Wind turbine buffer needs to be wider

On April 11, the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board voted on a resolution that increases buffer zones between large industrial turbines and private residences.

Current requirements allow wind turbines to be placed no closer than one times the height of the turbine from the land-owner’s property line.

The need for increasing the current buffer zone is partly due to fires that have occurred at the existing wind facility in Kahuku.

This resolution was supported by every community in Koolau-loa except Laie. Not a single Laie representative to the Koolauloa Neighborhood Board voted in support and the resolution failed. Additionally, the board did not allow for public comment, an apparent violation of the Sunshine Law.

I think residents in Laie should be asking their representatives why increasing safety zones for wind turbines is a bad idea while suppressing public input is acceptable.

Kent Fonoimoana
Kahuku representative, Koolauloa Neighborhood Board
Laie

Long gun lines not an issue for crooks

Ditto to Brian Isaacson regarding long gun registration lines ("Gun permit lines are taking too long," Star-Advertiser, Letters, March 28).

Long lines speak to the inefficiency of the police department and the hostility of the Legislature to legal gun owners.

Criminals don’t register, are not restrained by magazine limits and they carry concealed.Why not?They are criminals. That puts the rest of us at their mercy or lack thereof.

Bad things happen to good people anytime, anywhere.And if you want to defend yourself by carrying concealed, the police may, but do not, issue permits. Permits are issued only for extraordinary circumstances, which means you must already be under threat. Too late.

I’d like to carry concealed for self-defense. The police can’t be everywhere. And it’s too hard to carry a cop concealed.

Michael Lee
Maunalani Heights

Delaying justice is denying justice

Love is universal. On April 11, Uruguay took another step forward when Uruguayan lawmakers voted for marriage justice for all — something the legislators in Hawaii have forgotten as they fight against marriage justice with delaying tactics every step of the way.

At the Capitol this year, I have heard that lawmakers didn’t hear the marriage justice bills because:

1. They are waiting for the Supreme Court to decide on California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

2. They didn’t have the "will of the House or Senate" to hear the bills.

Martin Luther King Jr. said it best: Delaying justice is denying justice. How long will Hawaii delay justice?

Carolyn Martinez Golojuch
Kapolei

Public retirees slowing the canoe

Your article on the cost of funding public retiree health benefits was very enlightening ("This is gonna hurt," Star-Advertiser, March 17).

The obligation to pay these benefits to 3 percent of the population keeps the state’s budget in the red. Meanwhile, the other 97 percent of the population suffers furloughs, cuts to education and deterioratinginfrastructure.

The health benefits Hawaii pay to its retirees are the most generous of any state, but the recipients insist the terms cannot be changed. In a speech after taking office, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said we are all in the same canoe, but some of us are not paddling. Now we know who that is.

Richard Manetta
Wilhelmina Rise

Service members often misdiagnosed

About 31,000 service members are misdiagnosed with a personality disorder instead of being properly evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Legislation has been proposed to mandate that all branches of service re-evaluate those veterans for PTSD, thereby qualifying them to receive the supports they have earned. Having a diagnosis of a personality disorder is considered a pre-existing condition that does not qualify the veteran for lifetime medical support.

As a veteran and the spouse of an active duty soldier, this is very near and dear to my heart. I love my country and the patriots who serve her. Our warriors deserve better!

Leigh Mohr
Ewa Beach

Senate bill a threat to free association

Senate Bill 535 is a domestic worker protection bill in its final stages at the state Capitol.

The bill would endanger the employer’s First Amendment right to choose with whom he or she feels comfortable working around their home and family when they are away.

If the employer lays off the domestic worker for any reason, even a personality conflict, it could easily be misinterpreted in the worker’s mind as discrimination and generate a needless lawsuit.

I think this is bad legislation and encourage people to contact their legislators to voice their views.

K. Helene Goodness
Waipahu