State bank would be less political

How can you tell if a government project was created for special interests?

When you exclude the related costs for maintaining ongoing services that benefit the whole community in the calculation.

For example, when TheBus and TheHandi-Van costs are excluded from total expenditures, and when the cost to set aside agricultural land preserves is not included in each new Kakaako high-rise building permit.

A state bank could become a useful fiduciary for the funds designated for public transportation and for banking agricultural land, and could be used to balance out the special interests’ narrower perspectives.

Robert Tellander
Waikiki

Few seats on rail will kill ridership

I completely agree with David Henna ("Too old to stand while riding rail," Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 6).

I strongly suggest that chief engineer Jugen Sumann and the rest of the rail authority install as many seats as can possibly fit in the train cars.

I ride TheBus every day, and I love Disney’s Monorail, but being a "strap hanger" on a New York-style commuter train is absolutely incompatible with my concept of "paradise, Hawaiian-style."

Bottom line: If I can’t sit, I’ll never ride rail.

Gary F. Anderson
Waimanalo

Some people care about old cemetery

Marsha Rose Joyner’s commentary on the condition of the King Street Catholic Cemetery was spot on ("Condition of Honolulu Catholic Cemetery is a sad disgrace," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, March 7).

The site is definitely a cause for concern, and the diocese needs to step up its maintenance efforts in this regard.

However, this is not to say that there is nobody in the community interested in preserving this historic graveyard.

Just a few weeks ago, I supervised a small group of volunteers from Punahou School in repairing a number of broken tombstones. The students were highly motivated and worked with the utmost care during the two-hour project. This group was led by senior Osamu Fukuyama, who did a fabulous job of gathering and organizing the students.

Everyone, including the adult chaperones, should be applauded for their efforts.

Nanette Napoleon
Hawaii graveyard historian

Bus drivers on Oahu are fantastic

We have been in Waikiki for a total of three months in the past two years and before we leave, we have to make a statement about your wonderful bus drivers.

Without a doubt, they are the best we have encountered in our world travels. They are so warm and friendly to all riders, so patient with the endless tourist queries, and so compassionate with the handicapped passengers. For us seniors, TheBus has added so much to the pleasure of this trip.

Typical of your drivers is the friendliness shown to the regular passengers going to medical appointments. We have seen several elderly passengers treated like family members by the drivers. In discussions with other tourists, we also hear accolades.

So, bus drivers, mahalo!

The senior bus passes are also very appreciated!

Marlene and Tom Bell
Vancouver, B.C.

People don’t come to Hawaii to gamble

I like casinos, but not where I live.

On the mainland, I have not seen communities improved by a smoke-filled casino with the certain percentage of people sitting by a machine day after day in a trance, draining their budget and causing the need for state-supported addiction treatment.

The words casino and paradise do not belong in the same sentence. Hawaii needs to continue being a happy peaceful place, with beautiful colors, beautiful music and healthy intermingling of people from many cultures.

One tourist, noting the upscale stores in Waikiki, said, "I didn’t come here to buy a purse."

I think a casino would draw the comment, "I didn’t come here to gamble."

Doris Markland
Waikiki

Relieve traffic by shifting UH hours

Fix traffic tomorrow without spending a dime.

How? Shift University of Hawaii-Manoa operating hours (classes, libraries, on-street parking regulations, etc.) to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We already know it will work. Traffic flows freely when UH is not in session. Lift those people out of rush hour year-round. Problem solved.

Then spend the rail money on sewers, water lines and road repairs to create local jobs instead of exporting tax dollars and jobs to Ansaldo and mainland consultants.

Donna L. Ching
Honolulu

Timing of dismissal was mean-spirited

I cannot understand Jim Donovan’s insensitive rush to terminate Dana Takahara-Dias as coach of the Wahine basketball team immediately after losing the Louisiana Tech game in Las Vegas. Couldn’t the dismissal have been delayed at least a day or so later?

Donovan’s timing in announcing the dismissal can only be viewed as equally mean-spirited as Jim Bolla’s anger at the Wahine players when they didn’t win games.

I don’t question Donovan’s right to terminate; I only question the manner in which he did it.

I will no longer be buying season tickets that support an athletic director like Donovan who appears to have no compassion. I think Takahara-Dias had more class than Donovan, considering how he handled the situation.

Rhoda Hirokawa
Pearl City