Rise in food prices is concerning

According to what I have been reading, the cost of food has gone up by about 11.4 percent since this time last year, October to October.

The average cost of food across the United States is about $342.11 a month. Thus, the average increase would be about $37.63 a month. Not much to many, perhaps, but consider those who are adhering strictly to a budget for whatever reason.

This includes families with young children, marginalized workers, Americans living in depressed economic areas which have lost critical employers, seniors and others. Just about all of us. $37.63 a month is equivalent to $451.56 a year. That’s more than the average cost of a full month’s worth of food.

That’s an impact.

It’s not pleasant to live in some of America’s cities. It is difficult, dirty, inconvenient and expensive. The returns are often not what one would expect: inefficient local government, poor school systems, a general lack of opportunity in business or for work, and a barren living environment.

These ideas are foreign to a great many Americans who enjoy life and have resources to help them deal with the deficiencies of our society. The idea that food costs could cause a problem are worlds away from daily cares.

Most Americans make a subsistence living, including those not concerned with food prices. Most Americans spend nearly everything they make each paycheck.

As a family and national concern, wouldn’t that place slowly increasing food prices at the head of the table?

ALFRED BROCK, Wayne, Michigan

Maui housing bill not the right ‘something’ to do

“Do something,” goes the popular political call to action. But perhaps it would be better if politicians added a line from the medical field: “First, do no harm.”

In the case of housing, the urge to “do something” too often means expanding the role of government, which research shows is exactly the wrong medicine needed to remedy one of our most pressing issues.

According to a recent study by UHERO, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, Hawaii already has the highest level of housing regulations in the country, which many other studies confirm is a significant cause of our acute lack of housing and higher housing prices.

This isn’t a secret. Housing activists from all parts of the political spectrum have been telling Hawaii policymakers for years that the best way to increase homebuilding and bring down home prices is to reduce government barriers.

Nevertheless, calls to increase government involvement in housing persist. A perfect example of this flawed approach is Bill 107, approved Sept. 27 by the Maui County Council, which seeks to implement “affordable housing sales price guidelines.” Bear in mind, of course, that in the context of housing regulations, “affordable housing” doesn’t refer to reasonable housing prices for everyone. It refers to a subset of homes that must be sold at below-market rates to residents who meet certain income requirements.

Under existing Maui law, a percentage of homes in any development over a certain size must be sold at these below-market rates. But by changing the “guidelines” of how those below-market prices are determined, Bill 107 would require homebuilders to lower the prices of their “affordable” units even further — by about 20 percent, or an average of about $120,000.

In testimony submitted to the Maui Council on Sept. 20, Joe Kent, executive vice president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, warned that such a reduced price would disincentivize the construction of new homes — exactly the opposite of what the council would like to achieve. This was backed up by testimony from a representative of the Waikapu Country Town project, who said the bill would negatively affect a building project that has been in the making for more than a decade.

Despite the many reasoned arguments opposing Bill 107, the Maui County Council passed the bill by a 5-4 vote. As if the proposed “sales price guidelines” weren’t problematic enough, the bill also includes a vague subsidy program for prospective buyers that has the potential to become a budgetary albatross for decades to come. There also is the likelihood that the council membership might change after the upcoming election, and this bill may not represent the wishes of Maui voters.

No doubt Bill 107 is a well-intended effort to “do something” about housing in Hawaii, but this is not the “something” that needs to be done.

DR. KELI’I AKINA, President/CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Letters are insightful

One of the finest newspapers in all of Hawaii and superseding many national papers — San Francisco, New York, Chicago and other biased medium — is The Lahaina News.

Once in a while, I see a fit on letters that are intellectual, meaningful and on target. Some letters are just plain and simple ignorant ranting.

Your 10/20/2022 letters were greatly thoughtful and important to the betterment of our Hawaiian society and heritage.

“Protect citizens’ right to vote,” by Kimball Shinkoskey, was a very thoughtful, nice letter. A caring, smart person concerned about honesty in our country.

Keli’i Akina pretty much says it all about the inadequacies’ of healthcare treatment in Hawaii… and his diplomacy is excellent. Frankly, I see such tremendous corruption in Hawaii. I have dealt with the State Capitol first in the mid-1970s.

It is evident Hawaiians are being screwed directly due to ineptitude, corruption regarding drugs and drug treatment, and profiting from drugs and virus crap — misuse of drugs that the entire Hawaiian community should put a lot of corrupt people in jail.

Don’t be stupid. Don’t be afraid! Vote for good people! And I will not apologize for my honesty and the facts that Dr. Keli’i Akina so perfectly put in writing.

God bless…Veritas!

RICHARD BODISCO, West Side