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quote:
Originally posted by Rob Tucker
Oh please, This is not an epidemic and these outfits are not scam artists. If they were as scam oriented as you think why pick a poor town in a poor district on a poor island?
Men of Pa`a? Good outfit. Weed & Seed is a county operation.
One thing that has happened is that the IRS changed it's rules. A local non-profit did not need to annually file with the IRS if their annual budgets were less than $25,000. Which describes most Puna 501s. Then the IRS changed the rules to require an annual notice to the IRS. Fine..... only the IRS didn't actually tell anyone or broadcast that news.
So when a year or so went by the 501s that did not annually file got "suspended"... not shut down.
It was an IRS created problem.
But we can all be grateful that the Paperwork Police, in the guise of R.J. & Sativa, are there as volunteer IRS agents.
You expect a tiny non-profit with no budget to be fully knowledgeable and compliant with IRS rules? $hit, the IRS isn't fully knowledgeable and compliant with IRS rules.
Oh, Puhleez. The IRS filing change was known about 3 years ago, it has been on their webpage for at least that long. A business does have due diligence personal responsibility to at least webpage notices once in awhile but maybe you are defending against that. Didn't mention any specific local defunct 501© and was only referring to the ones specifically named and indicated proven. Strange you defend this one since it looks like Kenoi was involved in making the old police station a non-profit rental. You usually go into a rage at this point.
"This island Hawaii on this island Earth"
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*
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Rob's most recent post is spot on. I like his description of RJ/S's role in our community, tho it's a bit mild compared to the reality.
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob Tucker
Oh please, This is not an epidemic and these outfits are not scam artists. If they were as scam oriented as you think why pick a poor town in a poor district on a poor island?
Because there is POOR enforcement and POOR oversight in this "poor" community, so they feel comfortable that they can scam without being noticed.
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None of these groups were scamming anyone. Weed & Seed (a county program) and Men of Pa`a are very valid local operations.
Do you cease to be you the day after your driver's license expires?
If you want to bust a scam on paper work then go after the County of Hawaii for approving subdivision tract maps for 80,000 AG lots that did not meet minimum county subdivision requirements.
That is a scam.
If this county cared about the district at all there would be grant writing assistance for local 501c3s. CoH has grant writers sitting around collecting paychecks and twiddling their thumbs a lot.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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I'm not offering an opinion one way or the other on who may or may not be scamming who or if any 501's are scams, although I suspect at least one was, at least in part. I do offer that the members of poor communities are very frequently the victims of scams.
I believe poorer people are often scam victims due to a general lower lever of education, a higher level of ignorance, need, greed (common in all economic levels) and an increased reluctance to report scamming or fraud incidents to authorities. This also could be related to issues as mentioned by kjlpahoa.
Of course the scammers have to scam many more poor people to accumulate comparable income to what they could gain scamming the more well to do. It is unlikely they could ever accumulate the wealth of a Madoff. However, they can make a comfortable income.
I used to get scam calls several times a year. Enforcement was generally very difficult due to a general lack of documentation on the part of the victims. A failing less likely among potential wealthier victims.
My unverified assumption is that the Police administrators as well as much of the County administration simply don't care what goes on in most of Puna. I don't know how that can be changed. Continually electing nut jobs as the districts representatives won't help.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
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Were talking about a crappy little building, former police substation, being made available for a couple community groups. No one was selling tickets to a pancake breakfast that didn't exist.
R.J. and Sativa act like they were exposing Bernie Madoff.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
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R.J. and Sativa act like they were exposing Bernie Madoff.
Similar to the overhyped "ethics investigation" against Ruderman.
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Please come to the council meeting on Friday July 18th and SUPPORT resolution 452. Council Meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. OR submit testimony via email before noon on July 17th to: Counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us
http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/DocView.aspx?dbid=0&id=815249
http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/WebLink8/...Page1.aspx
RIDES AVAILABLE
Resolution 452-14: Urges the Administration to withdraw Request for Proposal No. 3044 regarding the future of solid waste management for the County and issue a new Request for Proposal to provide for the eligibility of those entities or a combination of entities which seek to maximize the output of compostables and generally maximize the highest value for each component of the waste stream. The details of the current RFP effectively limited proposals to a single-proposer massive waste-to-energy system approach instead of allowing for teams of experts in their field.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS AGENDA ITEM: PLEASE TESTIFY
Testify In Person – the Kona Council Chambers – West Hawai‘i Civic Center.
Via Videoconference – At the Waimea Council Office; the North Kohala Video Conferencing Site in the old Bank of Hawai’i Building in Kapa’au; the Hilo Council Chambers at – 25 Aupuni Street; the Pahoa Neighborhood Facility and the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates Community Center.
To submit Written Testimony – Bring fourteen (14) copies to the meeting. Public testimony (1 copy) may also be submitted before 12:00 noon on the business day prior to the meeting by fax: to (808) 961-8912 or email: Counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us or by mail: County Clerk’s Office at 25 Aupuni Street, Hilo, Hawai’i 96720.
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Sorry this isn't a Puna link, but bloody hell...
http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/
If there's a US or Hawaii version of this website, I'd love to hear about it.
