Mayor and Council appear to come to the aid ...

[Rob Tucker]

I have certainly put myself in a position to eat crow in the event Fred meets some people's worst fears. I prefer to assume the best and the questions are legitimate. I would have loved to see both Emily and Fred on the Hot Seat and had certainly hoped to see them both at the Eagles forum at least. Did not happen to my regret. But on this day before the election my assessment of Fred remains the same. I prefer the glass half full over the glass nearly empty.

In Emily's second term I was hopeful that she had learned enough from her first term to be more effective but in my opinion that did not happen.

I am also interested, beyond District 5, in how the council make up as a whole will serve the island. As indicated by the Trib Emily is not inclined to deal with the budget except to do as Cousin Billy says. Enriques is the same. Fred has potential, unproven of course, to provide a veto override if circumstances call for it. I do not see him beholden to the old council majority or the incoming council majority which offers him independence that can be valuable for Puna and the island.

It will be of good purpose for the Mayor to have a council that examines budgets with a critical eye. The easy pickings have been picked, taxes raised and we still have a very weak economy. Time for some heavy lifting.

So while Fred is an unknown in some ways, Emily is a known. I say give Fred a chance - there is more evidence in favor than against.

[John S. Rabi]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rob Tucker
I have certainly put myself in a position to eat crow in the event Fred meets some people's worst fears.

---

You are safe Rob, he can only be better than the panhandler! [][][]

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,PB,ABR,CRB,CM,FHS
888.819.9669
johnrabi@johnrabi.com
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
(This is what I think of the Kona Board of Realtors http://KonaBoardOfRealtors.info)

[critterlover]

@Rob: I would have loved to see both Emily and Fred on the Hot Seat and had certainly hoped to see them both at the Eagles forum at least.

ME:I agree completely! I did not go to the Eagles Forum but both participating in 'hot seat' would have been great. Hot off the press: JerryCarr's account of yesterday's meeting at HPP. I was unaware it would be open to the public. I would have made time to go. But, as it turns out, Jerry's account reflects what I think we all understand about Ms. Naeole. I don't think there is necessarily 'smoother' presentation as much as practiced. I think Mr. Blas is equally articulate about those things he has practice saying though I would agree it appears he does prefer 'one on one' to group settings. Who doesn't?

In any case, I think there is a shared sense of crow that will be eaten. I have prepared a tasty sauce for mine should I be wrong and Mr. Blas becomes the 'answer' to District 5. I would request that it not be crow but some equally despised vegetable instead. I happened to love crows...I sit in Main Street at Disneyland and pretend I am in the movie 'The Birds' when they all flock to the square there at Main Street!

Rob, I know you have taken on the surrogate candidacy in the virtual world and I think all of us understand why. I believe it is based on a strong sense of wanting the best for District 5, of course dependent on how one interprets the best. I am no paragon of virtue and that is the reason I would not seek a public office. I know the courage it takes to step up and be exposed to public scrutiny. Believe me, I KNOW!!!! Where Fred is concerned, as I wrote on my own blog, if he was a little more practical in stating he is a successful business man thus and so...moderating it to a statement more like "As a businessman I have had my failures and my successes" then this Firestone Tire Stone record would be merely confirmation of that statement instead of contradiction.

It is my considered opinion anyone running for public office should get out ahead of any skeletons which may rattle and move on. People are forgiving and understand mistakes. When the issue of Ms. Naeole's husband's allegations first emerged and before they became public domain, I strongly suggested she get out ahead of it. When it hit the papers, I strong suggested she keep her mouth shut and follow her attorney's advice. In the first case, to Ms. Naeole personally, in the latter case, to her aides. Sometimes sitting on something one knows to be explosive only adds to the damage control later.

Thankfully, tomorrow, this part is done and over with. Nov 3rd, gearing up for 2012 begins.

Toni, who is a 'critter lover'
www.write-matters.com

[PauHana]

I have read this entire thread and have these Questions I would like FRED BLAS to answer if he ever would attend a public forum reguarding his career as a SUCCESSFUL businessman:

What happened to the unrecovered equipment you were being sued for after your bankruptcy?

What were the total liabilities discharged by the bankruptcy.

After the bankruptcy , why was your home in Hawaiian Beaches apparently purchased in your wifes maiden name ?

Finally a question for Rob.

