"Taxation without representation..." 'Larry Arruda' (Special Kauai political edition)

Please welcome guest-blogger Mr. Larry Arruda.
 Larry was born and raised in Lihu'e Kauai.Graduated from Wilcox Elementary in 1959

and Kauai High School in 1963. Larry is a Vietnam war veteran. Larry served 30 years in Costa Mesa California  as a highway design administrator. Larry Retired in 2002 and moved back home to Kauai in 2003.

Taxation without representation

Some of our elected officials are looking for ways to come up with  funding for the repairs of our streets and highways and for improving them. Of course, that means more taxes for all of us.

Increase our GET(General Excise and Use Tax) rate;  Increase our Gasoline Taxes;  Increase our vehicle registration fees; and anything else they can think of.  And when I say "elected officials", that doesn't mean just our elected County Council and Mayor.   It is apparent that our island's representation to the state legislature have created some influence in the matter by urging our council members to impose those taxes on us rather than to fight for Kauai's fair share of the TAT and Gas Tax. 

What happened to the Gas Tax money that we've been paying all these years?  Where's the vehicle registration fees that we've been paying all these years?   THAT is the money that suppose to pay for new roads, and for maintaining our roads. 

I suspect that those funds were used to replenish other funds that were stolen from to fund their salaries and benefit increases.  Now we're told they need to increase our GET and Gas Tax and fees to pay for roads.  Imagine if they had to tell us that their reason for the increase was to fund their salary and benefit increases. 

Apparently many people on Kauai, and many of them voters, do not know that the people of Kauai are NOT receiving our fair share of the TAT and the Gas Taxes that we pay for at the pump. Here on Kauai, in addition to Federal Gas taxes, and State Gas taxes, our County Gas Tax is $.17 for each gallon that you buy.   Oahu pays $.165 per gallon; Maui pays $.16; and the big island pays $.088 per gallon.  Anyone been on the big island lately?  You notice how nice their roads are, compared to ours.

The additional State gas tax for the State of Hawaii is $.487 per gallon. Second highest in the country.  Only California is higher.   
Until such time that our elected officials can provide proof and assurance that the people of Kauai are receiving their fair share of these funds,  and that these funds are being properly and legally expended on highway improvements and repairs,  with all due respect, I feel that this council DOES NOT have the right to impose any additional taxes on the people of this island. And thanks to the majority of our 7 council members, all attempts to do so thus far have failed. 

It is the responsibility and duty of those individuals voted into power, and that includes our four state legislators, this council, and the Mayor, to provide proper and fair representation to those that elect them and to the entire population of Kauai and Niihau.
We elected each of you to do a job, and that job includes making sure that the taxes we all pay are properly and legally expended and distributed. 

As far as I am concerned,  our elected officials, except for a few of them, have failed to do exactly that and have failed to provide dedicated representation to the voters and the tax payers. 
To bring back a 250 year old phrase, "Taxation Without Representation".
REMEMBER THIS WHEN YOU VOTE this year.  Remember Which ones are REALLY for the people of Kauai.  WHO is really "representing" us in the state legislature?

Larry is very concerned about how Kauai is governed

 and sincerely believes that a County Manager system

 would be extremely beneficial for ALL the people of Kaua'i.  

Hana Hou, (Encore)

Andy Rooney on Memorial Day..."(Kimo's world #130)~Happy Memorial Day!~

Andy Rooney was an American radio, television and newspaper
journalist. He is best known for his famous commentaries
at the end of the CBS show 60 minutes
Born; January 14, 1919
Died; November 4,2011.

Andy Rooney is my mentor and all time favorite
journalist and columnist. Please listen and watch
 the 2 minute YouTube video about Memorial day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hffOK7W75c

Editors note, 
This blog originally ran May 25,2015. Because of popular demand  we are publishing it again on this 2016 Memorial day. Please thank a veteran or someone who is currently serving in the armed forces!  Aloha!
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2015/05/in-memory-of-all-who-gave-ultimate.html

Andy Rooney on Memorial Day

Today is Monday May 30, 2016. I usually post my blog Kimo's world blog every Monday, however this Monday there will be no Kimo's world in it's usual format in memory and honor of all Americans who lost their lives to protect our freedoms...

My favorite journalist, columnist and my mentor Andy Rooney speaks from the grave on the true meaning of Memorial day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hffOK7W75c

Andy Rooney explains the true meaning of Memorial Day, honoring those who did not give their lives, but had them taken.

