proposed council amendments to the mayor’s proposed budget for 2020.

The council’s proposed budget calls for $40 million more than what the mayor requested. There has not been clearly described areas where the $40 million total is needed, and as such, it fails to justify this phenomenal and unprecedented increase.

Nearly all of this added revenue is pegged to come from short-term rental vacation properties and hotel and time share/vacation club properties. As such, it seems these increases are more punitive than anything else.

While we have many “crises” declarations, it seems this extra money does far too little to address meaningful urgent attention to needed workforce housing, hunger and homelessness, emergency planning preparedness, shoreline erosion, water resource development and access to emergency care in West Maui.

We sincerely regret that there seems to be a huge gap in the amount of extra monies demanded from the transient industry and prudently identifiable justifications for doing so.

We hope that the mayor vetoes this proposed budget if the council fails to designate and explain the identifiable cures to any of our myriad of crises this extra money would correct appropriately.

JOSEPH D. PLUTA, President, West Maui Taxpayers Association

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Maui property assessments inflated to hike taxes

The State of Hawaii – specifically Maui Island – is in violation of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, specifically in regard to their illegal “Property Assessments” and thereto illegal increased taxes (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution).

Many owners of property here in Maui are ignorant of the fact that the assessments are far above the value of their property. The illegal state policy knows that people like to “think” that their property is valued well above the “actual” value, and therefore ignore the illegal state “scam” that puffs the values so to increase the annual property tax.

This is in fact such an illegal activity that the state, and Maui specifically, can be held liable for BILLIONS of overcharged taxes in the past.

When are people going to wake up to the illegal activities of Hawaii tax policy?

RICHARD BODISCO, West Side

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Thanks for making Bids for Kids successful

The May 25, 2019, Bids for Kids was a highly successful fundraising event organized by People for Educational Equality (PFEE) and the Aina Nalu Homeowners.

A huge mahalo is extended to the many individuals and organizations that provided financial donations, outstanding entertainment, delicious food, publicity, supplies, equipment and decorations.

The Board of Directors of the Lahaina Complex Tutor Project extends gratitude to Aina Nalu Homeowners and PFEE board members for their belief in our mission that enables us to continue to support our schools and students.

Under the outstanding leadership of Barbara Potts, extraordinary committee members met for many weeks to plan this event. Committee Members Theo Morrison, Lynn Donovan, Lee Potts, Leanna Roberts, Melissa Salvador, Mihaela Stoops, Connie and Phil Flaker, Bob and Marla Weiner, Flo Wiger, Sharon Beach, U’ilani Todd, Guy Harshman and Nancy Eckman are highly commended for executing this memorable and successful event.

As a result, those in attendance enjoyed a beautiful, relaxed evening of camaraderie.

Donations will continue to help us make a positive impact in helping our Lahaina keiki receive supportive classroom instructional services to increase their mathematics and language arts literacy and performance.

PAT S. ENDSLEY, President, Lahaina Complex Education Foundation