Re-regulate Hawaiian Air

Hawaiian Airlines’ arbitrary charges for ticketing are holding the Hawaiian local population hostage. When it costs more than $300 to fly round trip from Oahu to Hilo for local folks, something is wrong.

Since the demise of Aloha Airlines, Hawaiian has no real competition. In its quest for expansion into far-reaching foreign and domestic non-Hawaii markets, the cost of this is on the backs of inter-island routes.

It’s time to look at re-regulating Hawaiian, and I as well as many others are requesting our state representatives to look at taking over the ticketing practices of the airline. Questions need to be answered regarding how much of the local cost of tickets is subsidizing Hawaiian’s far-reaching hunger for more revenue and ever-increasing out-of-Hawaii expansion. We should not have to pay for this expansion, and there should be a two-tier cost for interisland flights, one for tourists and one for locals.

Sean Lester
Pukalani, Maui

Industry rules health care

Cliff Slater’s commentary about improving health care by not getting ill was simplistic if not Pollyannish ("We can improve health care ourselves," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, June 30). While a very few companies will pro-rate premiums if you remain healthy, the vast majority do not offer any such incentives.

My premium is the same as anyone else’s in my retiree group, even though I am relatively healthy and only see a nurse practitioner on average of twice a year. There is no incentive for insurance companies to do so as long as they are not mandated to do so. Therefore healthy individuals subsidize those not so healthy. As long as health care remains an industry, rather than a public service, the profit motive will rule.

Arthur Ratcliffe
Haleiwa

Make elections nonpartisan

The Democratic Party has proposed the laws be changed to closed primaries. Since the Democrats dominate the state politically, open primaries should not be of concern to the party as results of previous elections have shown that Democrats continue to dominate the Legislature.

The argument put forth by party leaders maintains that only registered Democrats should decide the outcome of the primaries. It would seem that, judging by the results of the previous election, the leaders feel they are losing control of the party. Their only opposition is the group composed primarily of dissident Democrats.

That being the case, why bother with primaries? Why not conduct nonpartisan elections as the City and County has done? Surely most races will result in card-carrying Democrats being elected. If any race results in no one receiving 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election could be held. Alternatively, the candidate with the most votes could be declared the victor even with less than 50 percent of the total votes cast. The state could save a lot of money by eliminating the primary election.

Melvyn Masuda
Kahala

Infrastructure pushed to limits

A 24-inch water main burst in Kahala recently; the day before, a 6-inch on Waialae Avenue; another, or more than one, of size yet unknown, lurks somewhere ready to burst, about 400 times per year.

Our sewage system is even more decrepit and burdened under a mandatory Environmental Protection Agency consent decree to perform corrective measures. According to a FitchRatings report, the cost is $5.4 billion, 78 percent of which will come from residents, added to their water bill. Our road systems rank 47th among the 50 states. Each day deterioration shows almost 200 instances of needed attention.

Without question, our infrastructure is incapable of sustaining our existing facilities. How can it be expected to serve the incoming inundation of high-rise structures planned for Kakaako and elsewhere on this island? Why are we applauding and patting ourselves of the back for this "upgrading" of our communities? Who is to benefit? Who is allowing this to happen? Pogo was absolutely right.

Norman MacRitchie
Kakaako

Finally, some good news

Thank you for the article, "American returns arm bones to war veteran" (Star-Advertiser, July 2).

After reading news like, "Secrets aired by Wiki-Leaks cheer al-Qaida," "2 top Vatican bank leaders quit amid financial scandal," and "Prison worker sentenced in sex abuse," it is so inspiring and encouraging to read about such an act of kindness and thoughtfulness. Our world ain’t going to pot yet!

Yoshie Tanabe
Kalama Valley