Overdevelopment will ruin Oahu

The contention by Paul Brewbaker that the answer to the complaints from visitors that Waikiki is too crowded is to build more hotels is absolutely wrong ("Visitor growth prompts warning," Star-Advertiser, March 10).

Our infrastructure is already overburdened with too many people, and adding more would simply exacerbate an already unacceptable situation. We don’t need more people in Waikiki.

The overcrowding is not just a Waikiki issue. Kamehameha Highway between Haleiwa and Kahuku is regularly in gridlock, with 15-minute trips requiring an hour or more. So the answer to this is to quadruple the density at Turtle Bay?

What we need are some brave leaders who will recognize that uncontrolled development will eventually make Oahu undesirable, and who will also consider the effect of too much development on the quality of life for those of us who live here 365 days a year.

Bill Quinlan
Velzyland

Send more visitors to neighbor isles

The article, "Visitor growth prompts warning" (Star-Advertiser, March 10) fails to point out that the leadership from the Hawaii Tourism Authority has been sorely shortsighted in recent years.

HTA long ago should have crafted a definitive plan to balance tourism’s draw across all of the main islands, working proactively with each county in the state. HTA’s leadership is far below world-class.

Von Kaneshiro
Liliha

Gas tax won’t raise anticipated revenue

The federal, state and municipal governments around the nation depend on gasoline taxes for road repair and other things.

Here in Hawaii, we are taxed the highest in the nation and burdened with a regressive tax system to boot. The gas tax isn’t a reliable source of income in the future, as consumption will decline as prices rise and supply is controlled as we move toward more fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids and all-electric vehicles.

Gasoline consumption should decline, resulting in less tax revenue. Our governments, especially here in Hawaii, need to look at alternative sources of revenue as well as demonstrate fiscal responsibility, something that has never been done. Cut out waste, stop borrowing from one fund to pay another, reduce our debt.

What is an alternative source for revenue?

Dave Leatherman
Kaimuki

Increased gas tax a small price to pay

I hope the City Council approves Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposal to increase the gas tax by 5 cents a gallon to pay for road repairs and to restore the bus system.

We citizens of Honolulu complain when the government doesn’t take care of these problems but refuse to help.It’s time for us to step up.

It will cost only $1 more per fill-up for larger cars. We are the ones who use the roads. We should be the ones to pay for their upkeep.

Catherine Graham
Lower Alewa Heights

State, feds must fight coffee borer

Last week the coffee borer infestation — the bane of the Hawaii coffee growers — made its way to the East Coast, at least in the form of a plea for help.

When the National Farmers Union (NFU) 111th Annual Convention adjourned March 5 in historic Springfield, Mass., Hawaii Farmers Union United Legislative Committee Chairman Simon Russell hand-delivered the important message to the undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Russell was also successful in garnering approval for an NFU policy amendment urging the USDA Research Service to provide emergency funding for eradication of pest infestations such as the coffee berry borer.

The state Legislature is currently considering a bill that would fund further research of the Coffee Berry Borer Task Force; however, the current version of House Bill 353 requires matching grants not less than $200,000 to be provided before state funds can be accessed.

Simon Russell
Haiku

No one to lobby for spiked lug nuts

It’s ironic but sad that the Honolulu Police Department’s proposal to ban spiked lug nut covers — which probably have no record of causing serious injury, much less a single fatality — has generated little protest ("HPD seeks ban on spiked lug nut covers," Star-Advertiser, March 8).

Yet any discussion of limiting access to "assault weapons," which have been used in multiple slayings of innocent people, is met with much derision by many over a perceived infringement of the Second Amendment.

It’s probably good there’s no "National Spiked Lug Nut Cover Association"; otherwise, HPD’s proposed legislation would be in serious trouble.

Gary Lum
Hawaii Kai

Make education a political priority

So once again, our governor makes outlandish statements against our public school teachers. He endeavored to subvert ongoing negotiations by, according to newspaper reports, telling the nation’s governors that the state may again impose a labor contract on teachers if a 2013-2015 deal isn’t reached.

Arrogance can be seen when he said, "So if push comes to shove, then we’ll have to continue to impose a contract."

Where are our congressional leaders from Hawaii and our state legislators who were making campaign promises in placing education as a priority?

It seems no one is supporting the teachers who have sacrificed pay raises and concessions in health benefits and been subjected to furloughs and other absurd criticisms concerning their working hours when they need this support and morale booster.

Enough is enough!

Randall Ng
Kapahulu