Kokua Line
By June Watanabe
Wednesday, November 25, 1998
Kokua Line
I have received letters recently from something called Property Tax Reduction, a "nongovernmental agency" at 1164 Bishop St., Suite 124-309, phone 888-726-8491. For a fee, it said it would prepare an appeal to the county on our overassessed property value. I called the city, and they told me this may be a scam. Do you have any information? Citizen caution urged
on purported tax aidSeveral people called or wrote asking for information about this company, like you, wisely being suspicious.
In September the state Office of Consumer Protection warned people about the solicitations. The office recently reissued its alert.
"Preliminary investigation showed that the Honolulu address on the solicitation materials is of a mail forwarding service," said OCP executive director Jo Ann Uchida.
"We subpoenaed some records" and are now reviewing them, she said. Because it's difficult to tell what is being offered and the accuracy of any projected savings, "we would recommend that consumers exercise extreme caution."
Uchida advised you to call her office at 586-2630 to get information about its investigation.
Where can we drop off toys for Toys for Tots?
At any Subway restaurant or Longs Drug Stores on Oahu.
Toys for Tots, coordinated by the Fourth Force Reconnaissance Company of the Marine Corps Reserve, seeks new toys in their original wrappings.
The deadline is Dec. 18, to allow time to sort, wrap and distribute the toys, said Marine 1st Sgt. Dorsey Roberts.
Last year, 40,000 toys were donated. "But as the toy total rises, so does the awareness of the community" and thus, the number of requests, Roberts said.
Monetary donations are used to buy toys "for groups of kids who need the toys the most," he said.
While most donated toys are appropriate for children around 8 or 9, there are not many for those under 2 or for teen-agers up to age 17, he said. You might consider filling that gap.
From now until just before Christmas, different groups and organizations will sponsor about 300 different toy drives, Roberts said.
The Salvation Army is providing a warehouse to store the toys.
One drive, on Dec. 12, will allow people to board the USS Missouri to see certain parts of the historic battleship for "the price of a toy," Roberts said.
If you're interested in sponsoring a drive, call the Marine Corps Reserve at 257-1007, extension 227.
I got a call from someone selling tickets to a pro-amateur football game for the benefit of children. He said he represented HPD. Is this legitimate? SHOPO is sponsoring fund-raising sports events on Oahu, the Big Island, Maui and Kauai next April to benefit its Relief Association, which, in turn, benefits SHOPO members and their families, said Jessie Oshiro, executive secretary for the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.
A basketball game featuring football players from the San Francisco 49ers and police officers will be held April 7 on the Big Island; April 9 on Maui, and April 10 on Oahu. A softball game between the 49ers and officers will be held April 11 on Kauai.
The telemarketing firm Cal-West Productions is soliciting donations.
If you have questions, Oshiro said to call William Smith, manager of the Honolulu events office, 524-0707.
Auwe
To people who keep using the phrase "cast in stone," usually saying, "Well, this isn't cast in stone." Excuse me, but isn't it either "etched" in stone or "cast" in concrete? -- Gerry D.
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com
