Keep exemption for ship repairs

Lifting the general excise tax exemption on ship repair revenues is an action that will do more harm than good, substantially affecting our state’s industrial self-sufficiency.

The exemption for ship repair was enacted in 1971, when Navy ships were sent to mainland yards for repairs, driven by costs of our island economy’s higher wages and our excise tax. It was intended to enable us to compete with other states that have no GET, and to build an industry that will create new and different tax bases.

It is still essential, as the Navy is under severe fiscal constraints and our island’s ship-repair costs remain the highest in the U.S.

This exemption enables ship repair companies to not only obtain maritime work but retain related industrial capabilities that enable Hawaii’s technological self-sufficiency — to maintain our own power generation plants and electrical equipment, repair crude oil sea buoys, perform metal fabrication and repairs, etc.

Iain S. Wood
President, Ship Repair Association of Hawaii

New BOE must stay accessible

As a member of the state Board of Education and as a student, I especially understand how vital it is for the ultimate success of education to involve and communicate with all stakeholders.

BOE meetings are perhaps the most direct and accessible avenue for the public to be informed and address the Board and Department of Education.

This is where the public is able to speak and hold the board accountable in person. So while the appointed members are accountable to the governor, they are there strictly to serve the students and the general public. The new board, while intending to become more efficient by overhauling its operations, must remain open and accessible to the people.

It must allow itself, when necessary, to be constructively criticized by stakeholders, for the sole purpose of ensuring that they do what is in the best interest of Hawaii’s future.

Mark Dannog
Student member, Board of Education

New symphony must be creative

Best wishes to the Hono­lulu Symphony Explora­tory Committee and success with reinvigorating the Honolulu Symphony. Critical to this success is a realization that times have changed and audiences are in flux.

Both the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony have recognized these changes and the need to appeal to a younger, more casual audience. New traditions are forming.

I would suggest novel concerts such as Come Hear Schubert in Your Slippers, Have a Mai-tai with Mozart, or Hula in Harmony with Handel. Unusual and a bit silly, perhaps, but an injection of creativity is absolutely essential for any success. Novel musical programming outside the box does not come easily and may not appeal to the old guard. However, let us hope that a new, fresh musical beginning is about to commence in the islands.

Kurt Wollenhaupt
Kihei

Bill helps only health insurers

My family and I are strongly opposed to Senate Bill 1274, which would irreversibly damage health care consumer protection in Hawaii by repealing HRS 432E-6.

This would benefit only health insurance carriers operating in Hawaii: Hawaii Medical Service Association, Kaiser, Hawaii Medical Assurance Association, University Health Alliance, Aloha Care, Evercare (UnitedHealth) and Ohana (Wellcare). They would be the only beneficiaries of repealing the law that gives their policyholders an effective way to challenge denials of treatment.

Our 4-year-old daughter is alive today only because of this law. What are you going to do if you or your loved one gets sick and is denied treatment?

Virtually every family with health insurance is going to lose the right to an effective external appeal of decisions made by their health insurance providers, if SB 1274 passes.

Our governor and legislators need to focus on the ramifications to all citizens who are policyholders in Hawaii.

Shana Metsch
Kilauea

Help homeless, help ourselves

The ever-growing homeless crisis is reaching a boiling point.

More homeless people are taking over public places such as malls and parks. With loitering becoming illegal in more places, these people are reduced to finding other places to sleep and live.

The Legislature is on the verge of passing an outstanding bill, Senate Bill 900. It would provide a simple yet effective solution that includes providing temporary shelters each night, facilities and food each day, and security in case of emergencies.

We would no longer have to worry about having homeless people trespassing or loitering if they had a safe place to stay.

Not only does this help them, but this helps us, too.

Treston Ijiri
Honolulu