The Maui County Council recently determined that voters are not bright enough to choose for ourselves whether or not to change the structure of our county government.

Our system has representatives who make policy for the public good. The role of the council is to listen to different perspectives then put these issues on the ballot for the voters to decide. It must also be true for other important questions, such as whether the citizens want a modern structure, or whether we prefer a district form of government or keep the current undemocratic at large system. This is not a dictatorship! In the August and November elections, voters will decide our representatives.

In 2014, a majority chose to protect the health and safety of our community with an insightful halt to the ongoing poisoning of our air and water by the spraying of toxic, restrictive-use pesticides on the land and in the air, which then drifts downwind to poison water and people. Yet in the wisdom of our council and administration, they took us to court, using our own tax dollars! How strange.

The county councils of Hawaii County and Kauai voted to protect their citizens. Our elected officials did the opposite! Remember this in August and November.

We must have a council which truly cares about democracy and the residents of Maui County by lowering the threshold to place citizen initiatives on the ballot, then granting the voters the right and respect to decide on these important matters.

Nikhilananda

Huelo