Birthing moms can help others

As we approach Mother’s Day on May 10, we would like to thank all the mothers who have donated their baby’s umbilical cord blood to Hawaii Cord Blood Bank, the only public cord blood bank in this state.

Donated cord blood that meets the requirements can be listed on the "Be The Match Registry" and made available to anyone who needs a blood stem cell transplant.

Cord blood is rich in blood-forming cells and can be used to help treat more than 70 different diseases, including leukemia and other blood cancers.

Cord blood donations are especially needed from African-American, Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

There is no cost to donate; it is collected right after birth; and does not change the delivery process. Since its inception, the Hawaii Cord Blood Bank has provided matches for 166 transplants.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Dr. Randal Wada
Medical director, Hawaii Cord Blood Bank

Tax assessors fair, equitable

Regarding the letter, "Property Taxes Often Inexplicable" (Star-Advertiser, April 28):

For eight years, I have been a member of Property Tax Appeal Board No. 3. In all that time, I have never experienced or felt representatives of the city’s Real Property Assessment Division were anything other than professional, knowledgeable and experienced. In my opinion, they consistently do a fair and equitable handling of all appeals.

Regularly they meet with taxpayers to review assessments and when supportable by facts, propose adjustments.

If the taxpayer differs, they may appeal to us.

After hearing from the appellant and the city’s professional staff, we seldom propose modification. Opinions and listings are not determinative of value.

H. Stanley Jones, CPA
Makakilo

Rail will boost sound pollution

As rail is being built in Waipahu, it would behoove the mayor and City Council to put a fleet of loudspeaker-equipped vehicles onto Farrington Highway to broad- cast at the sound level of steel-wheel on steel track.

Here in Waipahu, we live under an aircraft flight path, in which rotor and fixed-wing craft fly without muffled engines; have the freeway and numerous emergency vehicles; and with dogs constantly barking adding to the noise pollution.

Tying rail noise into this everyday sound pollution is needed so residents will understand what the result of rail will be besides the sight blight.

With steel-wheel on steel track coming, broadcasting the sound that rail will make will help people realize what we who live in the rail corridor will be facing with noise pollution.

Richard Moran
Waipahu

Homeless issue is problem of all

The homeless problem is not a state or city problem, it’s a community problem.

It is apparent that for a variety of reasons, that neither the state Legislature nor the City Council has the ability or the willingness to find a permanent solution.

Therefore, the governor and the mayor should come together and form a task force made up of state and city managers and civic and religious leaders to come up with a solution to the homeless problem.

But a solution will not do any good unless the City Council and Legislature are willing to pass the necessary laws and proposals the task force recommends.

Wim Blees
Mililani

It’s not homeless being harassed

C. Richard Fassler’s thoughtful commentary (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 22), in quoting a homeless man, asks:"Why don’t they stop harassing us?"

Why indeed?Why don’t the homeless stop harassing us?

The homeless harasses the public by sleeping on the streets, living in the parks, begging and other ways.

The homeless are emboldened by our lack of a strategy to deal with homelessness.

Something must be done, but what?

Otto Cleveland
Pearl City