Andy is the epitome of American freedoms with his witty wisdom, knowledge and genius. This is why I chose Mr. Rooney to to represent Memorial day.

Please take 2 minutes to watch and listen to what Andy had to say about this day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hffOK7W75c

Kimo's world normal format
will return next Monday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hffOK7W75c

All photos of Andy Rooney are taken from public domain files.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hffOK7W75c

P.S.
 For further reading about Andy Rooney; please check out my blog titled;"Channeling Andy Rooney."
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2014/01/channeling-andrew-rooney-james-kimo.html

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...

This photo is full of emotion and wins my vote
as truly telling the story of Memorial day
 without any words.

"How do I know I am starting my senior years..?" 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for over 30 years

How do I know I am starting my senior years?

I look  forward to coming home from work - making dinner and  planting myself on the couch  and watching my favorite shows until I go to bed.

Taking advantage of early bird dinners
   and AARP rate discounts.

Taking in an early movie no later than 8PM and using senior discounts.

Making good use of coupons and discounts when grocery shopping and eating dinner out.

...and Taking and making time during the day to sit and chill  and just  do what I want ...

When growing up I used to think people in their 60's were ancient  - funny how your frame of reference changes...now I think people in their 90's are old. Why do I still feel 19 yrs old  in my head? 
If only I could feel as though the body was the same  as well.

"Judy, Judy, Judy!"

Hana Hou, (Encore)

"My heart aches for the skydivers and pilot..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Kimo's world-Special Breaking News Edition #129
Editors note;
Read all about the tragic skydiving accident that took the lives of 5 people on Kauai
on Monday May 23,2016;
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32052526/new-details-emerge-about-victims-killed-in-kauai-skydiving-plane-crash

My heart aches for the skydivers and pilot

I did not personally know any of the deceased  of the recent skydive Kauai tragedy in Hanapepe.

My friend Ken Landfield visiting Kauai from Homer Alaska
enjoying the time of his life skydiving with tandem skydive
instructor Enzo Amitrano whom tragically lost his
life in an airplane accident doing what he loved.
Photo courtesy; Ken Landfield 

I cried when I heard the story.My heart aches for the  the 2 instructors, 2 tandem skydivers and pilot. I felt a kinship, though I personally did not know any of the 5 who lost their lives.

Kauai is  a small and when something like this happens if feels like ohana (family) even when the people it happens to are not blood related.

For my 60th birthday I had planned a skydive with this company. I had a friend who had visited from Alaska who could not stop ranting and raving about how he had the time of his life--- and like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the classic movie. "The Bucket List" decided to take a skydive for his 60th birthday too, which is what prompted my idea to do the same. 

I decided to put it off since a very dear friend told me if I waited to do it on her birthday she would fork the bill! I don't know if we will still go, that's not why I am writing this.

None of this is about money or bucket lists. It's about life and how precious it is, and how in the blink of an eye any of us can be gone  within a  heartbeat.  Do you think any of the 5 people that died that tragic day woke up and  though that within a few short hours their life would end?

Life is short. Enjoy your neighbors, smile and shoot a shaka at a stranger, buy a homeless person a meal, eat a hotdog or spam musubi without guilt, and don't argue and loose friendships over presidential candidates, there not worth it.  Basically don't sweat the small stuff.

We may disagree on issues, however one thing is for certain, everyone reading this was given the gift of a life, So why not try your optimum to enjoy it--- you just never know when you will be taking your last breath.

The enclosed quote by -William Wallace- describes those who like to take adventures and live life to the fullest
“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”  

Do a Mitzvot (good deed) in memory and honor of each of the deceased . It can be donation to your favorite charity, planting a tree  in their honor or just pleasant thoughts and reflections.

May God bless and comfort the family  and friends of the deceased.

 Editors note;
The Garden Island news published this blog as a guest column on June 1, 2016;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/life-is-precious-so-share-your-joy/article_5f3fca05-53e4-5e92-ac0d-9d19e86db36e.html#.V07t8vXuITg.facebook

Breaking News;
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32057464/former-skydive-kauai-pilots-say-they-had-safety-concerns-about-crashed-plane
Hawaii News Now;
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -
Three former Skydive Kauai pilots said they were concerned about the airworthiness of the plane that crashed Monday just after takeoff, killing all five people on board.
"I didn't feel comfortable flying that plane myself," said one pilot.
Two of the pilots said they quit rather than go up in the 51-year-old plane again. The third said he left Skydive Kauai in 2012 when he asked to see the plane's maintenance logs and was fired.
Hawaii News Now granted the three pilots anonymity.
Read more;
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/32057464/former-skydive-kauai-pilots-say-they-had-safety-concerns-about-crashed-plane

"Now is the time for change..!" 'Larry Arruda) (Special to dakinetalk)~newest guest blogger~

Please welcome dakinetalk's newest guest-blogger Mr. Larry Arruda.
 Larry was born and raised in Lihu'e Kauai.Graduated from Wilcox Elementary in 1959

and Kauai High School in 1963. Larry is a Vietnam war veteran. Larry served 30 years in Costa Mesa California  as a highway design administrator. Larry Retired in 2002 and moved back home to Kauai in 2003.

