Solar users shift cost to others

It seems solar energy advocates want another financial handout, this time from Hawaiian Electric Co. customers.

Caitlin Pomerantz of the Sierra Club says that HECO, not solar users, should pay for system upgrades needed to accommodate new solar installations ("Upgrading grid should be normal business cost," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 11).

"HECO" means "all HECO customers."

Solar energy customers have benefited greatly from tax breaks that make solar affordable. So have solar energy companies. But energy independence and environmental benefits are not the primary reasons people buy solar. Personal gain is. One recent TV ad actually makes fun of people who buy solar for altruistic reasons.

Widespread solar energy use is a worthy objective. But the industry has already gotten a tremendous kick-start from the taxpayer. Solar advocates should stop looking for handouts and work to make the industry self-supporting — and off government support.

James B. Young
St. Louis Heights

Bible-loving only goes so far

Thank you to Pastor Matt Hilpert for his letter ("Bible-loving people have love for all," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 12).

I think Christians mean well, but their actions speak louder than their words and so many of their words, attitudes and actions toward people with whom they disagree have not been loving at all.

Gay marriage is just one of many difficult issues. This has been the problem of the church ever since its inception: Dissent and difference are not welcome and are often handled very poorly.

Like many others, my family and I have been unwitting victims of this inability to practice unconditional aloha.We wish what Hilpert said is true, but, unfortunately, our experience has been to the contrary.

Mark Yasuhara
Aiea

Bill 59 probably unconstitutional

Honolulu City Council Bill 59 is an ill-conceived proposal and a typical example of legislation proposed as a knee-jerk reaction to a problem created by earlier poorly written legislation ("Council bill bans lying down on public sidewalks," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 9).

Local defense lawyers must be licking their chops at the thought of all of the clients they will be presented with.

This bill cannot possibly meet the criteria of the Bill of Rights, as it will almost certainly infringe on the people’s right to express themselves in public.

Donald Chambers
Mililani

Kailua board didn’t all agree

I read with interest an article about the Kailua Neighborhood Board voting overwhelmingly to ask the Hawaii Tourism Authority not to promote Kailua as a destination for visitors.

There is much more to this story, as three members of the board did not vote for the passage and Kailua business owners spoke passionately against the proposed measure, including former state Sen. Pohai Ryan.

I, too, voted "no" on this measure due to its wording, which, in my opinion, should have been reported to the public.

You can see the resolution in its entirety in the September agenda posted at www1.honolulu.gov/nco/nb31/13/31sepag.htm

Mike Gallagher
Kailua Neighborhood Board

New condo will help taxpayers

A new condominium tower on the former Comp-USA store site in Kakaako could be a huge positive for the area. It could provide new tax dollars that would help discourage raising taxes on already- established residents.

The development would bring to the neighborhood a form of urban renewal and prevent urban decay that ultimately would result in crime, poverty and societal neglect, which have been the downfall of too many American cities.

There must be an investment in city areas or else taxes will go up. Those who want to believe that they own an existing city view at the expense of development should pay that tax, not the rest of Oahu.

Monte Petersen
Nuuanu

Drivers should know English

Does anyone else consider it wrong that our government is considering printing written driver’s tests in foreign languages to accommodate people who are not proficient enough to read and understand English to pass the test?

Shouldn’t anyone who drives be confident that their fellow drivers can fully comprehend all directions and signs on the road in English?

Carol Tom
Aiea