Urban revamp along canal will be positive

While I agree with Ted Green concerning “maintenance lacking for many existing properties,” I am confused by his opposition to the planned improvements to Kapalama Canal (“Don’t waste money on canal,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 15).

Urban infrastructure improvements of the type proposed along the canal, by their very nature trigger private investment, increased property values and increases in the property and sales tax base. As a ripple effect, these urban amenities create desirable urban spaces, which in turn incubate new small business and facilitate entrepreneurship, development of affordable housing, community health and entertainment amenities, and a renewed sense of neighborhood engagement.

Just look at Kakaako. Community-sanctioned infrastructure and amenity improvements are investments in our future and when smartly done, pay back their initial costs exponentially through private investment and improved quality of life and opportunity for those in the community and throughout the greater region.

Jeff Merz

Waikiki

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HSTA’s property tax idea will be harmful

The Hawaii State Teachers Association has sponsored a bill that proposes a property tax on second homes that is expected to raise $500 million per year to increase teachers’ salaries and lower class size (“HSTA pitches property tax, hotel surcharge to hire, retain teachers,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Jan. 24).

The yearly property taxes on a Waikoloa condo we rent out would increase from the current $9,000 to $15,500 — more than 72 percent.

A similar impact will be felt by thousands of people who have rentals in Hawaii. Many of the people who own second homes in Hawaii live on the mainland or Canada, so the Legislature has targeted this group, as many are not voters. Of course, the teachers support it — they will see an increase in salaries with no rise in their taxes.

It’s foolish to believe that a tax of this magnitude will not adversely impact Hawaii’s economy. Tourism is the lifeblood of Hawaii’s economy. We should not bite the hand that feeds us. We all want to see a strong education system in our state but let’s find a way to pay for it that is equitable.

David Kwiat

Kailua-Kona

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Education inequality must be addressed

The consequences of our collective failure to address Hawaii’s teacher shortage crisis are borne by our children, especially those who already struggle to find equal opportunity.

A recent study by University of Hawaii at Manoa Professor Jonathan Okamura, titled “Unequal Opportunity,” explains how chronic inadequate funding of the public schools especially disadvantages our “majority clientele of minority students,” by which he means our Native Hawaiian, Filipino and Pacific Islander students.

The tens of thousands of students who are not being provided with an education because they lack a qualified teacher in their classroom, or who suffer from highly unstable learning environments with high faculty turnover every year, consist primarily of Native Hawaiian, Filipino and Pacific Islander students who are living in or close to poverty in Hawaii.

Public education is supposed to play a key role in the opportunity for social mobility. We must address the inequality of educational opportunity in Hawaii.

Amy Perruso

Diamond Head

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Taxpayers footed bill on teachers’ lobbying

I’m wondering whether the Hawaii State Teachers Association will report its 6,000 paid lobbyists (teachers) at the state Capitol on Teacher Institute Day as an “in-kind” expense (“Thousands of teachers protest over education funding,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 14).

It can’t be a salary expense as the HSTA didn’t pay the lobbyists; the taxpayers’ Department of Education did, under contract with the HSTA. I estimate the cost to taxpayers at about $1.9 million, given an average salary of $45,000 per year and 180 working days.

Looking up the history of Teacher Institute Day: Joan Husted described Teacher Institute Day as a day of professional development, with speakers and workshops. In the early days, it was used to inform teachers about “what was happening in negotiations, lobbying, political action and grievance processing.”

Has it now become “rent-a-crowd” for actual political action on the taxpayers’ dime?

Boyd Ready

Haleiwa

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Airline’s smaller fleet helps on-time record

The fact that Hawaiian Airlines was the most punctual for the 13th year in a row shouldn’t surprise anyone (“Hawaiian Airlines tops U.S. carriers in punctuality for 13th straight year,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Feb. 14).

Compare fleet sizes and markets served with the carriers that came in second and third on the “punctual” list. Alaska Airlines, which came in second, operates 155 aircraft and serves 118 destinations. Delta Airlines came in third; it operates 848 aircraft to about 320 destinations.

Hawaiian has a fleet of only 50 aircraft that serve about 30 destinations.

Looking at these numbers and the scopes of operation, one would expect Hawaiian to be first. There’s no doubt that Hawaiian’s employees put in a lot of hard work. But so does Alaska’s employees, and especially Delta’s.

Moses K. Akana

Aiea

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Mililani Tech Park onramp needs fixing

Recently I witnessed a three-vehicle collision at the problematic Mililani Tech Park southbound onramp.

The Honolulu Police Department and state Department of Transportation should conduct an internal review of the total number of incidents at this particular merge.

Restriping will solve this hazardous condition.

Byron “Jiro” Kaneshiro

Wahiawa