You were an enthusiastic cheerleader for Fred two years ago, has he lived up to your expectations?

[gramps]

Taken from the Tribune re: HPP could face fines over dust "Hawaii County Councilman Fred Blas, who attended the meeting, said he thinks the neighborhood doesn’t have another option.

“There is a solution if they have a plan down there,” he said.
Not much from Fred...

[Rob Tucker]

In answer to PauHana...

Fred has not exceeded my expectations by any measure. Thousands of council people across the country do quite well by filling pot holes, adding cross walks and building bus shelters. Fred is of that ilk. He's not much of a speaker and knows that. I personally wish he was more accessible. I could wish for more. I do consider him an improvement over the last council representative.

I voted for James in the last primary. He ran a great campaign in 2010. I had doubts about a PhD with a Kentucky accent winning and that proved true. I was immediately disappoint at the lack of grace he showed in defeat... proved to be about as thin skinned as Billy Kenoi.

My primary objection to James Weatherford has been his work to delay or prevent the release the $1.5 million in EIS funding for PMAR. James worked on the PCDP as did I and I accepted the community decisions. James seems to feel that the PCDP (Puna Community Development Plan) is a cafeteria affair. He has that in common with Bill Walter of Shipman Ltd. I support community decisions even when I don't fully agree with them.

PMAR has been in discussion for over twenty years. It is commonly known that a major transportation alternative is needed. Not for today. Today is here. The growth of Puna is set for a population of over 200,000 someday. Too many empty lots combined with the rate of growth makes it hard to ignore. This is life and death stuff. So I was absolutely appalled when James, muttering rather loudly "we've been screwed again!" as he left the AC meeting on ratifying the EIS funding moved on, with Bill Walter of Shipman LTD, to lobby against the funding.

I know him to be very alarmed that his neighborhood might be impacted by a future (15-20 years?) PMAR route. He is entitled to that. We will both likely be dead, gone or senile. But there is a point when, if you want to represent this district, that you have to accept the results of the Puna Community Development Plan. The whole idea of it was to have the community decide these things and not any individual. Respect the work of 1,200 people on this. It is the most community involvement we have ever been allowed.

So While James has his abilities and attributes, which are definitely different from Fred's, his attitude that he is wiser than the input of the whole community alarms me. Failure to move forward intelligently with PMAR, and it will take the EIS funding to do so, is foolish and dangerous. As population builds inadequate roads will lead to accidents and injury and deaths. I hold life and limb in higher regard than a small amount of acreage in the 2nd largest subdivision in the United States. He will rationalize in circles on it. It is called "motivated reasoning" where all data is steered toward a preconceived position.

So to sum up, I see Fred as being a perhaps average council person- I see James as already doing things that could be very damaging to Puna. A estimated $200 million infrastructure improvement will be the single largest event in Puna's history. Lives are and will be at stake. Once the eight year run of Hwy. 130 improvement starts I think many people will wake up. Many want everything to remain the same. That is not possible.

I see James as wanting to keep Puna barefoot and pregnant. PMAR will definitely improve the development of Village Centers. If you want someone to fully represent a small segment of HPP then James is your man. The whole district? I am worried.

[PauHana]

Thank you Rob for your thoughtful, honest answer to question # 4 especially since they seem to be hard to come by elsewhere.

In Garrison Keillor’s Wobegon Puna, the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the Councilmen are below average.

Now I would like answers to 1 - 3 from our employee, just simple honest answers.

As Nixon found out, people hate the cover-up more than the crime.

This sure smells fishy. Fred plays Pahoa's Matt Dillon, the big crime fighter, but
hiding assets in a bankruptcy is simply theft, even Jesus couldn't stand hypocrites.

[Rob Tucker]

I teetered on the edge of bankruptcy once. I hand a small manufacturing company with about twenty employees. Business was good enough that I needed to expand. Late 70s. Interest rates hit 21% Nearly killed me. Laying off people you work with every day is very hard. I paid my notes eventually. In the end I was alone sweeping the factory floor myself as I closed it all down.

[csgray]

Okay, Rob is asked a question about Fred Blas and we get 6 paragraphs about someone else and two about Fred.

Carol

[Rob Tucker]

It would appear that I have more to say about James than I do Fred. I actually have more experience with James than Fred. Perhaps that will change someday.