Churches should not be tax exempt

Suzie Lum writes that "churches are tax exempt … to preserve their autonomy and free exercise of religion."

Pray tell, how does taxing churches, like every other person, business or entity, infringe on a church’s autonomy or free exercise of religion?

Property taxes are for land and buildings. It doesn’t discriminate, or shouldn’t discriminate, based on a religious exception.

Religious figures should pay income taxes like everyone else on their earnings.

Why should any religious figure get a tax break not available to anyone else?

We all end up paying more taxes when religions fail to pay their fair share.

Peter Chisteckoff
Mililani Mauka

Closing parking lot is too high a price

In regard to your article that the parking area at Laniakea is going to be closed to deal with the traffic ("State fixes on concrete to block turtle-viewers’ cars," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 27): I am in this traffic almost every day and know something must be done.

When a marked police car sits on the ocean side, which I have seen often lately (thank you, HPD), the chaotic mess suddenly comes into control. The tour buses do not park on the ocean side, the pedestrians become mindful and manageable and the traffic moves, as well as lets groups pass.

I think a painted crosswalk with a yellow light might also be a simple solution to help the situation. If people crossed in one place, it would be easier and safer.

Closing the parking lot is much too high of a price to pay.

Closing the parking lot will take a surfing, fishing and visiting beach away from us. It is the wrong solution to dealing with the traffic problem.

Let’s be reasonable here.

Barbara Williams
Haleiwa

Barriers at Laniakea might worsen traffic

Since it appears that the decision has been made to place concrete barriers alongside Kamehameha Highway fronting Laniakea Beach as a means to reduce traffic congestion, I hope that some thought has been given to as how to prevent cars from just stopping to drop off and pick up passengers along the same stretch of road ("State fixes on concrete to block turtle-viewers’ cars," Star-Advertiser, Sept. 27).

I foresee lots of cars, no longer able to pull off and park, stopping in the roadway to do just that, with the result being traffic congestion little different than what North Shore residents currently experience.

Mark Gilmore
Ewa Beach

Obamacare great for insurance firms

Anyone who truly believes that uninsured Americans will benefit fromObamacare need only spend a few minutes on the Internet to realizethat the only real winners are insurance companies.

None of us, regardless of our insurance status, will be the winners. The only winners will be the insurance companies, their lobbyists andthe elected members of Congress who received their campaigncontributions and continue to spew their shibai.

Don’t believe me?

Check out the websites for job opportunities at anyof the major insurance companies. Talk about a boom in jobopportunities!

We can all look forward to higher premiums to pay fortheir salaries, bonuses and commissions.

Debra Miyake
Nuuanu

Congress cares mostly about itself

The message is clear and obvious in your stories about the government shutdown ("Sorry, we’re closed," Star-Advertiser, Oct. 1).

Officials in Washington care more about party politics than their own constituency.

Why is it that we continue to re-elect these terrible leaders? They are incompetent, have no business skills and literally get nothing substantive done. Consequently, people lose their jobs and self-esteem.

Ask these same lousy leaders: Will they also lose their jobs along with more than 800,000 other federal employees?

Nope.

The very same leaders who got us in this mess passed special legislation to ensure that each receives full pay while thousands of Americans are unable to pay their bills.

All these elected officials need to be removed from office to feel as do most Americans these days: broke and out of a job.

P. Greg Frey
Hawaii Kai

Peralta’s heroism finally recognized

It was a bittersweet redemption for the family of Sgt. Rafael Peralta when they were notified that an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer would be named posthumously in his honor.

It was a long-deserved recognition fraught with frustration in their quest to get the nation’s highest honor for him recommended by the Navy — the Medal of Honor.

Twice, his heroism in the Iraq war was inexplicably denied by former defense secretaries Robert Gates and Leon Panetta.

The comrades that he served with in that fateful battle testified how Sgt. Peralta, while gravely wounded, he threw himself on a grenade to save them.

It was the ultimate sacrifice to save others, but his extraordinary courage was apparently not viewed in the same way by the two former defense secretaries.

The Navy was not deterred to do the right thing to name a warship after this fearless warrior.

It is a distinction that Sgt. Peralta’s family and the country can be forever proud.

Gary Takashima
Waipahu, Hawaii