Thank you for your editorial, “Speed up release of public records” (Star-Advertiser, Our View, Feb. 13).

I have been waiting since November 2015 for the release of minutes of meetings between the Kauai mayor and wealthy landowners like Mark Zuckerberg, Waioli Corp. and Patricia Hanwright concerning a county-funded fencing project that will block a historic ala loa trail.

I disagree with Cheryl Kakazu Park, director of the Office of Information Practices (OIP), on her opposing a deadline. Six months is plenty. State and county agencies, even OIP itself, have nothing to compel them to release records. An order to release from OIP is just a piece of paper — a paper tiger.

I do agree OIP needs more staffing. The Legislature should appropriate that this session and clear the clog.

Richard Spacer

Kapaa

—

Stop shootings by voting out politicians

What do you mean, “Not again” (Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15)?

Of course it’s going to happen again and again and again until ownership and sale of assault weapons is prohibited by law. The sheer hypocrisy of politicians saying, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved,” when at the same time they are taking money from the National Rifle Association is totally unacceptable.

When the country finally says, “Enough is enough! We do not want our kids killed,” and throws these politicians out of office, only then will it not happen again.

Paul Tyksinski

Kailua

—

Republicans needed to put ethics first

Wanted: Twenty-four Republican Congressmen who are willing to put ethics above partisanship and country above party.

Position: Work with a unified Democratic Party to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller from sabotage by the Trump administration and its allies, legislators who have lost their moral compass.

Qualifications: A spine, and an ability to totally ignore the insipid bleatings of the alt-right and its insanely biased and unsupportable allegations, insults and insinuations.

If you are a patriot and true American, please respond to this advertisement ASAP. Otherwise, prepare to be unemployed by next January.

Michael Mills

Ewa Beach

—

HECO profits from our self-sufficiency

As one who believes in and pursued the “going green” philosophy, I am disturbed by trends regarding our energy production and usage in Hawaii.

To go green, I purchased a system of solar panels during the net-metering era. I also purchased an electric car. The federal and state governments begged for this with advertising and direct monetary and tax incentives.

Now the government and Hawaiian Electric Co. have seen the light: Residents like the idea of self-sufficiency. Rate hikes now will allow HECO to do what we intended to do, except that we will be paying for it.

I believe there are other routes. What I see on the table is setting a dangerous precedent.

Robert Smith

Waialae Nui