Article light on supporting data 

I took exception with the lead story on Sunday ("Government takes chisel to services," Star-Advertiser, April 17).

You made the assertion that the state and city administrations have cut back on staffing to the point that many functions go unperformed. However, you offered very little evidence that the lack of performance is due to low staffing, other than some unverifiable anecdotal evidence. Your article was based on the premise that staffing prior to the financial crisis was the optimum and that efficiencies are of no consequence. I find this very doubtful.

Plus, you failed to offer figures that the staffing has, in fact, been cut drastically. How about presenting a chart that shows total staffing for the city and state by year for the last decade?

Francis Ritchey
Kailua

Tax wealthy at higher rates

As the City and County of Honolulu continues to search for every bit of revenue to balance its budget, there are two areas that could yield additional revenue. First is the concept of progressive tax rates for residential property. Why should the owner of a Makiki studio apartment pay the same rate as an owner of a Kahala oceanfront multimillion-dollar estate?

I propose that a graduated tax rate be applied. Instead of a flat rate of $3.50 per 1,000 square feet, the rate could rise to $4, $4.50, $5 and further as the value of the property increases. The City Council and/or the mayor could decide what the exact brackets would be.

Brice Conquest
Honolulu

Lake Wilson not back to normal

We are all happy to see the valve at Lake Wilson repaired ("Lake Wilson water levels return to normal," Star-Advertiser, April 16). But the water level has not returned to normal.

The normal lake level is 80 feet. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ new normal level is 65 feet. If the water level then drops another 5 feet to the 60-foot mark, we will be right back where we were the last week of February — unable to use the boat ramp and concerned with a possible fish kill.

I can appreciate having the water level down a little in case of a huge flood, but a water level of 70 feet seems more realistic. Enough leeway to allow for flood control, and also enough to weather periods of no rain.

Even at the 65-foot level, you can see lots of tree roots, tons of garbage, abandoned cars and shopping carts all along the shoreline.

Stan Wright
Kaneohe

Unions exploit workers, too

In digesting the proposals in Mel Kellet’s letter ("Profits drive pay disparity," Letters, Star-Advertiser, April 13), I could not help but recognize the glaring double standard in his thesis.

Kellet despairs that profits garnered in the private sector are commonly applied to funding management bonuses as well as fattening the coffers of supporting politicians.

Conveniently but conspicuously absent from this equation are the inflated salaries of union executives and the purchase of union-supporting politicians directly related to the collection of dues from members, which in no stretch of the imagination can be construed as the "profits" of organized labor.

Make no mistake, private industry holds no corner on the market where lopsided distribution and political sway associated with the spoils of doing business are concerned.

Steve Hinton
Makaha Valley