Ho’opili solar farm comes up short
So a solar farm would provide 10 percent of the electricity needs for the planned Ho’opili development. That’s like only 60 percentage points less than the requirement for clean energy mandated for Hawaii by 2030, or 30 percentage points less than the requirement for actual renewable energy use. How about sea-water air conditioning, solar hot water heaters, LEED certification for energy efficiency, etc.?
If we’re going to sacrifice prime agricultural land that is actually being used to produce food consumed here in Hawaii, I think we should require high standards for sustainable development, including renewable energy use and food self-sufficiency, among many others. Why not use the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan as a guiding framework for approval of the zoning change request? Put some teeth into these reports, visions, goals and mandates for sustainability in Hawaii so we truly can be a model of sustainable development.
Travis Idol
Honolulu
Service workers make tourism shine
As a visitor and former Hawaii resident, I just wanted to say something to the local people working in the service industry in Hawaii. You deserve a big thank you.
You make it happen for us who come to Hawaii to visit. I’ve seen the dedication in your eyes from the first mahalo I received upon arriving to the airport, to the car rental crew that helped me with my car, to the volunteers and workers at Hanauma Bay who were so friendly and dedicated to preserving Hawaii’s natural beauty, to the cashier who laughed with me while ringing me up. I could go on and on.
The people of Hawaii are what makes the state so beautiful and wonderful to visit. If I could personally thank each and every one of you, I would. I hope this letter is read by the many who serve the visitors of Hawaii. A much deserved mahalo to you.
Kim Riveira-Taylor
Phenix City, Ala.
Reapportionment should count military
In response to Fred Rohlfing’s comments ("Constitution clear on residency," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 16), the military qualify as permanent residents and should be included in the reapportionment base.
Military members and their dependents are no different from thousands of civilians residing in Hawaii whose home of record remains in another state (or another country) but are counted in the reapportionment base. They, like civilians, have the option of changing their residency to Hawaii at any time.
Military members are solid Hawaii residents. They live and work in Hawaii for at least two years, most several more. They pay state and county taxes, including Hawaii personal income taxes on income received from part-time employment, personal businesses and other non-military related income. Their dependents pay personal income taxes on all wages they earn in Hawaii.
Military members are also strong contributors to local charities, nonprofit groups and the general community. Their volunteer efforts are a model for all residents to emulate.
The recent decision to exclude nearly 17,000 military members and dependents living in privatized military housing would automatically exclude a number of military residents who already claim Hawaii as their home of record or plan to do so. This kind of arbitrary exclusion has not been applied to the thousands of civilians in similar circumstances.
This effort to single out the military only should be viewed as unfair, unconstitutional and lacking in aloha.
Charlie Ota
Vice president military affairs, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii
Rail means jobs for struggling economy
In their latest commentary, the four rail opponents are the ones who have manipulated the statistics ("Counting on rail transit jobs? The numbers just don’t add up," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 20).
They point to a so-called "variance" in the number of jobs created by rail construction. But in fact, the city’s projections line up with both independent studies cited in their article.
The University of Hawaii Economic Research Office (UHERO) estimates approximately 5,000 yearly construction jobs during the peak of rail construction, while the Pacific Resource Partnership estimates 8,500 peak construction jobs. The city has always said that rail project construction is expected to generate 10,000 jobs a year on average: About half of those will be construction jobs; the other half would be indirect jobs in other sectors. The facts are these numbers are in sync, and these jobs will be predominantly local jobs.
All the projections say the same thing: Rail will mean thousands of jobs to boost our struggling economy.
Toru Hamayasu
Interim executive director, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART)
Nurse practitioners deserve respect, too
I am disappointed by The article published in the Star-Advertiser ("Physicians fear patient confusion as nurses seek doctorates," Star-Advertiser, Oct. 2). Nurse practitioners with doctorates are not in the business of trying to trick patients into believing they are physicians. Nurse practitioners are proud of their heritage as nurses and bring a competent and unique perspective to the provision of health care. Give patients credit for understanding that nurses as well as pharmacists, physical therapists and physicians earn doctoral degrees.
The doctoral degree is an educational degree that reflects years of academic training. Physicians have their title, "Physician." Nurse practitioners have their title, "Nurse Practitioner." No confusion. Rather than physicians being worried about "losing control over the word ‘doctor,’" wouldn’t energy be better focused on solving our national health care crisis? Doctorally prepared nurse practitioners will be an integral part of the solution.
Catharine Critz
Kailua
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