Quit blocking more housing

I wonder where Questor Lau came from ("‘Den’ additions dwarf ohana units," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 30)?

These "experts" in their ivory hales presume to lord over "suspicious dwellings" applications, all the while showing their own biases: "I live in a residential neighborhood and I don’t want it to change. I love it," says Lau.

Change is inevitable, you cannot stop it. And trying to prevent people from finding affordable ways to live in their neighborhoods is reprehensible.

Responsible homeowners should be able to build ohana units and accessory dwellings and put whom-ever they want in them. It is a win-win for this state; bringing in jobs and tax revenues, as well as providing dwellings for friends or family.

This restrictive building attitude for Hawaii is backward thinking. Let’s expedite, not over-regulate, ways for us to live in our own homes and state. Otherwise, we’ll all end up in tents on the sidewalk.

Faith Burns
Hawaii Kai

Punishment was inadequate

The city Prosecutor’s Office lost track of a negligent homicide case for more than two years until the statute of limitations expired ("City, state must perform better," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Nov. 28).

No justice was done to the bereaved, but the punishment for the responsible party was suspension for four days without pay.

Whoa — four extra days of vacation.That person should not be suspended because even more cases could get lost.Put the person on maintenance or paper-clip counting all day, but no more jobs that require conscientious, reliable attention to public needs.

I have worked here for more than 25 years and would love an extra four days of vacation every year.Even without pay.

Gerhard C. Hamm
Waialae Iki

Shopping mall demotes Santa

I frequently walk Ala Moana shopping center for exercise.

Last year during the yuletide season at Center Stage, there was acosmetics promotion. There were scantily clad models andbare-chested men, gyrating toblaringly loud Whitney Houston songs. Santa was in close proximitytrying to talk tochildren. Not appropriate for the holidays.

Now Santa has been moved toward the recess of the Nordstrom wing. To make matters worse, the Christmas trees that graced the Center Stage, mall level, has also been moved to the Nordstrom wing, fourth floor.

Call me a softy, but to see Santa and such beautiful trees pushed off to the side makes me wonder what priorities of Christmas doesAla Moana Center hold dear. Traditions? St. Nick? Old Tannenbaum? Or the almighty dollar?

How sad.

Robert K. Soberano
Moiliili

Don’t rescind mileage order

I take issue with Merrill Matthews’ opinion that the Obama administration’s fuel-efficiency mandate should be rescinded ("Rescind Obama’s new mileage mandate?" Star-Advertiser, Dec. 1).

The mandate is one of the most important actions taken by the administration to rein in green- house gases emitted by our vehicles.

Matthews’ argument that by achieving greater fuel efficiency people will simply drive more is absurd. Seriously?

I own a Prius that gets better than 50 miles per gallon, and I haven’t decided that it would be a good idea to drive around the island a few times just for fun.

Buying less gas gives people more money in their pockets to buy necessities like food and shelter.

Matthews is a resident scholar at the Institute for Policy Innovation, a conservative think tank funded in part by the Koch brothers and Exxon/ Mobile. They do have a dog in this fight.

Ken Kessler
Waianae

Bike lane looks rather perilous

I look down onto South King Street from my high-rise condo and on a daily basis see the increased slowdown of traffic from Alapai Street to Ward Avenue throughout the day and especially at morning and evening rush hour.

If the white-painted asphalt barriers were not dangerous enough, now the brain trust has installed many dangerous poles along the entrance, middle and exit of the driveways and intersections.

I can see an accident waiting to happen when two bicycles traveling in opposite directions hit each other and someone will gets impaled when they get knocked off their bicycles.Whatever happened to common sense?

James C. Kidder
Kakaako