Charter schools getting a free pass

It makes no sense to require the Charter School Commission to develop its own ethics policies covering gifts, confidential information, fair treatment and contracts. Why spend time and money to re-invent the wheel? We already have ethics policies for government workers.

Charter school employees may not be government workers, but they get their funding from tax dollars and should follow the same ethics code. The motives of whoever introduced this legislation are very suspect, and may have some special interest in mind.

We seem to have too many politicians trying to sneak things through the legislative process these days.

Phil Alencastre
Kaimuki

Rail would make Oahu more livable

As an interested observer and an occasional visitor to Honolulu, I think that opposition to your rail project on the basis of noise and visual obtrusiveness isflat wrong.

The cities I’ve visited where rail is the dominant transportation mode are quieter and more liveable than those dominated by freeways. The rail project would make Honolulu a much more attractive place to visit and a better place to live.

You will wonder why you didn’t build it 40 years ago.

Don Rhoads
Bloomington, Ind.

Parents accountable for raising children

Thank you to our congressional delegation for their encouraging article ("Race to the Top maybe not a sprint but Hawaii resolved to go all the way," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 15).Readingabout the accomplishments in our public schools is always a joy.

However, this grandmother humbly disagrees with the closing paragraph quoting a popular, feel-good adage that: "It takes a village to raise a child."

In this situation, I feel that, "It takes a village tosupporta child."

Parents raise a child. Responsibility and accountability for the child rest with them.

Semantics? Nit picking? Just some food for thought as we continue the task of proposing and implementing reforms in our Race to the Top.

Jean Yamada
Aiea

Conservatives try to justify selfishness

Every time we as citizens are exposed to a Paul Ryan preaching that the poor and elderly must be taught to adjust their moral compasses before insisting on their right to so-called "entitlements," every time an Eric Cantor pontificates that our children and grandchildren must be protected from the profligacy of progressive politics, every time a Mitch McConnell insists that the defeat of President Barack Obama is the primary aim of conservatives within the Republican Party, it would serve us well to recall these words from John Kenneth Galbraith: "The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy, that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness."

Vernon G. Freitas
Hilo

Kudos to Akaka for supporting SAVE bill

I am honored to publicly thank Sen. Daniel Akaka for his sponsorship of S. 1763, the "Stand Against Violence and Empower (SAVE) Native Women Act."

His sponsorship shows that he is dedicated to serving not only the people of Hawaii but also the larger community.

According to Amnesty International’s Issue Brief, "If enacted, this crucial legislation would clarify tribal civil jurisdiction to issue and enforce protection orders, strengthen tribal coalition programs, and improve the response to sex trafficking of Native women. The SAVE Act would be a significant advancement in the fight to protect Native women from crimes of domestic violence, restoring the authority of tribal governments to hold perpetrators, including non-Native perpetrators, accountable for their crimes."

Supporting native communities is spreading the value of caring for all peoples in our lands. The Senate bill is essential for justice and the advancement of women’s rights.

Erin Brown
Volunteer legislative coordinator, Amnesty International USA-Hawaii

Too many DUI busts involve recidivism

When will the courts start holding people accountable when they inflict injury and death on innocent people because they are incapable of differentiating between right and wrong?

Every single one of these "drunken drivers leaving the scene" stories will show there is a high degree of recidivism along with a string of other violations. Where are our attorneys and judges in all this? Is overcrowded prisons their reasoning for non-incarceration?

Maybe building more prisons would be the solution to that. It also would help bolster the economy and employ many workers to help build it and man the prisons.

Sachie Fukuda
Hilo

Column on lifeguard site mostly irrelevant

In an effort to justify the lifeguard substation project site adjacent to the Waikiki Aquarium, Ralph S. Goto states that "the point of this column is not to extol" the work done by our ocean safety (lifeguards) personnel ("Debate over park use is moot at this point," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 15).

Too true. Instead, Goto utilized all the column space to state facts irrelevant to the project and to launch a salvo against civic groups that may oppose the project.

Goto said the "planned facility includes office space" for the lifeguard executives so that these people may schedule and manage lifeguard responsibilities and, further, provides storage space. I did not read mention of the new parking that lifeguards will enjoy.

So, why did not Goto present his best argument for this project based on these reasons: new office space, storage and parking?

Cassandra L Pinnick
Waikiki

New lifeguard station is not necessary

Is an entire building necessary to take care of the business of assigning lifeguards and storing their equipment?

Why not put a small alcove for administration in the police building and a storage area in the maintenance facilities (so recently rebuilt)?

