Question: Is there a way to get my state tax refund back sooner than later? Whom do I need to contact? When is the state expecting to refund taxpayers?

Answer: You’ll have to wait until July.

In May Gov. Linda Lingle announced that the Department of Taxation would be sending out refunds to tax filers who had their returns processed in January and February.

She said those refunds could be issued earlier than the announced delayed refund date of July because tax revenue collections had proven better than expected.

About $124 million has been refunded to 206,000 taxpayers, Tax Director Stanley Shiraki told Kokua Line.

However, the remaining 260,000 taxpayers — due a total of $170 million in refunds — will have to wait until July to begin receiving them, he said.

When Lingle announced the May refunds, she said tax officials would continue to assess the state’s cash flow to determine whether additional refunds could be processed before the July 20 deadline.

July 20 is the end of the legally allowed 90-day refund period.

Shiraki said his department will begin processing refunds again on July 1, with that process expected to take about two weeks.

Officials are asking taxpayers not to call the department about the status of refunds, saying it would only further delay the process.

Question: Can you assist in getting this situation resolved? For three months, water has been shooting out from broken automatic sprinkler heads on the median of Ala Oli Street in Foster Village. The water board has been notified several times, as well as the city Office of Information and Complaints. At 5 a.m. recently, several cars and pickup trucks were seen stopping under the spray of water to wash the dust off their vehicles!

Answer: According to Board of Water Supply records, the first complaint about this situation was received Friday, April 23.

The state Department of Transportation was immediately contacted to find out if it was responsible for that area, said Board of Water Supply spokeswoman Tracy Burgo.

On April 26 the water agency was informed that the city Department of Facility Maintenance is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the property.

Burgo said an e-mail was sent to the department, describing the problem, and the response was that it would turn off the sprinklers and look into the complaint.

No further complaints were received until Kokua Line contacted the agency on June 9, Burgo said. At that point, Facility Maintenance again was contacted.

The department responded that it had fixed the sprinklers on April 30 but that it would again check the area and repair any broken sprinklers.

Auwe

To the man driving a blue Saturn toward Diamond Head on Merchant Street at 10:05 a.m. on Thursday, June 17. I was in the crosswalk near the Downtown Post Office and stopped when I saw your car move around the car that had stopped for me. I would have proceeded but heard you gun your engine to pass the vehicle. You not only endangered my life, but you continued your quest to find a parking stall without slowing down. You are a very selfish, self-centered individual who may someday either hurt, maim or kill a person. Shame on you. We all need to learn to "Live Aloha." — Concerned Citizen

Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or e-mail kokualine@staradvertiser.com.