Candidates should focus more on ‘how’

We voters continue to hear about the lofty goals and aspirations of candidates.

And why not, since these pronouncements make great sound bites that likely impress many?

However, what is usually lacking is the "how" these candidates propose to actually achieve stated goals.

Without an effective action plan, these statements turn out to be empty promises that often disappoint us.

To illustrate: We often hear that a candidate’s highest priority is to preserve, even expand, Social Security and Medicare benefits. It’s a noble goal likely resonating with voters, but it’s more important to hear of the actions needed to ensure the long-term viability of these essential programs.

Also popular are promises to expand entitlements or create programs to benefit constituent groups. But that requires additional resources that may not be available without exacerbating our budget deficits.

I’d like to hear more of "how" candidates propose to accomplish their objectives.

Kay Kimura
Waialae

Reaching the needy is priority for DHS

In response to your Aug. 24 editorial entitled, "Fight to curb out-of-control living costs," the typical low-income Hawaii household is a single parent with minor children, earning minimum wage, at an annual income of roughly $15,084. These families routinely seek food assistance.

As of June 2014, 193,446 individuals were receiving federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) assistance from the state Department of Human Services.

That’s a 25 percent caseload increase since December 2010.

During that period, DHS’s application processing rates improved by 30 percent.

Today, 97 percent of all SNAP applications are processed timely. In recognition, the federal government awarded DHS a $724,139 bonus in 2012 for the nation’s most-improved program access.

Reaching all those who need food assistance is a priority for DHS. We agree that no individual or family should have to choose between buying food and paying a utility bill.

Nevertheless, DHS’s repeated requests to the Legislature to fund SNAP outreach to vulnerable, isolated populations have gone unanswered.

It takes a village.

Patricia McManaman
Director, state Department of Human Services

HEI salaries related to high energy cost?

Informative and interesting article on high-salaried occupations in Hawaii ("Medical field tops wage ranking in Hawaii," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 28).

Going a little further and calculating, it appears that the CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries received in the neighborhood of $2,885 an hour. Once you calculate the salaries of all other Hawaiian Electric employees, the total annual salaries must be off the charts.

Could that be one of the reasons that Hawaii owners and businesses pay the highest price in the nation for electricity?

James l. Robinson
Aiea

Local food labeling makes little sense

A recent rebuttal letter incorrectly restated my words, but I want to thank the contributor for helping me prove my points ("Public wants GMO labeling," Letters, Aug. 27).

The writer would be well served to read the Farm Bureau’s numerous testimonies on the GMO labeling issue.

We have long held the position that labeling should be addressed on a federal level.

In a state that imports the vast majority of its food, labeling on a local level makes little, if any sense. It is another misguided policy that would place Hawaii at a competitive disadvantage to the rest of the nation.

True, the market should decide. General Mills labeled Cheerios as GMO-free without a significant impact on sales.

Of course, Cheerios are made primarily of oats and there are no GMO oats.

Similarly, an organic designation does not guarantee that all contents are organically produced.

Buy or grow what you like, but let others do the same.

Chris Manfredi
Hawaii Farm Bureau

What will new rate be called on bill?

HECO’s new plan will raise more than solar rates; it will raise mine, too, and I’m not a solar customer because I live in a condo.

HECO says it now charges 34 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).

When I do the math, my last bill came out to 37.7 cents per kWh, all charges inclusive. Even if HECO reduced the charge from 37.7 cents per kWh to 26 cents per kWh and then added the $55 charge, my bill would increase by 25 percent.

I say, OK, charge me the 34 cents per kWh (not the 37.7 cents per kWh), but forget the $55 charge.

What does it plan to call the new charge anyway?My bill already has the following ambiguous charges on it:Customer Charge; Base Fuel Energy; Non Fuel Energy; Energy Cost Adjustment; IRP Cost Recovery; PBF Surcharge; Purchased Power Adjustment; RBA Rate Adjustment; and Renewable Infrastructure Pgm.

HECO is the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Baaaaaa to its plan.

Kathleen Adams
Mililani

Surfer ‘etiquette’ often about bullying

Finally, someone tells the truth in a public meeting.

Listening to the comments at the public meeting about stand-up paddleboarding, it was so refreshing to hear surfers tell the truth about their "self-regulation" policies in the water that are based on violence or the threat of violence.

While some may claim these policies reinforce etiquette, really all they do is enforce behavior that would never be tolerated on land.

Kris Schwengel
Hawaii Kai