Now is the time for change

Having read Mr. Mickens dakinetalk guest-blog on May 17,2016 titled,"The brink of a new style of government."  I agree with him 100%.

http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-brink-of-new-style-of-government.html

For 30 years I was an integral part of this system at a City in Orange County California and it worked very well.

The responsibility of our manager was to do the job assigned to him by the Council and Mayor. If he didn't do his job, he could be fired unlike the Mayor/Council system we have on Kauai where the Mayor sits for 4 or 8 years no matter what kind of a job he does.

I was born and raised on Kauai, as were my parents. I love this Island and feel that I have the advantage of seeing both systems in operation. 

With a Manager style of government a "real" person is there to take the blame or credit for a task that is given him/her.

If any of the many problems that Mr Mickens points out on Kauai are not addressed, there is no one person held responsible---just back and forth finger pointing between the Council and the Administration. 

Under a Manager style of government the Mayor sits on the Council and along with the other 6 members they decide what problem they want addressed, give it to the Manager and the finger pointing stops--the buck stops at the Manager's desk. 

A County Manager system will undoubtedly provide noticeable improvements in accountability transparency, and continuity, which in turn will result in great improvements in efficiency.  Those are four major characteristics that are absolutely necessary for any government to be successful and to provide the proper representation of the taxpayers. 

Any elected official that cannot understand that does not have the right to represent anyone.  

Adapting to a County Manager system will be a big change for the people of Kauai.  "Change" is always difficult in a relatively small community, especially one where many residents are still hung up on a "plantation mentality".    But NOW is the time for that change.

Please do not denounce this change if you do not know or understand it. Be your own person. Be wise and ask questions of those that know about the system. 

I strongly recommend that we put this measure on the ballot and let the people decide if they want it. If we really want to solve the multitude of problems that face Kauai then what other choice is available?

"NOW IS THE TIME FOR CHANGE"

Larry is very concerned about how Kauai is governed

 and sincerely believes that a County Manager system

 would be extremely beneficial for ALL the people of Kaua'i.  

Hana Hou, (Encore)

  

Why taxes should not be raised in paradise! 'Glenn Mickens' (Kaua'i County Watchdog)

Glenn Mickens has lived on Kauai  with his wife Ruth for the last 26 years. Born July 26, 1930 in Wilmar, California, USA) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in four games (two of which were starts) for the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers. He also played for five years in Japan, from 1959 until 1963 for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. There, he compiled a record of 45–53 with a 2.54 ERA.  Glenn also  served in the Army for 2 years and coached baseball at UCLA for 25 years. 
Last but not least Glenn would really like to see Kaua'i give the county manager style of Government a chance.

Mr. Mickens is locally known
as one of Kauai county's
political watchdogs
and Nitpickers...
Mahalos Glenn!

Thanks for voting down more taxes

At a recent council meeting 3 members voted to pass the excise tax that would just put more of a burden on our already overtaxed citizens. Thankfully 4 members voted  it down so it didn't pass. Let me give you some glaring examples of why our taxes should not be raised in paradise. (Kaua'i)

When taxes that were earmarked for our roads over the years but were going to other sources.

 When millions of dollars were being wasted on our bridges by not using the prefab type used over the Wailua River and other bridges on Kauai. 

When we have factually spent a fortune on materials for our roads that we were not getting with no investigation.

 When our multi-use path is costing us about 15 times more to build ( a road 20 feet wide one mile long about $350 thousand compared to a mile of path for $5.2 million with no oversight.

When our late Auditor, Ernie Pasion did eight outstanding audits that showed a lot of waste that has never been addressed, then why should we punish our already overburdened tax payers by asking them for MORE tax dollars? Find out where the waste is going and taxes will not have to be raised. 

Yes, we should be getting more of our TAT tax from the state that we deserve. But we cannot keep using what we should have to balance our books as an excuse  however  use what we have and know we will have to stay in the black. 

