Fossil fuels fuel global terrorism

We, as Americans,financeterrorism. That is the ugly truth that no one else will tell you.

A portion of each dollar we spend on gas and fossil fuel ends up in terrorist hands, and they use it to buy weapons of mass destruction that kill thousands.

As we enrich the oil producers in the Middle East by importing oil, they in turn funnel part of that money to the terrorists. If not for oil money, terrorists who today can instill fear in whole nations across the globe would only be tiny groups of poorly armed, angry men stuck in the Middle East.

As a nation, we need to drill for moredomesticoil (in this case, beingtoogreenwillkill you), develop alternative energy, and enact a plan to decrease and finally end importing oil from "terrorist" countries. Then we will have made real strides toward ending terrorism.

Leighton Loo
Kaimuki

It’s not HECO’s call about tax rebates

Something seems to have been lost in the debate over our rooftop solar panels.

The idea was to find a way to reduce the island’s collective carbon dioxide footprint. In order to do that, homeowners needed an incentive. Tax rebates are that incentive.

This should not be Hawaiian Electric’s call. HECO, as a corporation, has no interest in reducing CO2, if it costs the corpor- ation money.

That is why, I hope, we have government and regulations that lean toward the interests of the people, not the corporations.

Garry Francell
Waialae Nui Ridge

Solar production was boon for HECO

Hawaiian Electric Co. encouraged solar power production because it made economic sense for HECO and for all its customers.

This solar power production deferred rate increases for needed generating capacity that HECO otherwise would have been required to build itself. HECO also touts solar power as a non-fossil-fueled, sustainable resource.

Due to significant tax credits, customer-generated solar power was cheaper (and more timely) than power that HECO could have produced itself. HECO enjoyed the additional capacity, deferred ratemaking politics, and avoided the customer rate-shock that would have occurred if it had built this generating capacity itself.

Shame on HECO for creating a wedge between its solar and non-solar customers over transmission upgrade costs.

HECO dollars to be spent on transmission upgrades have been more than offset by the dollars that HECO saved by not building this generating capacity itself, dollars that ultimately all HECO customers would have paid.

Donald Armstrong
Kailua

Let the fans pay for UH athletics

Taxpayers subsidize the University of Hawaii to develop and operate a money-losing football team.

Now Roy Miyamoto suggests that taxpayers and UH students (through their student fees) should bribe (subsidize) people to come watch the football team play ("Offer prizes to fans at UH football games," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 9).

Here’s a simple idea: Let the football fans and alumni pay for the amount and level of football they want — by donations to the athletic program or by buying tickets and going to the games.

Garnett Howard
Ewa Beach

Housing shortage caused by zoning

The objective of new vacation rental zoning regulations is to do what? To help residents find and afford housing? I don’t think so ("Vacation rentals both a challenge and opportunity­," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Sept. 15).

Tourism does not cause homelessness. Tourists are not responsible for outdated Oahu zoning that prohibits all sorts of housing and rentals.

Vacation rentals on Oahu do not include mobile homes, trailer homes, mini homes and container homes that are also outlawed by law for local residents as well as visitors.

Tourism provides jobs in all these sleepy, once-agricultural and rural communities all over the islands. Sugar and pine will never return. Vacation rentals help support the lowest unemployment rate in the country. Without money, no homes are affordable.

Outdated zoning deprives Oahu residents of properties that would be suitable for long-term rental or even purchase, exacerbating our housing shortage and high costs. Not tourism.

Cracking down on short-stay rentals is not the solution. It is part of the problem.

Will Page
Kailua

Tobacco ban at CVS a cynical maneuver

If CVS and Longs are so concerned about health, why are their shelves still stocked with alcohol and pharmacies still dispensing addictive prescription drugs?

And do I dare mention the rows of high-calorie snack food and sugary candy?

Cigarettes are one of the most heavily taxed consumer products in the United States. Federal, state and local governments collect more money from the sale of cigarettes than retailers, wholesalers, farmers and manufacturers combined.

By eliminating tobacco sales in 8,000 stores, CVS is getting free editorial space in nearly every newspaper, from The New York Times to the Star-Advertiser — ad space that would have cost a fortune.

Despite the millions of research compilations proving the deadly health effects of tobacco use, CVS continued pushing the product until now, with tobacco sales so low that shelf space can be better used by more popular consumer purchases.

James "Kimo" Rosen
Kapaa, Kauai