Isn’t it about time to take another vote on the future of rail transit?

During the original voting on this project, some people may have been misled by the description of “light rail” that turned out to be “heavy rail.”

This overpriced rail project is getting more and more expensive as it makes it way into town (“Rail again in danger of deficit,” Star-Advertiser, April 3; “HART schemes to end talk of cutting short rail’s reach,” Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, April 3).

How much more money is this ill-conceived and inadequately managed project going to cost Oahu residents, including those who won’t even be using it? Put to a vote ending this project at the Middle Street Bus Depot, save the Blood Bank and block the blight of the unbelievably out-of-place structures in the downtown area. Save the beauty of our Honolulu.

Lani Johnson

Salt Lake

Superdelegates should back Sanders

The Democratic superdelegates should remain aware of the overwhelming victory (over 70 percent of the votes) of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential preference poll in March, and support this candidate in the upcoming convention.

We activists who advocated for Sanders as the authentic progressive in this race are the same activists who worked hard to elect the current progressive Hawaii state and national lawmakers. We continue to support these progressives and hope they will support us.

Ray Kottke

Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaii island

Superdelegates can choose as they wish

It is my understanding that a superdelegate can choose a candidate depending on whom he or she, as an individual, believes will be the best person to serve the citizens of Hawaii.

The ordinary delegates must reflect the percentage of popular votes for the various candidates, as in the case of the recent Democratic presidential preference poll.

The percentage of people desiring a given candidate may not be accurately reflected by the poll. Maybe there are people who didn’t vote because of physical challenges.

There was no opportunity for mail-in voting, which might affect older or handicapped persons. Due to poor commun- ication, others may have arrived too late to vote.

Allowing superdelegates to vote for whom they want is within the democratic process and part of their responsibilities — whether people with a specific agenda like it or not.

Connie Wickware

Kalihi Valley

Money for shrine should go to needy

I find it odd that Catholic Charities Hawaii will be receiving grant money to assist with the issue of homelessness (“AUW gets $1M from state to kick off assistance for homeless,” Star-Advertiser, April 2), when a Catholic church in Waikiki is able to afford a whopping $25 million on a shrine for saints (“Waikiki church’s $25M project will pay tribute to 2 isle saints,” Star-Advertiser, April 3).

To the non-Catholic eye this reads as, “Rather than spending money on needy living people, we will spend it on two deceased people who we liked a whole lot.”

I would urge anyone from outside the Catholic faith to reconsider giving the church any more money for philanthropic work of any kind. Perhaps they believe needy people have nothing to offer?

Katherine Kogl

Kakaako

Rules still allow developers to profit

A statement by Gladys Quinto Marrone in the April 1 Insight feature deserved to be published on April Fool’s Day (“Gladys Quinto Marrone,” Star-Adveriser, Name in the News).

Marrone, whose job is to represent developers, complains that “the cost (for additional infrastructure created by new development) is only borne by the people that are buying the new homes.”

Does that mean she and the companies that pay her believe that people who already live in the area where new development takes place should share the costs created by additional homes, when there is no added benefit for them?

Developers will always find a way to create a profit once the “rules” they have to work with are established.

Constantly allowing variances just adds to the profits the developers make.

If the City Council continues to increase the height of new developments proposed in Honolulu, we will move one step closer to creating HongKongalulu.

Bill Quinlan

Velzyland

Only HECO benefits from smart grids

Hawaiian Electric Co. paints an appealing picture of its smart grid and all the benefits it will provide us (“HECO wants to build smart grid,” Star-Advertiser, April 1).

Too bad it’s all an illusion.

Smart grids and smart meters only benefit utility companies, at the expense of their customers.

Does a company that sells electricity really want you to use less? No, they want you to pay extra for the privilege of using electricity when you need to use it. This is what comes with a smart meter — time-of-use pricing, which can be 44 percent more in the evening when you need it most.

Smart meters are much more accurate than analog meters, too, so you will pay more.

Smart meters are data recorders profiling your household activities 24/7. Data that can be sold.

Smart meters emit dangerous pulsed microwave radiation 24/7.

Smart meters in a mesh network have never been tested for safety.

Don’t believe the hype.

Ron Becker

Hawi, Hawaii island