Rail reflects failure to grasp limitations

Unsustainable monetary practices are rampant in the nation, state and municipality.

It seems nobody — not political leaders, business leaders or the general public — grasps the concept of fiscal limitations.

So it’s no surprise the Hono-lulu rail project will cost significantly more than projected ("Price tag soaring," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19). This is likely just the beginning of bad news about cost overruns. Throw in an economic downturn and the sucking sound will get even louder.

The Honolulu rail project could be the national poster child for unrealistic economic expectations based on profligate tax-and-spend habits.

Gary Pardy
Haleiwa

Slater and Cayetano were right after all

Cliff Slater and former Gov. Ben Cayetano have already been proven right: There will be tremendous cost overruns for the clanky rail system ("Price tag soaring," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 19).

For the record, yearly operating costs will be a disaster, too.

Auwe for poor Oahu taxpayers.

Fred Hemmings
Kailua

Like H-3, people will grow to like rail

I travel quite a bit and I don’t rent a car. I always take trains to get around, whether it’s on the West Coast or Japan. It’s cheap, convenient and easy to do so.

Living in Kaneohe, I remember the long legal challenges and delays to building H-3 across the Koolau Range. In the end, budget overruns cost taxpayers a lot more money.

But today, Windward residents benefit from the highway and I’ve never heard any of my neighbors complain or regret that it was built. We appreciate having the third trans-Koolau route, especially when traffic is bad on the Pali or Likelike due to accidents or bad weather.

Likewise, once rail is up and running, I think the public will appreciate and frequently use it.

I’m confident that the public will come to utilize and benefit from rail transit. It is an investment in our future that will benefit island residents.

Dianna Lee
Kaneohe

Provoking dictator not very good move

We all know not to tease or provoke dogs and potentially dangerous people — especially people like North Korea’s dictator.

The controversy that has arisen regarding Sony’s movie, "The Interview," is not about freedom of speech. It is very much about discretion and maturity.

In this season of peace and good will, one might think Americans would at least have the sense, if not the grace, to avoid antagonizing unstable regimes and leaders.One does not create comedies about fictitious assassinations of a dictator notorious for his lack of humor, among far more heinous characteristics.

If there ever was an appropriate use of the word "stupid," it would be to describe the actions and decisions that led to this fiasco.

Mark Yasuhara
Aiea

Mariota admirable for many reasons

Fa’afetai tele lava goes to Marcus Mariota.

He brings to the Western worldSamoan native values of fa’a Samoa.

Mariota excels not only on the football field but in the game of life. The young man provides a field of dreams for young Polynesian athletes everywhere.The super athlete gives heated hope to the benchwarmer.He adds his sterling character to reinstate the honor once bestowed on the Heisman Trophy itself.

Samoa’s favorite son brings to the forefront the results of a mother and father enlisted and excelling in the greatest hood — parenthood. His dad’s brave donning of a loud aloha shirt among stiff shirts and in the blustery winter weather of New York spoke volumes about his roots.

Mariota’s sprint to greatness cultivates fertile ground for budding young seedlings to sprout and soar to towering heights.

Vernetta A. Hall
Laie

Exaggerating risks will deter bicycling

While frankly, I don’t share the Star-Advertiser’s enthusiasm for the King Street Cycle Track, the view is objective and reasonable ("Cycle track deserves support," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Dec. 17).

However, the reference to "the city’s appalling statistics on traffic fatalities" is misleading. (Any fatality is appalling, the statistics less so.)

Traffic fatalities remained between zero and three per year, even as Honolulu moved up to 9th in the nation in bicycle commuting. Certainly, more can be done to promote balanced transportation, but you do cyclists no favor by implying we are in mortal peril.

An argument for facilities like the cycle track is they encourage those who are interested but concerned by the perceived danger to give cycling a try.

Exaggerating the risk of a fatal collision while riding a bicycle artificially raises that barrier and may act to deter rather than encourage new cyclists.

There are real hazards and obstacles to cycling in our community and we are best served when they are accurately reported.

Nat Pak
Kaimuki