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Kokua Line
Question: My car registration expired Dec. 31 so I paid $93.30 and got a new registration for 2000. But my car broke down the last week of 1999 and I found out it wasn't worth paying to fix it. I called the city to get a refund, but they said they have a policy against that. I don't see anything on the back of my registration form about a policy not to give refunds. What is the policy? No refunds on
vehicle registrationsAnswer: A law was passed several years ago doing away with refunds on motor vehicle registration payments because it cost too much to process the paperwork in relation to the amount of refund given, said Dennis Kamimura, the city motor vehicle and licensing administrator.
The only exception is for an "erroneous payment," he said, in which you registered a vehicle you no longer owned. But if you junked a vehicle or put it in storage, "we don't give refunds for that."
However, if you had sold your car before Dec. 31 and had the document to prove it, then you would have been given a refund. That's because you would not have owned the car at the beginning of the new registration period, Kamimura said.
In the past, there was no minimum set for the amount of a refund. Sometimes, refunds amounted to only $2 or $3, compared to about $25 to process the paperwork, Kamimura said.
Even under the old law, refunds were given only for the state and county weight taxes. They did not include registration fees, such as a $20 fee to the city; $20 to the state; and a $2 highway beautification fee.
Q: On School Street, near Houghtailing, there is a tow-away zone from 3:30-5:30 p.m. during the week. But there are always cars parked on the Diamond Head/makai side of School, just past the intersection. So, heading diamondhead, you have to merge into the left lane to avoid the illegally parked cars. On top of that, there are always vehicles facing mauka that are trying to make a right turn from Houghtailing onto School on a red light. It is total confusion. I am surprised there hasn't been a terrific collision at that corner. Why post a tow-away zone sign if no one enforces it?
A: Police are well aware of the problem and make frequent checks, said Honolulu police Capt. Kevin Shigemitsu.
Officers have cited vehicles and had them towed away, he said.
If you see a violation, call 911.
Auwe
To a rude security guard at the Blaisdell Arena during the N'Sync concert on Dec. 30. We were standing in line to use the restrooms when he shouted, "OK, everybody out now. We're closing the arena. There's restrooms outside. Hurry up." If he wanted us out at a certain time he should have told us before we formed a line, not after. Or, the arena should have posted signs. After all this, a nice man came up and said we could use the restrooms there. Auwe to that guard and the way he treated the line of pre-teen and teen-age girls so terribly, many of whom probably were attending their very first concert. We hope the management at the arena will speak to their security guards about being professional. -- N'Sync fans(We passed your complaint onto Alvin Au, director of the city Department of Enterprise Services, who said he looked into your complaint.
"We have since reminded all guard services hired by the promoter to show good professional judgment when using our facilities," he said.)
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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