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Letters to the Editor

Letter: Protect our keiki, save Head Start

Head Start isn’t just preschool, it’s a lifeline. For nearly 60 years, Head Start and Early Head Start have empowered local families living at or below the poverty line with no-cost preschool and child care, nutritious meals, developmental support, and a safe, nurturing space for our keiki to grow and thrive. In Maui County alone, more than 300 children and families rely on programs from Maui Economic Opportunity and Maui Family Support Services — programs that have been rooted in our community since 1965 and 1998, respectively. These programs are especially critical now as ...

Letter: Filipino teachers harassed guilty until proven innocent

I teach at Kahului Elementary, where several Filipino nationals are also teaching legally. I am disturbed that ICE agents, hiding their faces, didn’t show a warrant to our teachers before entering their residence. One teacher was just in a towel and wasn’t allowed to put clothes on. Ripping women out of a home and pointing guns at their head when the agents said they were looking for a male suspect doesn’t add up. The fundamental principal of our legal system is innocent until proven guilty, but ICE is turning it into guilty until proven innocent. Thankfully, the ...

Letter: Once again while driving along South Kihei Road

It was impossible to miss watching the Island Landscapers using their blowers to blow landscape remnants into the sewer openings along the curb of the road; with obvious acceptance based on years of similar activity. I took a moment and drove the roads in the immediate environs. And saw the same thing going on at Kilohana and others. Walking the beaches and seeing basically the same landscape remnants, I totally understand from where they come. This practice has been common for years and I am sure it has been reported. Thinking back how many times have any of us really seen the ...

Letter: Time for political balance for life and opportunity

While political loyalty may have once been rooted in good intentions, the effects of prolonged political dominance are becoming painfully clear. It’s time for change. Not just symbolic change, but real political diversity that invites debate, fosters accountability, and leads to better outcomes for everyday residents. Our quality of life on Maui is suffering. The cost of living continues to rise, affordable housing remains out of reach for too many working families, and critical infrastructure, especially roads, water systems and emergency preparedness, is falling behind. But beyond ...

Letter: Non-resident property tax increase wrong and unfair

This is regarding an article in The Maui News about Tax Relief for Maui Homeowners. In that article, Pamela Tumpap, president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce, recommended raising the taxes of non-owner-occupied residents a whopping 41 percent while supporting a move to lower resident taxes. In other words, she is recommending that non-owner-occupied get to subsidize the Maui residents tax bill. Since Ms. Tumpap is a resident and most members of the Chamber of Commerce are also residents, she and they benefit from this self-serving recommendation. I think this is a clear ...

Letter: Emergency road access vital for West Maui

All the needs following the Lahaina fire have come and gone, and still nothing has been done to prevent the same disaster from happening again. There are no escape routes suitable for evacuation. There are no routes suitable for emergency vehicles. They cannot use the same two-lane road at the same time. Improving the road around North Maui would be a good start. After the fire, I am sure there may have been federal funding available for improving access/regress to and from West Maui. Just like fire safety laws require more than one fire exit from any building, there should be ...