Tokuda’s stance on rail correct

Mahalo to state Sen. Jill Tokuda for her stance on rail funding (“Sen. Tokuda could face ouster over rail project,” Star-Advertiser, April 22).

The burden of the general excise tax falls disproportionately on the poor who can least afford to pay it, but the main beneficiaries of rail are the construction companies, their well-paid workers, and professionals such as engineers, planners and architects.

It would not be unreasonable to fund rail from a fraction of the income tax collected on Oahu, but it is grossly unfair to use the excise tax for that purpose.

Neil Frazer

Kailua

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DOT should build highway bypass

Thank heaven our newspaper actually hit on a subject, the state Department of Transportation, that has a lot of impact on the people of Hawaii (“DOT disregards its duty to public,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, April 23). Now please follow up and push our DOT along.

Further, the airport is not the biggest DOT issue with the people of Hawaii.

It’s traffic.

The absolute first thing DOT should do, while improving the airport, is build an interstate highway tunnel from the H-1 at Hickam/Pearl Harbor entrance under the Pearl Harbor entrance to Ewa and connect to the H-1 somewhere on the Ewa plain.

This relatively short section of highway will burst the traffic bubble that is annoying the entire island.

Why cannot the DOT planners see this? It is simple geography. Plus, the federal government pays a much bigger share for highways than for our silly train. What are we waiting for? Fix the problem.

Tom Matthews

Pacific Heights

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Prepare for crisis with action plan

Thank you for bringing this public health issue to attention (“Isles rank worse for a health crisis than U.S. average,” Star-Advertiser, April 24).

The chart on Hawaii health preparedness revealed only one significant area of decline: “How communities mobilize stakeholders to work together during times of crisis.”

This deficit can be remedied with an action plan for coordination among the stakeholders (hospitals, emergency services, public communications). A meeting of stakeholder representatives developing an agreement on how to proceed during a crisis would pick up this score and put Hawaii where it needs to be.

Gerald Busch, M.D.

Bellaire, Texas

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Sessions needs refresher course

I’d like to say that I’m “amazed” at Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ comments about one judge halting President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, but sadly it seems to reflect that he doesn’t understand or respect the basic checks and balances structure of the United States (“Isle senators fire back at Sessions’ diss on isle judge,” Star-Advertiser, April 21).

He might benefit from going on Youtube and watching Schoolhouse Rock’s “Three Ring Government” for a refresher.

Alika Campbell

Kailua

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Stop attacks by chronic homeless

I am a retired teacher living in Mokuleia on the North Shore, and I often shop at Longs and Malama Market in Haleiwa with my 8-year-old granddaughter.

I was horrified to learn about the attack against a Malama employee (“Repeat offender charged in attack at Haleiwa store,” Star-Advertiser, April 21). It also was disturbing to learn that an elderly woman sustained critical injuries in an unprovoked attack elsewhere on Oahu (“Man charged with assault in beating at bus stop,” Star-Advertiser, April 21).

What actions will the city or state government take against such attacks? The population of homeless people keeps growing. How has the money given to Aloha United Way to work on this chronic issue been put to use? I don’t want to be afraid to go out in my own community.

Kathy Lee

Waialua

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Security, not United, to blame

Please, people. Stop bashing United Airlines (“United passenger was ‘flailing and fighting,’ officer maintains,” Star-Advertiser, April 25).

This was a United Express flight, operated by Republic Air, which also operates as Delta Connection and American Eagle. On any given day, it might have been Delta or American dealing with this PR nightmare. Furthermore, it was not United employees who dragged the man off the aircraft. It was airport security, wearing jackets that said “Police,” which they had been told not to wear.

This is the same kind of airport security personnel we have here at Honolulu Airport — you remember the security guard who recently shot the woman’s dog?

Perhaps instead of blaming airline employees, we should look at who actually caused the physical damage to the passenger. And perhaps the airports should take a closer look at the people they hire to protect us.

Carol Schmus

Mililani