Vote smart by checking bios

Vote on the candidates’ record, not what they say they will do during the campaign season.

A nonprofit organization, Project Vote Smart, has compiled an extensive record of incumbents in office.

Go to www.votesmart.org to find important information about the candidates, including political summaries, biographies, voting records, ratings and endorsements.

Taking the time to check out the voting record of a candidate will help you make an informed decision.

John P. Gallagher
Ewa Beach

Boost voting with online system

While doing a summer history class online, I learned about voter turnouts. As I was researching Hawaii’s ranking in the last three elections for voter turnouts, I found our state ranked 44th.

In one of my assignments, I was required to ask 20 people ages 17 and older to take a survey on how they feel about voting. Most of those surveyed sensed that they don’t have the ability to make a difference in how they are governed, and feel the same way about their responsibility to vote and to actively participate.

I suggest creating a simple voting registration process and a secure online voting system that will be less complicated for citizens on election day.

Jessica Pasalo
Kahului, Maui

Pay tax online, pay an extra fee

I thought I’d pay my real property tax online.

I logged on to the Honolulu city government website, entered my data, hovered over the ‘Submit’ button … screech!

A "convenience fee" is charged for doing what I thought was a great idea: paying online, no hired clerks, no delays, early payment, no time wasted for checks to clear, and no added traffic. I quickly deleted my data. It’s back to the ol’ stamp, envelope and check.

A convenience fee is government-speak for let’s stick it to the taxpayer.

Timothy E. Fern
Kaneohe

Romney shows he’s unprepared

Three tries, three strikes: England, Israel and Poland.

Mitt Romney intended to demonstrate foreign policy expertise. Instead, his European tour demonstrated how unprepared he is to be president. He and his team got into trouble committing cultural and diplomatic faux pas at every stop.

Romney may believe he can call all the shots, do what he wants unquestioned, like he’s done in closed-off boardrooms of multimillion-dollar businesses.This does not translate into effective leadership for this country.

Maybe he could change in some areas, such as transparency. He needs to release his financial information because, if elected, the American people would be his boss, not the other way around.

But it’s hard to imagine that he could change his diplomatic style, one that on this trip came off as heavy-handed, perceived as arrogant, offending our friends abroad.

Lynn B. Wilson
Waipahu

Road re-striping is a new danger

The recent re-striping of lanes at the Punahou on/off ramp eastbound is an accident waiting to happen.

It was already dangerous, with traffic backing up from Punahou Street into the merge lanes and vehicles trying to exit or enter the freeway. With an additional narrower lane, you do not have much time to maneuver through two lanes to enter the freeway.

This area needs to be redesigned or accidents will happen.

Clark Himeda
Kaimuki

Let’s consider banning cars

Cynthia Oi wrote an excellent article, zeroing in on all the "carrots" that might make a difference ("To get people out of cars, give them a better option," Star-Advertiser, Under the Sun, July 12).

But I keep looking for the "sticks"and I keep asking, "When will somebody have the guts to get to the real issue — too many cars?"

This is an island, after all. We have to think about how much space we are taking up and how much damage we’re doing.

Why is no one here talking about it, proposing real solutions?

Tom Tizard
Kailua