07-09-2008, 08:53 AM
Aloha Everyone,
Thank you for your posts. I deeply appreciate your questions, concerns, and input.
To Damon: Property crimes are an unfortunate, frustrating, and dangerous aspect of lives here in Puna. Although it is true that our police force is greatly understaffed, it is our obligation as citizens to look after our communities well-being and safety. So while I do support the strengthening of Puna’s law enforcement, I also strongly believe in personal responsibility and initiative as a means of crime prevention. My family and I have actively participated in Leilani’s Neighborhood Watch for years until very recently (we had to take a break to care for my brother, who was just diagnosed with cancer.) Programs such as these employ the skills and resources of community members while deterring crime and increasing self-reliance.
With greater community unity, involvement and collaboration, we can take back our district and eliminate criminal acts throughout Puna.
To Dr. Weatherford and Critterlover: I understand where both of you are coming from on the issue of Highway 130. There have been many calls for Highway-widening; this is a ‘solution’ that I am highly skeptical of. It seems unreasonable to assume that even with a four-lane route, Highway 130 will be able to sustain Puna’s unprecedented population growth for more than a decade or two. It won’t be long before two lanes become four, and four lanes become six. The question is: How many of our resources are we willing to give up to meet our traffic demands? That’s not to mention the air, sea, and land pollution that also goes hand-in-hand with large freeways.
The right and intelligent course of action is to get people out of their cars and into a quick, safe, and inexpensive island-wide transit system. Iceland’s current hydrogen-powered bus system is an incredible model for our island to follow. Our abundance of water resources makes such an operation entirely feasible and inclusively beneficial.
The implementation of renewable-energy powered mass-transportation is my highest priority for the Puna district. I know that this is no simple task; it will take several years, millions of dollars, and unwavering commitment to establish this system. Yet these efforts will be well-worth the many environment, infrastructural, and economic benefits to Puna.
Dr. Weatherford, you are absolutely right about our school system here in Puna. As both a student and part-time teacher, I understand the ailments of public education, and I am committed to revitalizing Puna’s schools. A critical step that must be made this legislative session is the restructuring of the DOE to allow equal funding for all students in both traditional and charter schools.
Although I am running as a democrat, I appreciate the traditional Republican values of small government, low taxes, and self-determination. This relates to your final concern about the use and abuse of the Puna coastline. We pay thousands of dollars in taxes each year to care for these treasured resources; and we all know how that works out. Good luck finding a clean stall to change in at Pohiki!
I can’t say that as a State Representative, I will clean our beaches, because I don’t believe that such action is the role of the State. What I can promise is the
Legislative support needed to allow our communities help themselves.
The Puna coastline is our property, and it is our duty to protect them. We must be willing to take innovative steps to care for these areas. One such step is to establish public-private beach maintenance contracts. We must make it possible for local family earn these daily or weekly cleaning contracts. Not only does this provide new jobs for our residents; it also creates a sense of community ownership of our resources. Beachgoers will begin to personally look after the property because “Aunty cleans this place,” or “Uncle works here.”
I will provide the critical support for these community initiatives and partnerships in the Legislature. The rest is up to us as a whole.
Mahalo and take care,
Anthony Marzi
Candidate, State House District 4
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com/blog
http://www.myspace.com/tonymarzi
Thank you for your posts. I deeply appreciate your questions, concerns, and input.
To Damon: Property crimes are an unfortunate, frustrating, and dangerous aspect of lives here in Puna. Although it is true that our police force is greatly understaffed, it is our obligation as citizens to look after our communities well-being and safety. So while I do support the strengthening of Puna’s law enforcement, I also strongly believe in personal responsibility and initiative as a means of crime prevention. My family and I have actively participated in Leilani’s Neighborhood Watch for years until very recently (we had to take a break to care for my brother, who was just diagnosed with cancer.) Programs such as these employ the skills and resources of community members while deterring crime and increasing self-reliance.
With greater community unity, involvement and collaboration, we can take back our district and eliminate criminal acts throughout Puna.
To Dr. Weatherford and Critterlover: I understand where both of you are coming from on the issue of Highway 130. There have been many calls for Highway-widening; this is a ‘solution’ that I am highly skeptical of. It seems unreasonable to assume that even with a four-lane route, Highway 130 will be able to sustain Puna’s unprecedented population growth for more than a decade or two. It won’t be long before two lanes become four, and four lanes become six. The question is: How many of our resources are we willing to give up to meet our traffic demands? That’s not to mention the air, sea, and land pollution that also goes hand-in-hand with large freeways.
The right and intelligent course of action is to get people out of their cars and into a quick, safe, and inexpensive island-wide transit system. Iceland’s current hydrogen-powered bus system is an incredible model for our island to follow. Our abundance of water resources makes such an operation entirely feasible and inclusively beneficial.
The implementation of renewable-energy powered mass-transportation is my highest priority for the Puna district. I know that this is no simple task; it will take several years, millions of dollars, and unwavering commitment to establish this system. Yet these efforts will be well-worth the many environment, infrastructural, and economic benefits to Puna.
Dr. Weatherford, you are absolutely right about our school system here in Puna. As both a student and part-time teacher, I understand the ailments of public education, and I am committed to revitalizing Puna’s schools. A critical step that must be made this legislative session is the restructuring of the DOE to allow equal funding for all students in both traditional and charter schools.
Although I am running as a democrat, I appreciate the traditional Republican values of small government, low taxes, and self-determination. This relates to your final concern about the use and abuse of the Puna coastline. We pay thousands of dollars in taxes each year to care for these treasured resources; and we all know how that works out. Good luck finding a clean stall to change in at Pohiki!
I can’t say that as a State Representative, I will clean our beaches, because I don’t believe that such action is the role of the State. What I can promise is the
Legislative support needed to allow our communities help themselves.
The Puna coastline is our property, and it is our duty to protect them. We must be willing to take innovative steps to care for these areas. One such step is to establish public-private beach maintenance contracts. We must make it possible for local family earn these daily or weekly cleaning contracts. Not only does this provide new jobs for our residents; it also creates a sense of community ownership of our resources. Beachgoers will begin to personally look after the property because “Aunty cleans this place,” or “Uncle works here.”
I will provide the critical support for these community initiatives and partnerships in the Legislature. The rest is up to us as a whole.
Mahalo and take care,
Anthony Marzi
Candidate, State House District 4
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com/blog
http://www.myspace.com/tonymarzi
Mahalo and take care,
Anthony Marzi
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com/blog
http://www.myspace.com/tonymarzi
Anthony Marzi
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com
http://www.AnthonyMarzi.com/blog
http://www.myspace.com/tonymarzi