Must the public endure the expansion and building of additional unnecessary facilities for the convenience of public employees?

Doug Worrall
Kahuku

FROM THE FORUM

"State of 2 minds on 1-sex marriage,"Star-Advertiser, April 16:

» Gov. Neil Abercrombie is getting more and more confused as the days tick by. He wants to be the defendant and the plaintiff in the same case.

» The governor should enforce the laws. If he’s not willing to do that, he should resign and not run for re-election.

» Civil unions represent second-class citizenship, which the 14th Amendment will not bear.

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"High stakes ahead for secret salaries,"Star-Advertiser, April 16:

» Lack of disclosure of the salaries (and the related benefit packages) is just one more reason to disallow the exemptions of credit unions from real property taxes.

» Hawaii Credit Union League President Dennis Tanimoto is being evasive and gives no good reason to not disclose other than it’s an invasion of personal privacy. This is not valid for institutions that get tax exemptions and/or public subsidies.

» While I wouldn’t mind seeing what the salaries are for the executives at all of the credit unions, I can understand the whole privacy thing. With all of the crazy people trying to steal and extort money from the executives of most major companies, I don’t blame them for not revealing how much they are compensated unless required by law.

» As was pointed out in the article, if these credit unions were chartered by the state, they would be required to disclose the top salaries. In addition, I’m not aware of any other type of nonprofit organization that is not required to make such disclosure.

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"Homeless pack up ahead of city crew,"Star-Advertiser, April 17:

» Thank goodness: 25 years ago I loved surfing at Free Hawaii off of Keaau Beach Park, but over the last decade it’s become too dangerous, dirty and crowded to park there. Good job, city.

» Why do grown people that should and could be taking care of themselves in a respectful, decent manner choose to live like this? For some, it’s just easier and cheaper and there’s no one to answer to. Until society requires a fair amount of work done for welfare and food stamps, some people will always abuse this. It’s easier than staying drug-and alcohol-free and maintaining a job.

» The overriding attitude of the homeless seems to be, "Where they (the government) like us go?" They don’t seem to understand that it is not government’s responsibility to take care of them.

» There but for the grace of God …

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"Bill to speed development at rail depots moves ahead," Star-Advertiser, April 17:

» What the heck is this rail coming to? It was started to simply help those living on the west side commute to and from Honolulu. Rail has now turned into a monster that wants to eat everything in its sight. It wants to eliminate zoning rules and environmental concerns to benefit construction companies and others who look at rail as an easy way to make money. It’s all about money and greed.

» The environmental organizations are right. Land use ordinances and zoning codes are designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents of the structures being built, as well as the surrounding neighbors. Waiving them puts all that in jeopardy.

» State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz is moving in the right direction. Having more riders is an efficient use of rail. But the city should let the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation make some meaningful suggestions. For example, the Phoenix rail system charges advertising for the use of its trains. Hawaii should use that opportunity, too. Trains should be exempted from billboard laws in Hawaii. Buses, to a limited extent, also do that. Trains have a lot more surface area and are more visible. It could be a great source of income for rail.

» Yeah, let’s eliminate the billboard law for rail, too. Sheesh. You guys never give up. Nothing matters but the choo-choo train to nowhere.

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"Isle gun registrations soared during 2011,"Star-Advertiser, April 18:

» Dangerous times to be a cop with so many guns around.

» Armed citizens have rescued many cops, so why should cops fear armed citizens? Why should you? Aren’t armed criminals the real problem?

» This is a very sad time for Hawaii. Most of us don’t own guns and probably have never fired one unless in the military. More guns is going to bring more misfortune.

» When seconds matter, the police are only minutes away.

» The Koko Head Range needs longer hours of operation and more qualified workers.

» You are right, the hours need to revert back to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at least. I hope the proposed Kapolei Range is still moving forward. The complex looked very spacious over several acres.

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"City plans overhaul of 9 public restrooms in Waikiki," Star-Advertiser, April 19:

» What a total waste of taxpayer money. Permanently tear down these public toilet facilities and buy a whole bunch of port-a-potties that can be easily cleaned and/or replaced. I guarantee that the porcelain fixtures and ceramic tiles will be damaged once these bathrooms are fixed up. Then everyone will be at square one.

» Why do they spend money on facilities only in Waikiki? What about in the country?

» What the city might want to do is to have video surveillance of the exterior of these restrooms after they are revamped and have police be prepared to arrest vandals.

» I applaud the city for taking action to renovate the restrooms in Waikiki, as tourism is our foremost industry and should treat it as such. We must keep Waikiki status as a world-class destination at all cost.