Civil union law denies basic rights

Star-Advertiser stories on civil unions say that a civil union is "a legal status with all the rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as traditional marriage."

The statement is wrong for two reasons. First, while gay and lesbian couples have the legal rights of married couples under state law, they are still denied the right to call themselves "married." That may be a symbolic difference, but we know the pernicious effect of symbolic differences from the era of segregation.

Second, the civil union law does nothing to even the playing field with respect to federal law. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has counted 1,138 federal privileges that go with marriage. None go with civil unions.

I represent two women who have sued Gov. Neil Abercrombie, alleging that Hawaii’s marriage law denies them the right to equal protection and due process. We believe Abercrombie has the vision and moral fortitude to decline to defend the Hawaii law on the ground that it is unconstitutional. We sincerely hope that he does.

John J. D’Amato
Honolulu

Fee hike revenues used judiciously

I would like to respond to recent letters regarding the increase in motor vehicle registration weight taxes and fees.

Motor vehicle registration assessments include both state and city registration fees and weight taxes that the city is mandated by law to collect.

In compliance with recent increases, the October 2011 and subsequent motor vehicle registration renewal reflects a $20 increase in the state registration fee and a 1-cent per pound increase of both state and city weight taxes.

For a 3,000-pound passenger vehicle, the increase was $20 for the state registration fee, $30 for the state weight tax, and $30 for the county weight tax.

We understand the economic realities facing our residents and have addressed the downturns in our economy with prudent and realistic solutions. We take our responsibility as gatekeepers of hard-earned tax dollars seriously and do our best to make sure that these monies are spent judiciously in order to maintain our standard of living in our communities.

Gail Y. Haraguchi
City director of customer services

Rail project not cleared for funding

Your front-page headline appears to be unjustified by the contents of the story ("Rail project cleared for federal funding," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 30).

Nowhere in the story can I find what hurdle the city has cleared. It has been on the New Starts list for a long time. A more fitting headline would be, "FTA says rail financial plan must be improved."

Pearl Johnson
Pauoa Valley

Windmills change landscape forever

A word of warning to the residents of Lanai and Molokai on the impending wind farm: As a member of a farming family in rural Iowa, I travel back to the family farm each Christmas to enjoy the winter tranquility of the rolling hills of Iowa.

This Christmas I was met with dozens of windmills dotting the horizon, forever changing the view from our family farm.

Once such a view has been so changed, the sunrises and sunsets do not feel so magical, the feeling of the farm has changed, and life is simply different.

Choose wisely when forever changing your environment.

Kurt Wollenhaupt
Haiku, Maui

Biodegradable bags better than plastic

As Ashley Komoda’s article highlights, plastic bags are useful ("Plastic bag laws well-intended but cause more harm than good," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 3).

I use them to line my garbage cans and dispose of kitty litter. Their benefit is the fact that they are impermeable, unlike paper bags.

However, their hardy constitution is also an environmental problem, and Komoda’s opinion is notably free of any information regarding the negative impacts of plastic bags on the environment. Moreover, she implies that the only alternative to plastic disposable bags is reusable bags, which is untrue.

Biodegradable disposable bags are just as good as traditional plastic bags, with far fewer environmental consequences.

These gaping holes in the piece, and phrases like "taxes and bans disrupt the free market" could lead one to suspect that Komoda is writing the piece not as a concerned citizen but as a supporter of the plastics industry.

Allison Ikeda
Manoa

Kauai should follow Oahu on fireworks

Fireworks can be beautiful and works of art when professionals are at the controls. When everyone has carte blanche, even on residential streets, it is a disastrous situation.

I am blessed to live where not many fireworks go off, but just a few blocks from me, in a major residential neighborhood, I know three families who leave their homes every New Year’s because of the smoke and noise.

Many will tell you it’s cultural, but it’s not cultural to be discourteous to your neighbors.

Kauai needs to follow in Oahu’s path in limiting fireworks. Better yet, just make it illegal.

James “Kimo” Rosen
Kapaa, Kauai

Security forces did good job in Kailua

As a resident of Kailua Bay where security forces were prevalent during the recent vacation of President Barack Obama, I want to shout out a huge "mahalo" to all concerned. The U.S. Secret Service, Honolulu Police Department and U.S. Coast Guard performed superbly.

Unlike the past two years, the Coast Guard kept the noise from its small patrol boats’ engines to a minimum. They listened to the residents’ concerns, patrolled admirably and kept a watchful eye over the entire area.

Thank you for protecting the president and us, and, most important, thank you for your service to our country. Well done, Coasties!

Ellen Huntley
Kailua