Adult education is worth the cost

Budget cuts are sometimes penny wise and pound foolish. An example of this would be not funding the Hawaii Community School for Adults because of shortfalls in the state Department of Education budget.

Quite simply, it is a good business investment. This program has almost 9,000 students divided among four areas: competency-based high school diploma programs, general educational development, adult basic education, and English as a second language.

Clients include those who are trying to complete their high school graduation, citizenship preparation, substitute teacher certification, workers of foreign languages, cultural/ recreational/social classes, and those seeking self-improvement who are in correctional facilities.

Formal education allows all of these people the opportunity to contribute positively to the communities of our islands. And, this is probably the best long-term return of investment that Hawaii can possibly make.

Jim Wolfe
Nuuanu

Governments too disruptive

Maybe if governments did a better job and were therefore better liked by the people, there wouldn’t be so much risk to their representatives at meetings like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.

That would mean fewer restrictions on people just trying to go about their normal activities.

Disruptions to such activities range from mere inconvenience to economic hits.

What a world we have developed into. It is a shame.

James V. Pollock
Kaneohe

Pig shipments are inhumane

Many thanks to Foodland, Times Supermarkets and, most recently, Don Quijote for making the responsible and humane decision to no longer purchase pork from pigs shipped live from the mainland ("Resist appeals to prop up Oahu slaughterhouse," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 24).

These animals endure a harrowing journey from the Midwest to California by truck, and then spend nearly a week at sea, crammed inside containers where they can barely move, and are subject to illness, injury and death rates much higher than other means.

Switching to chilled or frozen meat or buying pork from locally raised animals is cost-effective for businesses and consumers and reduces animal suffering and food safety risks associated with the long-distance transport of live animals. It also supports local farmers.

As the state and animal welfare, environmental and agricultural organizations continue to promote "buying local" and reducing the length of time "from farm to fork," this is the right decision for Hawaii.

Inga Gibson
Hawaii state director, Humane Society of the United States

City should sell its golf courses

The City and County of Honolulu needs to take actions similar to what the U.S. government has proposed: selling off properties to help with the budget deficit.

The city could start with the municipal golf courses. It would not only bring in millions for this prime real estate but also save millions more that the public pays annually to subsidize these same golf courses.

It should be obvious that the majority of property owners do not play golf, yet they are required to support those who do, and this is just plain wrong.

James L. Robinson
Aiea

Photo ID to vote is a good policy

Republicans controlling statehouses have passed laws requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls.

Republicans say it is necessary to prevent voter fraud, and question why photo identification should be required at airports but not at polling sites.

Democrats counter that the new law is a solution in search of a problem.

I am a voting senior citizen and am always asked to show my identification prior to getting my ballot, and believe that this discourages fraud and is a good thing.

What is it that the Democrats are afraid of?

Ernest Y. Suemoto
Mililani

Set up hotline to report bullies

The answer to bullying and cyberbullying is for the state Department of Education to incorporate a special phone number like our 911. It could be like 777-BULLY. It should be posted everywhere.

Everyone would be informed that the number will be called when bullying occurs.

The bully should be easily identifiable and reported. Once reported and documented, bullies should be called in and confronted. They should be given a chance to explain themselves, then maybe be required to submit to counseling.

They would be advised to stop bullying and that, if they continue, their parents will be informed. This would offer an opportunity to defuse the issue without embarrassment and punishment.

If the bullying continued, the parents would be informed that it could lead to expulsion or suspension.

The parents would most likely solve it from their side.

Ken Chang
Kaneohe

Laws useless unless enforced

Here we go again: another law in the making.

The Honolulu City Council might ban personal property on city sidewalks.

Why "might" instead of "will"?

Will the Honolulu Police Department have the guts to confront these homeless people? Will the city really remove all those tents and shopping carts from the streets?

Will we see as many police officers enforcing the law to clean our streets as there will be for the protection of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference?

This remains to be seen.

Come on, HPD: No guts, no glory.

Philip K. Ho
Honolulu

City not serious on homelessness

One of our valued tourists, Linda Cheetham from San Francisco, wrote about the awful changes that have occurred in our homeless situation in the past year ("Waikiki beggars discourage tourists," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 26).

She expressed the hope that "something can be done to curb the great number of homeless people begging for money" in the Waikiki area.

She mentioned their asking for fives and tens, not change. Why not? So much easier than getting a job and earning it.

Well, Ms. Cheetham, I have found from talking to the mayor’s office that practically nothing can be done.

We don’t have vagrancy laws like other states do.

Our hands are tied because of the attitude expressed to me that we would be "infringing on their rights or hurting their feelings."

When will our erstwhile elected officials actually do something?

Pass the necessary laws and then demand that our police enforce them.

Or will we become just a paradise for the homeless?

Ann James
Waikiki