Research supports early education

Debates over federally funded universal preschool for 4-year-olds are timely for Hawaii ("Should universal preschool be federally funded?" Star-Advertiser, March 31).

The Heritage Foundation says no, claiming to use science-based arguments while ignoring the larger scientific consensus in the field. Sound familiar? Think global warming.

National research on early childhood is well documented. Brain architecture is largely set in the early years; nurturing, safe relationships promote healthy brain development; early childhood programs aim to nurture healthy development in the earliest years; high-quality programs with well-trained teachers and home visitors are effective in supporting the healthy development and well-being of young children.

All children deserve to have positive relationships, rich learning opportunities and safe environments.

During the next few weeks, Hawaii’s legislators will decide on strengthening Hawaii’s early childhood system by creating opportunities for all 4-year-old keiki to attend preschool. Let’s let them know Hawaii supports these measures.

Lynn B. Wilson
Waipahu

Hawaii doesn’t need ‘for profit’ insurer

We learn from your paper there is another "for profit" health careinsurer coming to Hawaii ("J.P. Schmidt to head Family Health Hawaii," Star-Advertiser, March 30).

In order to sell the insurance, especially to businesses that must provide health care to employees, for-profit insurers will offer very low prices. Then, in order to make a profit, they will delay payment to providers, refuse services and medications and declare there must be "prior authorization" for services, and many other tricks.

Family Health Hawaii is connected to a company called Multiplan. If a physician submits a proper bill for required and reasonable medical care, he will likely receive a fax from Multiplan offering a "negotiated settlement" in which it agrees to pay a much lower amount than billed and require an urgent response in a week. The clearly implied threat is that if the physician does not accept the lower amount, he may need to wait a long time or forever to be paid.

We do not need more "for profit" health care; we have done quite well with the nonprofit ones we have.

Dr. Alvin Murphy
Manoa

Public buildings should be uniform

Recent stories in the newspaper about University of Hawaii construction issues and Oahu road maintenence have a financial link.

We allow our elected representatives to support the construction of public works that aren’t easily maintainable.

Walk through any of the UH campuses and tell me how many different door types and windows and air handlers you see. The same with other public buildings: The Kapolei courthouse and the UH cancer center and medical school will be financial disasters to maintain over the next 50 years.

I have enjoyed building resorts for much of my professional career, but publicly owned buildings should have to justify every single upgrade for an unpainted tilt-up concrete warehouse or a pre-engineered building.

Usinga very small menu of repetitive simple designswith common components instead of these architectural statements would save taxpayers’ money.

Brian Bott
Makiki

Thomas utilizes McCarthy tactics

Cal Thomas was apoplectic about attacks on Dr. Ben Carson ("Liberals slander those who challenge their orthodoxy," Star-Advertiser, April 2).

Citing various political views, Thomas tried to construe liberal disdain for Carson as a form of racism and a defense of big government: "Government as solution isn’t working and Carson wants to discuss why. For this he is attacked?"

And in the tradition of Joe McCarthy, he completely disregarded the main reason why Carson’s credentials as a commentator are in question: Carson has equated homosexuality with bestiality and pedophilia.

Surely a distinguished neurosurgeon is smart enough to know better. Liberals have thus concluded that Carson intended to incite homophobia in the way McCarthy incited fear of communists, and as conservatives have stoked fear of Obamacare, voter fraud, immigrants, ad infinitum.

Peter Barmus
Kailua

Hawaii should adopt Jessica’s Law

Hawaii is one of only six states that does not have Jessica’s Law, which is designed to protect children from sexual predators and reduce a sexual offender’s ability to re-offend.

It requires electronic monitoring of those who have sexually assaulted a minor and it establishes a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years for felony sexual assault of a minor.

Shockingly, Hawaii requires only a paltry two-year prison sentence for adults convicted of sex crimes against a child.

State Sen. Sam Slom introduced a version of Jessica’s Law in the Hawaii Senate, but it failed to pass. This bill should have sailed through on a unanimous vote and signed into law.

I urge everyone to contact their representative and demand that they support Jessica’s Law.

Kurt Hanson
Tokyo

City not one to talk about trashy sites

I wonder if the "Kawamoto Bill" will apply to the City and County of Honolulu.

Look at the eyesore I have been complaining about for years in Waikiki: The block surrounded by Aloha Drive, Seaside and Royal Hawaiian avenues and a private street not a part of this complaint.

There has been an abandoned grocery cart, loads of trash, uncut grass, weeds and who knows what there for weeks.

The people using this empty lot for a staging area during street and sewer construction are negligent in doing their part to keep this area clean.

Since it is property owned by the city, why is it putting up with this? Do something already!

Betty "B.J." Dyhr
Waikiki