NextEra won’t be cat’s meow

The sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy will be approved, and a lot of people will make a lot of money.

But do not believe the rosy predictions. They are just propaganda.

NextEra wants to make money. What is not to like about buying a privately owned company that has a monopoly presumably regulated by the Public Utilities Commission, but is allowed to charge exorbitant rates for its product and is not required to reinvest its profits to modernize its operations?

And the PUC further protects the company by allowing it to profit regardless of the decreasing amount of product it sells.

The company promises to not raise rates for four years. This just means that after four years, the new Hawaii subsidiary of Next-Era will come crying to the PUC for a rate increase to recoup the cost of the investment in new renewable energy production.

Adrienne S. Dey
Hilo

Oahu becoming a big nuisance

Visiting Hawaii four to six times a year, lately I’m really starting to notice the number of red-light runners, crazy bicyclists, loud motorcycles and increasingly numerous tourist trams which all decrease the quality of life.

We expect one to three drivers to dangerously speed through any intersection when the light turns red. Red-light cameras are definitely needed.

Bicyclists should be ticketed when they break laws. It is hard to avoid hitting them when they go the wrong way or quickly turn in front of cars. It is also hard to avoid being run over by them when walking on sidewalks or in crosswalks.

Our ears are continually assaulted by motorcycles modified to make ear-splitting noises. There must be noise ordinances that can be enforced.

What about a reduction in the endless number of almost-empty tourist trams clogging up the streets in Waikiki and polluting the air?

Christine Marks
Wilmington, Del.

Use rail funds for buses instead

Concerning our planned rail transit system, the bottomless money pit is only the second-biggest worry.

The first and most important worry is that nothing seems to be happening to alleviate our traffic problems, which cause long working days for many commuters as well as the added expense and air pollution.

It must be difficult for those working two jobs, especially for those with children.

The rail planners have admitted that this rail system will do little to ease current traffic problems. Our gridlock is likely to get constantly worse.

The second worry is the bottomless money pit, with locals being forced to move elsewhere to escape our high taxes and high cost of living.

Perhaps a better bus service is partly the answer, as previously suggested. Money spent on rail, with rapidly escalating costs and no relief in sight, could be better used to subsidize a better bus system, while making fares more affordable.

Bill Russell
Mililani

Don’t give HART a blank check

Throw more good money after bad ("Council probes rail’s fiscal health," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 15)?

Abandon rail in its current form so Oahu has a new tourist attraction — those tall pillars dotting the landscape?

After two hours of being grilled by the City Council about rail budgets, it seemed the only solution the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation could imagine is more taxes for residents, many of whom will have little if any benefit of rail. Do we believe that any estimates of rail costs are accurate on construction that is years away?

In the private sector, it was my experience that when a project was over budget, a definitive plan on how to address the issue was required.

Staff and salary reductions, tighter bidding and quotation processes and reduced or simplified design specifications were all used to bring the total cost back in line with expectations.

HART needs to meet its on-time, on-budget commitment before simply asking for more money.

Greg Schmidt
Hawaii Kai

Minor issues distract police

What, no crime statistics reported for the past two years to the FBI ("HPD system fires blanks," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 4)?

Amazing. We must be really safe here in Honolulu. Our police officers have time to go after pedestrian infractions and chase homeless at night from sleeping wherever. But not to file reports with the FBI.

Mike Wilcox
Makiki