The Dillingham Ranch development raises the question of whether ministerial-level subdivision designations for agriculture-zoned housing should be re-examined (“Ag land acrimony,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 12).

With the process allowing for very limited public input and no subsequent mechanisms of accountability, the public interest in productive agriculture is beholden to developers subverting well-intentioned land-use law. Perhaps the current law is obsolete or weak by not providing for powers to prevent such abuses.

Because ex post facto laws are unconstitutional, another part of the island likely will be developed. But action can be taken now to address future contingencies.

Matthew Cabamongan
Waialua

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NextEra could cut Hawaii jobs

NextEra’s claim that its takeover of Hawaiian Electric Industries will result in $1 billion in customer savings and economic benefits over five years raises a significant question.

How much of this savings and economic benefit will be due to cutting employment? How many Hawaii jobs will be lost after the two-year hiatus?

How many engineers, accountants, human resource professionals, schedulers, and so on, will find their jobs sent to NextEra’s Florida headquarters? How many more of our children and grandchildren will have to move to the mainland to find meaningful employment in their chosen fields?

If NextEra is truly interested in being a good Hawaii corporate citizen, it needs to provide more details as to its long-term plans.

John Priolo
Pearl City

DOH must work to save funding

It’s never easy when someone steps into a high-status position, such as Keith Kawaoka in becoming the state Department of Health’s deputy director for environmental health.

Regarding Oahu’s drinking water infrastructure, Kawaoka said he “inherited” a troubled revolving-fund program hobbled by internal and external problems (“Repair holes in drinking water fund,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Aug. 12). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the problems go back at least 10 years.

Oahu is very close to losing federal funds due to lack of communication and poor management within a division in charge of making major improvements to our aging drinking water infrastructure. It’s unfortunate that the problems weren’t resolved before.

Let’s hope that the Lean Kaizen improvement program, which is practiced in the private sector, will be Oahu’s life preserver. We can’t afford to lose funds. Oahu needs to get back to the surface and remain afloat.

Alexis M. Liftee
Nuuanu

Homeless should keep areas clean

On the bike path behind Pearlridge, I ran into about 20 city employees with dump trucks, a quarry-size front-end loader and a flatbed truck with about 30 shopping carts on it, cleaning up the homeless camp there.

None of the 30 or more permanent residents of the camp were around. They were not knocking down tents or anything, just clearing the sides of the bike path.

I have as much empathy as anyone for the homeless, but living in filth should not be tolerated on public land. We should immediately put dumpsters at each camp site and tell the people living there to use them. If officials see any violations of our littering laws, then cite the offenders.

There are three sites on the bike path that will require a front-end loader to clear up the trash piles made by the homeless. Unacceptable.

Gary Dubrall
Kapolei

Support Schatz and Iran deal

I sent U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz a letter thanking him for taking the courageous and forward-looking stand to support the nuclear deal with Iran.

I also urged other members of our congressional delegation to join Schatz in supporting the agreement. This is the right thing to do, and provides a constructive path forward in the Middle East.

With Iran engaged as a responsible member of the world community, problems such as ISIS terrorism may be solvable.

Compared to such Islamic “allies” as Saudi Arabia, Iran represents a relatively progressive state that allows more freedoms for women and has more potential to develop into a real democracy.

The alternative, treating Iran as a pariah and eternal military adversary, could only end very badly for the world.

Michael J. DeWeert
Kaneohe