Why are we being denied a lottery?

There are so many ridiculous excuses our politicians give for not instituting a state-run lottery.

Is the real excuse that they are being influenced by other financial interests to vote against it?

Certainly, it is not a religiously based moral question. After all, our politicians would not be making a decision on religious grounds, would they?

Is it possible that they are letting us know that we do not have good spending habits and they need to direct how we spend our already overtaxed earnings? They certainly have no problem letting us know they need more money so they can exercise their spending habits.

Our legislators must think we are third-graders who need to be instructed in how to spend our lunch money. Lottery revenue can be directed to public works, parks and education, rather than taxes.

Why are we being denied this?

Jacqulyne Hedges
Honolulu

Keep Hawaiian Air healthy for Hawaii

It’s nice to see Hawaiian Airlines continue to expand, create jobs and promote our state so well with its outstanding service to more destinations and more choices for the traveler. This is good for everyone in Hawaii.

We finally have a local carrier on solid financial footing that can grow and promote Hawaii to the world and at the same time the jobs they create are right here in Hawaii.

I just hope the state government doesn’t see their success as a piggybank on which to raise taxes.

John Wade
Haleiwa

School buses cut traffic congestion

I’m as disgusted by all the school, social services and unemployment cutbacks as the next person. But, truly, can the citizenry really afford to cut back on the school bus system?

If the state cuts back on the school bus system, you’ll have parents rushing to drive their children to school, or, worse yet, inexperienced, rushed young drivers going to school and picking up friends to get to school on time. Traffic? You betcha! Gas? Again, you betcha! Like all of us average people can afford the time and gas as it is.

I live 7.5 miles from where I normally work, but it can take me up to half an hour to get there in traffic? Why? School traffic.

I shudder to think of the ramifications should the state cut back more than it already has.

Moana Higa
Kapolei

City Council should OK new vote on rail

Various factions crafted an unnecessarily ambiguous ballot on the issue of the rail project. That vote passed by only the slimmest of majorities, well within a percentage that would be called a margin for error in any opinion poll.

More reasonable plans have been shoved aside. The route no longer serves two main destinations — Waikiki and the University of Hawaii. These are needed to generate riders and relieve traffic congestion. Construction financing and, more importantly, operation financing is shaky.

Our mayor and transportation director argue against a growing cry for reason by chanting "… but you voted for it, so let’s get it done."

Our City Council, except for a few voices, now is denying an opportunity for a new vote.

Madness!

William Kibby
Honolulu

Let’s have playoff for college football

The NCAA president says he cannot support a 16-team playoff for college football because it would overtax players’ bodies, intrude into the school year, and end the bowl system ("NCAA president would support playoff," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 13). None of these arguments holds water.

The first two rounds of a 16-team playoff could replace the useless conference championships in early December, where the best conference teams often play each a second time and the loser is unfairly discriminated against in bowl selection. After this, a three-week hiatus could allow players to study for finals and enjoy the holidays at home with their families. Third round games would rotate among the major New Year’s Day bowls, and the fourth and final game would be at the same time as the current BCS final.

This would add only one game to the current system, and even that would merely replace practice time for the final two teams.

Jack Ashby
Honolulu

Clarity needed on status of graveyard

Residents of Mariners Cove in Hawaii Kai have been concerned for many years about the status of the proposed graveyard in the back of Kamilo Nui Valley.

Construction seemed to have started last month with the roadway going into the area. There is also a secondary access road being built that enters into Mariners Cove.

Residents of the area are tired of seeing the roadways cluttered, dust settling on everything, and the noise. The disturbing part is the way the asphalt fill has been placed on the actual site of the graveyard. There is a lot of the old Kaiser cement plant debris buried on the site. Is this considered legal fill material?

Allen Tateishi
Hawaii Kai

Hospital workers were a caring group

From working with the people of this medical community for 18 years, I have never seen a finer group of professionals in my life than those who worked at the Hawaii Medical Centers.

These people expressed a sense of pride in their work, consistently showed kindness toward the patients and "lived" daily on the job with a positive attitude. I think most people didn’t realize how rare this was.

Closing the hospitals was just a symptom of a greater blunder because if the administrators and/or the owners of the hospitals had taken the time to get to know the people, they would have seen what an amazing group of professionals were in their midst and would never have turned their backs, given up so easily and exchanged the suffering of the people for a few million dollars.

John Beasley
Kapolei