Ban on animal acts was right thing to do

Gov. David Ige’s pledge to discontinue the issuance of permits for entertainment acts involving wild animals goes beyond just animal welfare.

His pledge will lead to increased public safety, greatly reduced financial liability for the city and state, and improve the national and international image of Hawaii because it demonstrates that we have learned from past mistakes such as the Tyke tragedy and are making things right going forward.

Most of all, Ige’s pledge is simply the morally right thing to do. As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

With a huge thank you to Gov. Ige, we are now headed in the right direction and leading the nation on this issue.

Tyler Ralston
Maunalani Heights

Cost to run the rail less than for TheBus

Kay Kibby challenges the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s assertion that rail will be cheaper than bus (HART claims ‘facts’ where none exist," Star-Advertiser, Letters, May 11).

Does she not know that buses require a driver and that a rail car is automated?That will amount to about up to $50,000 per driver per year savings for salaries and benefits.

The cost of bus drivers’ salaries and benefits does not include the fossil-fuel cost to operate the buses and the cost to maintain them.

Another form of savings is that the rail will not pollute the air, whereas the buses burn fossil fuels and are a major contributor for the foul air we breathe.

These are more reasons why rail is needed for Honolulu besides reducing the daily traffic gridlock on our highways.

Roy S. Tanouye
Waipahu

What will folks at Ho‘opili eat?

Yes, I agree we need affordable housing on Oahu, and while I’m not sure the projected project in Ho‘opili will actually provide affordable homes to the average family on Oahu, one can’t help but wonder what these families will be eating.

With the continuing drought in California, the main supplier of our fresh fruits and vegetables, it seems that we have given up the opportunity to continue and increase our own locally grown food supply on this rich agricultural land that will soon be under Ho‘opili.

All the happy people sitting in their Ho‘opili houses with nary a bit of affordable local grown food in their cupboards — what a win-win situation for the developers and the politicians who supported them.

As for jobs, it won’t be long before construction workers will once again be on the bench after the project is completed. What then: Develop more agricultural lands, while our kids move away to seek a better future?

Dina Brown
Wahiawa

City housing efforts not focused enough

Your editorial, "Politics plague housing initiatives" (Star-Advertiser, Our View, May 11), states that reorganizing the city’s housing functions into a consolidated office makes sense, but that recreating the full-scale bureaucracy of the department shut down 17 years ago is unnecessary.

I introduced Resolution 15-43 requesting that the Charter Commission consider a charter amendment reorganizing the city’s housing functions. Our goal is to achieve consolidation and better coordination of housing functions to ensure a more focused effort — not creating another layer of bureaucracy or completely new department.

I agree with city Managing Director Roy Amemiya, who testified at the April 28 Executive Matters Committee meeting about possibly consolidating functions under the Department of Community Services and renaming it the Department of Housing and Community Services.

My colleagues on the Council and I will continue to work with the city administration to pursue solutions and opportunities to address Oahu’s severe lack of affordable housing and burgeoning homeless population.

Ron Menor
Councilmenber, Council District 9 (Ewa Beach, Waipahu, Mililani)

Kenoi’s punishment should fit the crime

If I were perfect, I would shout, "Hang Mayor Kenoi, he did wrong."

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi is a gifted inspirational speaker, a disarming motivator, a very smart and effective leader with a "can-do" attitude. He screwed up big time, he hung his head, he is paying his debts and he is eating humble pie. If I were perfect, I would cry for more blood.

Kenoi will have to pay for his mistakes. I hope the punishment fits the crime, no less, no more.

Then, for Hawaii’s sake, I hope Kenoi comes back, wiser, humbler and an even stronger leader.

Chris Nakamatsu
Kailua

Mauna Kea heritage belongs to us all

Thank you for the article, "Some Hawaiians see project as important cultural link" (Star-Advertiser, April 16).

It brought some important balance to the discussion. Those interviewed stated eloquently the case for the Thirty Meter Telescope and the improvements to stewardship of Mauna Kea.

I suggest that a lot more than "some," whether Hawaiian or non-Hawaiian, support the TMT and are entitled to be heard.

Mauna Kea is part of the heritage of all people. TMT will help us understand the origins of the universe, and is a project that all peoples should support.

Daniel C. Smith
Palolo Valley