Kailua’s fate has been sealed

While a Target in Kailua might not be the biggest development ever to take place on Oahu, astute readers should take note of its significance to the character of Oahu’s small towns. Both Target and Kaneohe Ranch circumvented significant community opposition, effectively paving the way for a giant shopping destination in a town that has infrastructure that is sorely stressed by the current population.

Kaneohe Ranch leadership and Target officials have said the Target location will improve traffic flow, create jobs and stimulate small businesses in the area while beautifying Kailua. Should these rosy predictions fail to pan out, Kailua’s transformation from a quaint beachside community to a busy regional tourist and shopping destination will be sealed. This would be a sad fate for a community whose values are primarily defined by the desire to live in an aesthetically beautiful beachside community devoid of big-city trappings.

Target won’t be pariah forever

Many years ago, the residents in the Kaaawa community protested against a proposed 7-Eleven store being built there. Today, many who protested against it now patronize that store. Many who protested against the building of the H-3 Freeway use it today. Those who oppose the new Target in Kailua, I guarantee, will patronize it once it is completed.

Most won’t feel tax on pensions

This senior retired AARP member sees no problem with Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s proposal to tax some pensions. The income threshold is so high that most seniors will not be taxed at all.

It seems that people are reacting from their gut — and anti-tax prejudice — and have not considered the specific proposal.

My wife and I live comfortably and travel widely on our retirement incomes, yet we will not be taxed because our totals easily fall below the threshold.

Folks who would suffer from such a small tax will not be taxed, and those who will needn’t fear for their cushy lifestyles.

Voters were sold false bill of goods

The failure of Gov. Neil Abercrombie to even mention the possibility of eliminating the proposed pension exemption on state income taxes for retired seniors during his recent election campaign represents not only a total lack of transparency on his part but also a stab in the back for all pensioners and potential pensioners who may have voted for him.

We recommend that all retired seniors and persons getting ready to retire, who might be affected by House Bill 1092, contact both the offices of the governor and their state representatives to register their adamant opposition to this stab-in-the-back proposal.

Latest election trumps ’98 vote

Nick Kiefer claims that the Legislature is not listening to the will of the people because the current civil unions bill goes against the same-sex marriage constitutional amendment from 1998 ("Civil unions bill ignores the will of the people," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 1).

You have to acknowledge that Neil Abercrombie, who supports civil unions, was just elected governor. The will of the people today should carry more weight than the will of the people 13 years ago.

U.S. needs to be more restrained

With the rapidly unfolding events in Egypt, what gives the U.S. the right to comment, opine or dictate anything to foreign governments? We risk fueling anti-American sentiment in citizens and resentment from world leaders.

Our tendency to involve ourselves rarely works out in our own best interest.

We cavalierly borrow money from China and send billions of U.S. dollars around the world to allies, many of which are dictatorshi[s, in our attempt to buy loyalty. At the same time, politicians are talking about sunsetting Social Security and gutting Medicare.

We need to get our own house in order and consider a more restrained approach to world events.

Cool down kids before adults

State Department of Education bureaucrats and administrators have air-conditioned offices.

The solution: No A/C for adults until we’ve taken care of the children.

If it’s too hot for adults to work, why would we think that children could work at that temperature?

The DOE would save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year — money that could be used to lower the temperature for the students the DOE is supposed to be serving.