Our state and its Legislature forget why the voters of Honolulu supported rail and three rail-support-ing mayors since 2008. In addition to transportation needs, the project is an economic stimulator.
Now that the economy has rebounded a bit, folks want improved state facilities like schools, hospitals and the courts. The same can be said for city facilities, as taxpayers demand better parks, gyms and sports fields.
At the same time, many people protest all development and other economy-stimulating initiatives.
I often wonder how these CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) expect government to pay for all their desired services without the monies that the initiatives they protest would generate.
How about those who say no one wants gaming ask their state lawmakers to allow the counties to have gaming if placed on the ballot for a vote?
Call this a voluntary tax that would allow those who don’t want to pay not to play.
Whitney T. Anderson
Waimanalo
Love is the answer to terrorist atrocities
Atrocities in Orlando, Dallas and now Nice, France, are occurring almost daily around the world and are competing with man-made disasters and catastrophic natural disasters for our attention.
How can world leaders successfully tackle the major problems of our time, such as climate change and water and food shortages, when they have to devote so many resources to protecting their citizens from righteous zealots who believe it is their duty to kill innocent civilians in pursuit of a cause or misplaced rage?
When are we going to learn that our greatest gift in life is not power, fame or wealth, or even life itself?
It is love.
Until each of us can look in the eyes of others who do not share our race or gender or culture or values, and yet know they have the same worth that we do, there will never be peace.
Robert Griffon
Moiliili
Oppose expansion of Papahanaumokuakea
Those advocating the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM) champion the anti-U.S. fishing movement that inhibits the local production of seafood from our American, Hawaii-based fishing boats that fish in U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone waters out to 200 miles around Hawaii.
A well-funded international organization (Pew) lubricates this anti- fishing effort with a steady flow of money and publicity at every level. On the ground, this movement thrives on idealism and a lack of critical thinking to fuel the demise of one of the most successful and last remaining examples of “buy local.”
Hawaii’s 2050 sustainability plan calls for efforts to support our food security. The U.S.-Hawaiian wild-caught, sustainable and renewable pelagic seafood industry, managed based on science, is the largest contributor supporting our food security.
Let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Do not support the expansion of the PMNM and the end of pelagic fishing by U.S. fishermen in U.S. waters.
Tony Costa
Hawaii Nearshore Fishermen
Hawaii doctors among lowest-paid in nation
Star-Advertiser writer Dave Segal cites the career resource website, Zippia, and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as saying that “family and general practitioners have the highest average annual salaries in Hawaii” (“Doctors top list of highest-paid jobs in the isles,” Star-Advertiser, July 12).
Unfortunately, the article failed to mention that “data from self-employed persons are not collected and are not included in the estimates,” according to the bureau.
Most of Hawaii’s physicians are self-employed and so were not included, meaning the data collected pertained to physicians employed by corporations.
The truth is that doctors and nurses in Hawaii are among the lowest paid in the nation, as reflected by wallethub.com, where Hawaii is ranked 50 out of 51 in the “Lowest Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Mean Annual Wage for Physicians.” Hawaii is also ranked as having one of the fewest physicians per capita.
This explains why you can’t find a doctor or specialist in Hawaii when you need one.
Guy Yatsushiro, M.D.
Kalihi
Enforce laws to get homeless off streets
It is very discouraging that the police are not enforcing the laws passed for the welfare of the general public, after countless hours spent at public hearings.
People have been camping in parks for weeks even when they are closed. The parks are littered with shopping carts. People are living or sleeping on the sidewalks, discouraging foot traffic into and out of Chinatown.
We are frustrated that there has been no positive change. We understand that the homeless require significant care and that they are part of our ohana. The mentally ill need to be given greater care and proper medication; the addicted require treatment.
Their quality of life will not improve by living on the sidewalk. We are doing them and our residents a disservice by allowing this constant illegal activity to continue.
Roland Louie
Kaimuki
FROM THE FORUM
“Caldwell takes Djou to task for withdrawing from debate”
Star-Advertiser, July 9:
>> Mayor Kirk Caldwell should just keep his mouth shut as, like Charles Djou said, there will be many more opportunities for both of them to debate before the election. One cancellation does not make an election.
>> Djou, you were my man, but the debate cancellation makes me wonder.
>> Part of the problem with the current system is that unless a candidate is “pre-selected” by the media, it is extremely difficult to get a message out.
——
“Solar loan program wastes millions”
Star-Advertiser, July 10:
>> What a boondoggle! As long as we have it, we might as well use it to build community solar projects that allow renters and those who live in apartment buildings to purchase shares and participate.
>> An outdated program created by the previous governor? Shut it down. Cut our losses and move on.
>> Another example of our government creating a solution in search of a problem. Let the free market do its job and things tend to work out.
——
“Education summit explores options for transforming system”
Star-Advertiser, July 10:
>> From a teacher’s perspective, I do not have time to attend weekly mandatory meetings to provide data from my students to someone else who, compared to me, has a cushy job, who does not teach, and gets paid the same amount of money or more than most teachers.
>> The best part of the summit was the opportunity to talk to parents, administrators and other teachers who believe in the importance of public education and the urgency to make meaningful changes.
——
“Vote on new Native Hawaiian constitution might occur in late 2017”
Star-Advertiser, July 11:
>> Holomua! Mahalo nui to the delegates and their many supporters for bringing Hawaiian self-governance this far. Please do not give up!
>> This thing wouldn’t die. By hook or by crook, they will push this thing through so that the Native Hawaiian elite can claim millions to put in their own pockets.
——
“Weekly cleanups provide temporary respite from homeless and their belongings”
Star-Advertiser, July 12:
>> The woman lazing in her chair while city workers have to clean up after her is telling. The homeless can at least help city workers clean up the mess they make.
>> When we see members of the ACLU out there helping out the neighborhoods, shop owners, people with just as much right to “civil liberties” as the homeless, they will win back their credibility.
>> Maybe this should be compared to bulky-item pickup provided by the city for homeowners, when people leave large hulking pieces of junk curbside and the city hauls it away for them. I’m betting it picks up a lot more junk from homeowners than from the homeless.
——
“Gov. Ige says ‘Airbnb bill’ hides illegal rentals”
Star-Advertiser, July 13:
>> The reason why they are illegal is because the city will not allow permitting.
>> The reason they are illegal is because they are mini-hotels in residential zoning. The purpose of residential zoning is to provide housing for residents, not hotel rooms for tourists.
>> If we shut down all unpermitted short-term vacation rentals, we will have reduced economic activity, fewer jobs, reduced tax revenues, more strain on social services and increased homelessness.
——
“Police address public on Pokemon”
Star-Advertiser, July 14:
>> An app that does nothing to enhance intelligence but jeopardize common sense and good manners? What in the world is happening?
>> Buy Nintendo stock.
>> The game is promoting exercise and fresh air instead of sitting on the couch. These young people are meeting like-minded others, leading to more social interaction.
