Homeless & crime here!!!

[Rob Tucker]

Folks, while this is interesting and I could have a lot of comments on economic philosophy myself this is wandering away from Puna/Hawaii. Pleae keep it in a Hawaii context.

Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator

[Bullwinkle]

I think you will find that the rate of property crime out here on the islands are much higher than the mainland and always has been.

The rate of violent crime is much lower than the norm as well.... its kinda of like south america in my opinion - as opposed to lets say the bronx .... the robbers shoot you for spite once they have your wallet... or LA or Washington where one can be executed for crossing a police line or barricade

I received a personalized interview last time on the mainland my "crime" using a electronic cigarette while driving - black unmarked crown vic - with a shotgun rack ..... got to love LA and the concept of personal freedom

I'll take Pahoa any day......

[Aaron]

Puna has 5 towns which include the highest concentration of poor people in Hawaii, which has only served to exacerbate the drug and crime problems on our island and more particularly, Puna. Recently, I've come to the conclusion that Puna also has the highest concentration of lazy (yet young and able bodied) people I've seen than anywhere I've ever been.

Living on the side of creation.

[Guest]

Wow, some great views and opinions by all of you so far. Aaron I agree Puna is poor and has young able bodied people like no other place. I believe you forgot Smart when you described these folks though?. See most here learn to be lazy, OR go Crazy?. Most who move here have good work ethic but don't know anyone, so jobs are taken not careers. The jobs around here pay on the high side about $10 an hour. If they work 40 hours with that good ethic I was referring to, that pockets $1100 a month after taxes. That's about the average rent for a house in PPARK or Leilani. Which means you need a second job of 40 hours, $1100 a month, same ethics, so you can drive a car with gas and ins to work. So what is this good hard working, young, able bodied person suppose to EAT. Groceries and utilities like Helco, require a third full time Longs, burger king, or subway shift. Yet The other side is:
Stay at home with your kids cash your new middle class welfare check, make sure your stamps are on your card on the 5th, have county housing pay most of your rent, and know at least this way you can have some sort of INSURANCE for your family. You see it's the 4th job at 40 hours a week, most either go Crazy or can think about affording Obama care. The cost of just living out here in the sticks of Puna, for a family of 6 or more is in the neighborhood of $45-50,000 now. Only police,county,state,gov jobs offer this type of money or sign up for middle class and get $1200 in stamps, $850 for housing, cash, ins, ect.. stay home with your kids, and don't pay the bottle tax fee, child care, and make sure you eat Steaks. Now of course my numbers may not be accurate and I am certainly not trying to offend anyone by writing so bluntly. I am a firm believer in parents raising their OWN children though, This is becoming increasingly more difficult here or anywhere. So if this May be the case for people who move here? what would it be like for the folks from here?. With a good high-school diploma from Pahoa or Pahala?.( this alone was quite a feat for only about 60% grad). Some things to think about though and only my 2 cents. JMO. I got much more where this came from but maybe this could only bring nausea to most on that 50 year old thread.

[ourdoc]

quote:

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Originally posted by csgray

I always thought it was about the aloha you put out, not the aloha you get.

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Aloha in the Hawaiian language means affection, peace, compassion and mercy. It's more of you get what you give. Don't give aloha, you aren't going to get real aloha. Just like a Christian praying to God asking for forgiveness, then doing the same thing tomorrow, it doesn't work that way. Aloha must come from the heart or it's not aloha, and from the heart it goes to ALL, not just those you choose. If its only from those you choose, then you don't understand what Aloha is all about. As you learned, its all about trust, and trust comes from caring for everything and everyone around you. Often humans only do it when its absolutely necessary to survive. Here it was something the people showed to ALL, not just the ones they liked, which is why Aloha was and is so special.

[kalakoa]

D2K seems to think that "good-paying" jobs actually exist, or that employers will actually hire someone to fill a position.

Out here in the "real world", full-time at $10/hour is as good as it gets -- and even those jobs are nearly impossible to find.

In either case, many of those born here cannot afford to live in the newly "gentrified" Hawaii. Is that their fault too?

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

quote:

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Originally posted by gypsy69

See most here learn to be lazy, OR go Crazy?.
...
a family of 6 or more is in the neighborhood of $45-50,000 now.
...
a good high-school diploma from Pahoa or Pahala?.( this alone was quite a feat for only about 60% grad).
...
this could only bring nausea to most on that 50 year old thread.

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If a person lives in Puna and decides to not graduate high school along with 40% of the rest of his graduating class, then has 4 children, it sounds like they made a lot of lifestyle choices long before they found out it's not easy to find work here.

I don't think any 50 or 60 year old person who remembers the Kennedy assassination, the same people who provide these families with food stamps, Section 8, Quest, and free breakfast and lunch for their kids at school, begrudge offering a helping hand. But there's a difference between a helping hand and a handout.

People of that generation joined the Peace Corps and taught struggling Pacific Islanders to help themselves. They watched black people fight for equal rights and joined in their marches. They said no to an unjust war that dropped napalm and bombs on Vietnam. All of those efforts took time to have an affect. But they knew how to get up every morning and keep trying.

It's not too much to ask struggling families in Puna to go back to school and get a GED. Or find a second job. Or start their own business. A good, fast cleaner can make $15 an hour, a competent yard worker can make $20 an hour, or more.

[kalakoa]

A post-secondary education is useless if those "good paying jobs" don't exist.

There are documented cases of people with college degrees who are forced to accept minimum-wage jobs because there is no available employment in their chosen field.

Because a minimum-wage job doesn't pay more the official "poverty level", it's necessary to also accept public benefits in order to survive.

This is the new economic reality for many.

Don't take my word for it, though -- wait until you experience it first-hand.

[Frank]

quote:

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Originally posted by dragon2k

Good paying jobs do exist for those who chose a college education in the right (STEM) field.

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have you, 2k, any idea of exactly how many science, technology, engineering, or math jobs, requiring a degree, are open for the taking here on the BI? aside from building micro wave ovens though...

[Frank]

so 15 people get jobs...an then what?