Keith Rollman, an appointee of Mufi Hannemann’s city administration, recently criticized Don Newman’s oped, “Dirty, Dirty Waikiki” in a counter piece he wrote entitled, “Dirty Waikiki? All In The Eye Of The Beholder”
Waikiki isn’t the only area of Oahu being neglected by the Hannemann administration.
I challenge him to visit Makiki. He should pick virtually any street, take his camera, and photograph the piles of bedding, couches, toilets, electronic gear, boxes, and other bulk junk left by people remodeling or moving from the area.
I personally received a promise from Mayor Hannemann, last year, on the KHVH Mike Buck Radio Show that he would “look” at more “bulk” trash pick up days for the Makiki area.
That proved to be lip service and more bovine feces from the Mayor.
Yes, Waikiki, our tourist hub, should be clean. But so should Makiki, where there are residents who pay high property taxes in a town bigger than Hilo.
The City gets a damn good deal from the propety taxes from all those condos in Makiki. The condos, however, have private contractors pick up the trash not the City. The City gets the income but does not provide the service and the condo owner gets whacked twice.
Some of us are working, all be it slowly, to try and organize residents to block vote. Even as few as 500 to 1,000 block votes could sway some elections. That way, we would get more than lip service.
”’Jim Quimby can be reached via email at mailto:jquimby@steadfast-hawaii.org”’