10-14-2007, 01:11 PM
At this point it isn't whether folks are for or against the inter-island ferry, it is whether or not our elected officials can change the laws to benefit one company. I'm rather horrified by the idea of a special legislative session just for one company.
I suppose the legislature sees this as an addition to our transportation system, so they may view it as a benefit to the tax payers. An inter-island ferry has been tried before and they managed to get into business without all kinds of huhu. It wasn't protesters or EIS requirements which ended the last several ferry tries, they got eaten by the ocean. Maybe this one (if it actually ever starts going) won't be eaten by the ocean, but personally, I'm betting on the ocean.
I'm not sure if the ferry is going to hurt or help our islands and I'd really rather prefer they do the studies BEFORE running the thing back and forth. Two trips, two hundred cars each time. Where are they going to go what will they be doing? Camping in our parks? Two ferry loads will fill up the parks. On the one trip that manged to get to Maui, there were folks filling up their truck with lava rocks to take back to Oahu. Will our forests be stripped of hapuu? ATVs ripping all over folks' pastures? Can you imagine Memorial Day if all the Harley riders can get here with their bikes really easily? What effects will the ferry have? Does anyone know? I think the uncertainty of what to expect may be part of what's fueling many folks' dislike of the idea.
Either way, they still shouldn't make special laws to benefit one company.
I suppose the legislature sees this as an addition to our transportation system, so they may view it as a benefit to the tax payers. An inter-island ferry has been tried before and they managed to get into business without all kinds of huhu. It wasn't protesters or EIS requirements which ended the last several ferry tries, they got eaten by the ocean. Maybe this one (if it actually ever starts going) won't be eaten by the ocean, but personally, I'm betting on the ocean.
I'm not sure if the ferry is going to hurt or help our islands and I'd really rather prefer they do the studies BEFORE running the thing back and forth. Two trips, two hundred cars each time. Where are they going to go what will they be doing? Camping in our parks? Two ferry loads will fill up the parks. On the one trip that manged to get to Maui, there were folks filling up their truck with lava rocks to take back to Oahu. Will our forests be stripped of hapuu? ATVs ripping all over folks' pastures? Can you imagine Memorial Day if all the Harley riders can get here with their bikes really easily? What effects will the ferry have? Does anyone know? I think the uncertainty of what to expect may be part of what's fueling many folks' dislike of the idea.
Either way, they still shouldn't make special laws to benefit one company.
Kurt Wilson