The people who work at Turtle Bay are shocked, stunned, amazed and scared crazy by the prospect of the State of Hawaii having anything to do with Turtle Bay. The State of Hawaii is dysfunctional. Just look at the pathetic, embarrassing and disgusting condition of the other state assets on the North Shore.

- The Parks are neglected with broken down equipment. They are in a losing fight against homeless homesteading. The bathrooms are the worst in any park in the USA, they are beyond gross, you feel like vomiting just entering them.
- Kam Hwy. between Haleiwa and Kaaawa is the worst state road I ever seen or heard rumors of. It is pathetic, pot hole riddled menace.
- The UH Agricultural Facility is a falling down, steaming heap of junk. I think it has been condemned because having animals live there would be considered cruel and unusual punishment. I do not think any of their housing units over there has collapsed this week, but the gaps in the property lines (for those of us who remember) are from houses that have literally fallen down.
- Sunset Beach Elementary has only enough funding to complete the roof and the walls while the state has to try and figure out where to get the money to finish the building so it can actually be used for the school's administration.
So Governor Lingle, we are expected to believe that somehow you and the State of Hawaii can do something with Turtle Bay that private industry with vast, deep pockets has not been able to do? Everyone I have talked to about your idea, just laughs, is disgusted, shakes their head or thinks quite frankly that you have lost your mind. I have to let you know that I talk to way more people over here than you do who are not Serial Protestors named Denise, Carol, Bob, Karen, Gil and Mark.

But why listen to me? Here are some of the other smart people. They represent some very diverse backgrounds:

Lee Cataluna (radical local liberal) Honolulu Advertiser 1-25-08
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080125/COLUMNISTS02/801250365/1120/COLUMNISTS02
- ...But it's not even clear that's what the Turtle Bay business is about.

Rick Hamada (Right Wing Talk Show Host) Midweek 1-30-08 http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/ace_article/can_lingle_really_save_turtle_bay/
...Does the state of Hawaii have a vested interest in the demise of the Turtle Bay Resort? This is not a flippant observation, rather a possible explanation for an improbable proposal delivered by Gov. Linda Lingle in her recent State of the State address advancing the idea that the state purchase the Turtle Bay Resort.

Ian Lind (60's Radical, Lifelong Liberal) Ilind Blog 1-27-08
http://ilind.net/2008/01/27/sundaythe-limits-of-leadership-by-press-conference-more-from-the-tiser-on-superferry-decision-dems-on-capital-punishment-and-a-black-press-cat-story/
...we had another episode in which an unformed idea is dumped raw and undeveloped onto a public stage as sort of a challenge to others to step up and make it into something. I don’t think this kind of leadership by press conference can be effective

Governor Ben Cayatano (2 Term Governor) Star Bulletin 2-3-08
http://starbulletin.com/2008/02/03/news/story01.html
..."It seems like their approach is mostly public relations-oriented,"The whole thing really is not feasible." ...


Governor George Ariyoshi (2 Term Governor Land Preservationist) Star Bulletin 1-28-08
http://starbulletin.com/2008/01/28/news/story05.html

...In an interview last week, Ariyoshi said that while he does not want to see more hotels built on the North Shore, Lingle does need a plan. "She's talking about buying the resort. Well, if you had all the money in the world, it might by OK, but you have to prioritize," Ariyoshi said...."If she is concerned about keeping areas under state control, why did she want to develop the Kewalo Basin property?" Ariyoshi said. "This is contrary to what she is talking about at Turtle Bay. She talks about one thing but her actions are very contrary." He suggested that Lingle consider how to proceed with more care. "When you take a step like this, you have to really look carefully at it, see how you are going to make it happen. You have got to talk to all of those who are going to be invol