We desperately need a radical change of government operations from the one that is in place to solve our problems. Only going to a Manager style of government can give us that opportunity. 

The current Kauai County council members...

For more information on Kaua'i county and it's current form of government go to;  http://www.kauai.gov/

Editor's note, Dakinetalk guest bloggers do not necessarily represent the opinions of dakinetalk. Guest bloggers are given space to express their beliefs and or opinions. We feel there are many roads and like to give people space to express their thoughts,after-all that's what dakine is...

Aloha, James "Kimo" Rosen---Blogger-n-chief, dakinetalk blog---

P.S.
Check out Glenn's Wikipedia page;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens

With all the stress of the world, don't forget to
watch the sunrise or sunset, it's free! 

Photo, James "Kimo" Rosen

Hana Hou, (Encore) 

"Trumps failing businesses are his strengths..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world)

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer
 and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years.
Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i
with his best friend and spiritual adviser Obama Da Dog!

Kimo's world #128
Editors note, 
This blog appeared as an opinion article in the May 18, 2016 edition of the Garden Island News;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-may/article_bb37fe1e-1cc3-11e6-86c5-ab1ef77d22dd.html

Trumps failing businesses are his strengths

There's nothing wrong with failing in a business.You will learn more failing in a business than you will in earning your business degree at most colleges.

My father along with many used to say, "it would be cheaper to give somebody the upstart money to start a business even if the business fails you will learn more in a failing business than  you ever would in the class room."

This brings to  point the many making fun of Donald Trump having four business that failed and went into bankruptcies, however never mentions the thousands of successes. The American system of taxation and business is set-up to help failing businesses by being able to file bankruptcy--basically a get of a jail free card. Therefore if eligible, why not apply and legally play the game of business?

Understanding your mistakes is the best way of learning. You cannot teach  the wisdom, comprehension and knowledge of someone like Donald J. Trump.  You may not be able to read him, he could be bluffing, he could be serious, this is how a good card player and leader should operate. The enemy should never know your next move.

It's a free country, vote who you want, but remember exercise your right to vote. I will not leave the US if my candidate doesn't win. I love America no matter who becomes president. I will respect that person, Republican, Democrat or maybe even an Independent. Stay tuned to witness one of the most crazy and far out  elections in America history!

God bless America and all candidates running for Potus.

Editors note, 
This blog appeared as an opinion article in the May 18, 2016 edition of the Garden Island News;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-may/article_bb37fe1e-1cc3-11e6-86c5-ab1ef77d22dd.html

More dakinetalk reading on Donald Trump;
1-Trump supporters must come out of the closet! (Kimo's world #118)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/03/trump-supporters-must-come-out-of.html
2-Trump, the election and the Jewish connection...(Kimo's world #119)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/03/trump-election-and-jewish-connection.html
3-Trump-fulling... (Kimo's world #120)
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/03/trump-fulling-james-kimo-rosen-kimos.html
4-A poem about Donald J. Trump...
http://dakinetalk.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-poem-about-donald-j-trump-james-kimo.html

Hana Hou, (Encore)  

"Allergy season is upon us..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York

( A suburb of Buffalo, N.Y.)

 and has worked in the ophthalmology

 field of medicine for over 30 years

Allergy season is upon us.

Judy's office phone!  ;-)

We are in the beginning of the Awakening of Spring life here in Buffalo , grass is growing, flowers blooming and allergies are starting to annoy us. 

Working in the 'eye field' we see many people making appointments for eye issues, among them are the itchy and burning eyes that have started. Many people at first think they have an infection because their eyes are red, itchy and watery. If you have not been sick recently, have been working outside in the yard, and have no other bodily symptoms---chances are you have allergies. 

When eyes start to itch and burn suddenly, it's time to make an appointment to diagnose the problem. Once you know what the diagnosis is, it's easier to treat and monitor your symptoms and know what to avoid if possible. 

There are many topical drops available to use to relieve symptoms, many prescription drops only have to be used once a day to relieve symptoms for several hours. There are some over- the -counter drops to try, but usually the prescription ones are longer lasting and work more efficiently. Always use cool compresses to relieve itching, not warm. 

Taking systemic medications can relieve some body symptoms like itching skin and sneezing but they can also tend to dry out the eyes which can cause another problem such as dry eyes. Be careful what you try until you seek a medical opinion. 

Don't fill up your cart with products that can be expensive and that may not work.

"Judy, Judy, Judy!"

Hana Hou, (Encore)