Balinbin will fight for Maui residents

Kanamu Balinbin is the right choice for state representative from District 14. I live in Kihei, and I am writing to support Kanamu because he has proven that he will work tirelessly for clean, effective government that is accountable to Maui residents.

In the past year, he has helped to keep the County Council focused on investigating the out-of-control Greg Brown Development, which has become the poster child for what’s wrong with our County Planning Department. Kanamu went even further and filed an Ethics Complaint against a county official who allegedly misled the council as to the facts about an investigation into that department.

We need a state representative who will fight for our rights. Kanamu takes action, speaks up, and does not stand by when Maui taxpaying residents need him the most.

CHRISTOPHER P. FISHKIN, Kihei

Leaders should follow God’s way

“They sow the wind and reap a storm. Like a stalk of headless grain, it produces nothing.” (Hosea)

Primary candidates had typical talking points on Maui’s West Side hospital, highway realignment, water issues, food security, homelessness and affordable housing. Candidates agreed on the proposed Olowalu fire station. That’s good, though ultimately inadequate unless turning to the LORD. Scripture says by forgetting their Maker, God will send fire.

Considering the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, it would have been valuable to learn future lawmakers’ stance on abortion. Congressman Kaiali’i Kahele wrote: “Hawaii was the first state to decriminalize abortion… we will continue to fight for the rights of women and reproductive freedom.”

Will elected officials allow abortion until the moment of birth? Will nurses be able to prescribe lethal drugs through telemedicine for physician-assisted suicide? How about candidates’ views on proposed sexual education for K-3 children? These are some pending pieces of legislation deciding our fate.

Have you noticed that the further we get away from doing things God’s way, the worse things are getting? Despite all the human efforts to resolve the various community concerns, have things really gotten any better over the years?

The way things are going, even if the West Side gets a hospital, fire station, housing and addresses all the other aforementioned concerns, will it ever be enough? Failing to obey God, we will continue to suffer consequences.

Instead, “Sow righteousness and reap love. It’s time to turn to Me, your LORD, and I will pour out blessings upon you.” – God.

MICHELE LINCOLN, Lahaina

Support Kelly King

Kelly King for mayor. Why? Our county is at a junction that has the potential to change the direction of our lives for decades to come. The next mayor will be the leader to direct our billion dollar budget. We need someone with talent, vision, clarity and an understanding of the complexity of our government.

Out of the eight people running, she is the one that right now has placed true affordable housing in her district, will bring real professionals to run departments and has a skill set based on decades of successful work in small business, local, national and international relations.

Her vision is on a focused, compassionate and honest government, and you only have to look at the last 30 years of work to see what she brings to the table. And she is honest, caring and makes decisions based on science — attributes that are gold these days. And she is passionate about keeping our communities together.

I urge you to go on YouTube and look for Kelly Takaya King’s Top 5 Priorities. See for yourself if this is what you want for your mayor. And more information is on www.KellykingforMaui.com. Another candidate worth looking at for County Council is small business owner Robin Knox, with 13 years on Maui, a degree in agriculture and a water expert. Kelly has endorsed her to take her place on the council.

SEAN LESTER, Kihei

Declaration nearing its conclusion

In this next portion of our country’s Declaration, the creators begin their conclusion to their document. The exact words of document copies are always the same. What does appear in difference between copies are the words that are sometimes spelled with or without capital letters.

This portion picks up where it concluded in the last presentation.

“In every stage of these Oppressions we have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble Terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury. A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the Ruler of a free People.”

“Nor have We been wanting in Attention to our British Brethren. We have warned them from Time to Time of attempts by their Legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the Circumstances of our Emigration and Settlement here. We have appealed to their native Justice and Magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the Ties of our common Kindred to disavow these Usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our Connections and Correspondence. They too have been deaf to the Voice of Justice and of Consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the Necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of Mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace, Friends.”

BONNIE DeROSE, Lahaina