UH leaders praised for athletics acumen

While the i’s need to be dotted and the t’s crossed, it appears that the University of Hawaii is headed into the Mountain West Conference to be reunited with rivals that will make UH football something special again.

We need to commend the UH administration for being proactive and recognizing the need to get something positive accomplished with all the changes occurring around us. These things don’t just happen by sitting around and waiting for the phone to ring.

We need to be thankful for having a strong and worthy football program in place, and especially for a sharp and supportive president and chancellor and a wise and wonderful athletic director, Jim Donovan.

We wish the best for our Western Athletic Conference friends — but we do need to do what is best for UH.

Mahalo Jim and UH. Go Warriors!

Funding Kupuna Care saves money overall

AARP Hawaii applauds Gov.-elect Neil Abercrombie’s announced plan to release $23.7 million from the state’s rainy day fund for critical social service programs — including $3.5 million for the Kupuna Care program, which provides basic care-giving services (bathing, transit, meal delivery and light housekeeping) for our homebound seniors.

Kupuna Care will save money by keeping middle-income seniors from falling into poverty and adding to the state’s costly Medicaid bill.

As the Star-Advertiser’s timely and thought-provoking "Graying of Hawaii" series points out, we are in an aging tsunami where the growth in the number of seniors will significantly affect every aspect of our community. There is an urgent need now for leadership and vision — with government, individuals and organizations ready to collaborate to achieve a community where we can all live our best lives.

Public worker retirees unfairly privileged

I have been reading about the unfunded retirement health costs for public employees. I have a very simple solution for this problem:

Retired employees should pay for their own health insurance, the same as everyone else has to do.

The idea of taxing a society where the vast majority do not enjoy these unusual perks is a form of reverse Robin Hood. It represents a zero-sum game of winners and losers.

Public employees, I am sure, would scream about having contracts. These contracts should be revoked. It is time for everyone to start living in the real world with shared responsibilities. One group having extreme privileges at the expense of everyone else is wrong and unjust. The concept of the greatest good for the greatest number should always be the highest goal for those who are the stewards of government.

Everyone should know they need GET license

I do not understand why grown adults need to be reminded that they should have a general excise tax license.

Why should people who are obviously quite aware of the need for one get a one-time free pass?

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. The rest of the taxpayers, both private residents and business owners, would most likely agree.

GET is tip of iceberg for people who comply

Regarding the controversial enforcement of the state general excise tax: This tax is just the tip of the iceberg for tax dodgers. Paying it puts one in line for state and federal income tax, which, for most of us, is about 35 percent additional.