Tax giveaway needs to stop

Thanks to Rob Perez and the Star-Advertiser for exposing the property tax scam enjoyed by some of the wealthiest families on Oahu ("Hidden homes get big tax breaks," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 12). This is journalism at its best.

Few have a problem with some among us who are wealthy or cherish older homes. However, I do have a problem when the rest of us regular folks subsidize those who pay virtually no property taxes on their multimillion-dollar homes in Honolulu’s most desirable neighborhoods. And shame on Kirk Caldwell — candidate for Honolulu mayor — who pays only $300 in taxes per year on his $1.85 million Manoa home. This tax giveaway needs to be terminated immediately.

Waianae school a needed asset

Kamaile Academy in Waianae is taking on a very important role of educating not only preschool children but parents as well ("School’s plan aims high," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 12).

We all know parents play a vital role in their child’s education, but what most of us fail to understand is that they’re doing it without any education in how a child learns. How many parents know that most of a child’s neuron brain cells are developed by age 5, and that their strength is based on the amount and kind of mental stimulation the children receive at a young age?

The academy is just what our area needs, if we’re ever to see an increase in the number of students being successful in learning. Let’s hope we will also see more schools like Kamaile Academy get started here.

Make firms hire U.S. workers

There is a real disconnect between cause and effect in regard to job loss and job creation.

About 40 years ago we began two very destructive practices: the hiring of people from other countries to do the dirty, laborious tasks Americans have supposedly come to disdain (such as farm work, domestic work, slaughterhouse work and some construction jobs); and simultaneously, the mass deportation of manufacturing jobs to other countries, jobs that could and should have stayed right here and been decently paid jobs for our own workforce.

The "shift toward gentility" that David Brooks writes about ("Mechanics, not MBAs," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 13) would never have come about, with its subsequent loss of jobs and incomes, without a large dose of greed.

This situation is not irremediable. Pass laws to force American companies to use our work force, return manufacturing jobs and pay a decent wage.

Support fiscal responsibility

One of the cruelest ironies of a media-driven society is that the crooked politician is easily deemed a caring philanthropist as he gives our money away to buy votes, while the fiscally responsible official who really cares about the future of the city, state and country is labeled heartless as he tries to get the budget under control.

You can always get video of somebody crying that they did not get funded, but you cannot get video of our future generations impoverished.

And the cynical politician knows that future generations do not vote.

Have the courage to vote for the candidate that stands for fiscal responsibility. Re-embrace that special interest called being an American.

‘Pay to play’ not a good rule

Interesting how the Mufi Hannemann campaign responded to City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi’s report of her staff’s research findings that nearly $250,000 in campaign contributions to Mufi Hannemann came from vendors who got $20 million in rail contracts.

Rather than saying that her findings were wrong, they’re saying that Kobayashi’s report is coming out now because she favors Neil Abercrombie for governor.

If what the Hannemann campaign is saying about Kobayashi’s motives is true, I fully understand and agree with those motives. I, too, would not want Hannemann as our governor if "pay to play" is his rule of the game.

Oral Hawaiian being mangled

Is it just me or is the pronunciation of Hawaiian on radio and television worsening?

And I don’t mean just the on-the-air personnel. There are mispronunciations of Hawaiian names in so many of the pre-recorded commercials, even for firms with Honolulu in their name.

Have you noticed that those who can’t pronounce the "o" in the name of our beautiful city don’t seem to have the same problem when they say Kona or Hilo? It’s the same vowel sound, making me wonder why they cannot correctly pronounce Honolulu. You don’t hear them saying "Kana" or "Hila."