Property on sidewalk, bad; taxes on property, good

The city put sidewalk squatters on notice and the outlook for the Legislature turned stormy as we plant tongue in cheek and "flASHback" on the week’s news that amused and confused:

» Mayor Peter Carlisle signed a bill that bars people from storing their personal belongings on public property, but joined City Council sponsors in denying that the measure targets homeless people. We’ll see if Shaka Santa has to get his stuff off the Honolulu Hale lawn.

» The Occupy Hono-lulu people who have been camping out at Thomas Square for more than a month expressed suspicion that the new ordinance is aimed at them. They can only wish somebody would pay attention to them.

» City officials plan to build the $5.17 billion Oahu rail system without fare gates or turnstiles, relying on a kind of honor system to get riders to pay. I hope their trust in us pays off better than our trust in them.

» Honolulu is one of nation’s least affordable cities for housing, ranking the third most expensive for rentals and the fourth steepest for homeownership. In the only positive note, we’re the city of choice for pitching a tent on the sidewalk.

» Adding to the housing squeeze, city officials reported that residential and commercial real estate values on Oahu are heading up again, which could mean higher property taxes for homeowners and businesses. They can’t start raising taxes soon enough to pay for all those free train rides.

» High winds and heavy rain wreaked havoc on Oahu, downing utility poles and closing highways. Meteorologists call it unstable winter weather. Political scientists call it nature’s way of getting us ready for the opening of the Legislature.

» Under Castle High School’s new grading policy, students won’t have to get the answers right to pass assignments as long as they grasp the concepts. It’s like in politics, where lawmakers don’t need the right answers for Hawaii’s problems as long as they get the concept of keeping campaign donors happy.

» A group of Pearl Harbor survivors mostly in their 90s gave a one-fingered salute to a "Hawaii Five-0" film crew that interrupted their memorial observance at Punchbowl. It’s good to know we still have one form of communication that can bridge the generations.

» Actress and Playboy model Lindsay Lohan had $10,000 stolen from a purse she left in her car while attending a party in Laie. That’s why many smart women keep their valuables between their valuables.

» And the quote of the week … from City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi on a proposal before the Council to end homeowner exemptions on property taxes: "We don’t want to make life harder for people. We want to make life better for people." If only they knew the difference.

Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com or blog.volcanicash.net.