Letter to the editor of Maui Weekly: Talking Trash Lots of finger pointing has been going on with regard to the recent upset over shorter landfill hours and reduced trash pickups. Earlier this year, during budget deliberations, Director of the Department of Environmental Management, Kyle Ginoza warned that he would have to cut services if he did not get the budget increase his department was asking for. The council gave him an increase over the prior year’s budget, but it was not as much money as Ginoza wanted. Long story short – he cut critical services to the private sector – the taxpayers - and then both he and the mayor blamed it on the council. Since 2007, the consumer price index has risen at close to 25% per year, while mean wages have not increased in the private sector. Yet, our Maui county budget has continued to rise, along with the salaries of our administration. At this time, government employees nationwide enjoy an estimated 28% higher average wage in comparison to that of the private sector. Our council was simply attempting to curtail an already exorbitant budget which is top heavy, with 49% of the coffers going to administration. It is a common political ploy for a politician or department head to cut services to the public where they will hurt the most, in order to create a public outcry. Often times, the public responds by supporting increased funding and taxes because they fall for the tactic. This is nothing new and is representative of politics as usual. Are we going to be more aware and check out the facts for ourselves, or will we believe the dog and pony show? We need to let our administration know that it is time to be efficient and effective instead of consistently raising the cost of government. Sure, it takes more work to be efficient, but it is necessary behavior, especially now.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 07:44:21 +0000
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