TMT developers can go somewhere else
It’s time we stop the abuse that’s been going on for decades in our beautiful Hawaiian Islands.
A few locations would be Kahoolawe, Waikane Valley and Makua Valley, which were leased to the military for training.
Right now, those lands are riddled with live explosives, making them dangerous and unusable.
There also are tons of explosives dumped in the ocean that sometimes wash up on our shores — an extreme danger to our land and people.
What I’m trying to say is: Keep Mauna Kea Mauna Kea.
The Thirty Meter Telescope developers have the whole world from which to pick a mountain for their telescope. We have one Mauna Kea. In a few more years, they’ll want to build a bigger telescope. Our children can still get a good education in astronomy, even if it means going away, like a lot of our kids do. Let’s not trade Mauna Kea for development we don’t really need.
Donald L. Kilohana Johnson
Pearl City
Rail beneficiaries should pay more
Now that the Federal Transit Administration has rebuffed the city’s requests on the rail, and chances are not good that the state will extend the 0.5 percent general excise tax surcharge, the city should consider who benefits most from the rail and look to them to make a bigger contribution.
Those within walking distance of rail stations will enjoy the convenience of mass transit, likely saving on auto, gas and parking fees. And transit-oriented development property owners and developers will benefit from the rail through higher rents, more commercial business and higher property values.
Increasing property taxes in these areas seems fair.
The city should not increase gas taxes, auto registration or municipal parking fees. Those who drive because rail is not accessible to them should not be punished further.
And, although they’re easy targets, tourists should not have to pay any more than they already do for a rail they’ll likely not use.
Gregory Hama
St. Louis Heights
Rail is construction, not transit project
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation made a serious mistake in not hiring what Michael Formby calls “a construction-experienced CEO who has successfully worked through similar engineering, budget and schedule challenges on other rail projects” (“Finishing the job,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 28).
It is serious because a CEO with construction experience would have years ago predicted the situation HART is in now and would have taken steps to avoid this situation.
HART’s board of directors were naive in not realizing that what is being built is a construction project, not a transportation project.
Ruben Reyes
Waipahu
Elevated rail doing poorly elsewhere
There has been concern expressed about projected rail ridership on these pages recently. The relevant available data from the only two elevated rail lines built in modern times shows us that skepticism is justified.
Miami’s elevated rail achieved only 15 percent of its projected ridership, and Puerto Rico’s elevated rail did little better; achieving only 24 percent of what was projected, according to the Federal Transit Administration.
Meanwhile, the City and County of Honolulu cannot even forecast ridership of TheBus correctly. In the various environmental impact statements, city transit official forecast 25 percent increases while actual results show a slight decrease.
We currently have fewer riders than we had in 1984, despite the increase in population.
Cliff Slater
Pacific Heights
GM really to blame for car airbag fiasco
The New York Times reported that General Motors is the ultimate conspirator in the Takata airbag fiasco (“Focus on cost fed use of killer air bags,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 27).
GM knew or should have known from the very beginning that Takata airbags were defective and very dangerous. GM tried to force Autoliv, its airbag supplier at the time, to deliver an even cheaper version of the Takata airbag.
To its credit, Autoliv refused, citing its own scientific evaluations. GM irresponsibly went with the Takata airbags, because it could save a few dollars each.
Unfortunately, GM has deep pockets and with access to the right politicians, it’s no wonder it has never been mentioned in this case. If GM had not intentionally installed defective airbags, these deaths and injuries would never have occurred. GM should be paying these billions, not Takata.
James Robinson
Aiea
Voting third party better than no vote
This presidential election has left us with such unacceptable candidates from both of our major parties that most people I have spoken with have said they are thinking of not voting at all, rather than being forced to choose the lesser of two evils.
I have yet to see any interviews or media coverage on the alternative candidates, primarily Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.
I, for one, would like to know something about him, his opinions, and his stances.
After all, he also is on the ballot, isn’t he?
For those of us voters who don’t want to choose between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, an acceptable alternative would be welcome.
A vote for someone not of either major party would send a message better than not voting at all.
Ken Mendes
Kaneohe
49 responses to “TMT developers can go somewhere else”
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IRT Donald L. Kilohana Johnson: apparently you do not realize that Location, Location, Location, means just which portion to the sky can be viewed and how clear, this portion of the sky would be. Obviously you wish to bury your Brain in the sand. The importance of the scope being located here is overwhelming. You ignore all of the Important past and Possible future discoveries from this location. Why don’t you just re Locate?
Pminz! Burr your brain in the sand.TMT go elsewhere. .plain and simple..WE ARE MAUNA KEA!!!
True. It was a silly letter. The telescope project is not a military project and should not be compared to any military sites he points out. Most Hawaiians want TNT as numerous polls have shown. The lack of understanding and education in the general public out here holds back good decision-making.
Donald, your letter is incomplete. I tend to agree with your examples of abuse in Hawaii. But what is the danger of having the telescope on Mauna Kea? Mauna Kea is an asset. It should be used in a responsible manner which is what the TMT does. It should be built. Military should be cut back as it tends to pollute.
Mauna Kea is our destiny. It is also the destiny of man to explore the stars. Those who deny this destiny bring shame to all of us.
Yep, waste your vote on the third party losers – this is a good cop out and eliminates any responsibility for the outcome on Nov 8th . . . . or does it?
@ Ruben – “Rail is construction, not transit project”
You are the WINNAH!
Rail is not construction. It’s a boondoggle project.
Clarification- Rail wasn’t met to address the horrendous traffic that West side commuters face every work day. Its a “construction” project for the powers that be where “TOD” is the name of the game and the construction union works and they benefit from the TOD projects after. Wake up Hawaii, in no particular order PRP spent millions to smear Gov. Cayetano, the “vote” wasn’t in clear English and blank votes counted as “yes”, the City themselves stated that the project will alleviate traffic 2%, Capt. Kirk dismantled the City Ethics Commission forcing a long time director (who’s worked with several administrations prior) to resign, and his cushy 24 HOURS IN A YEAR member of the Board of Directors of Territorial Savings provides him upwards of $300K? HAWAII……think!
OUT with the ethically challenged, snake eyed mayor!
Without rail, development cannot proceed in the west, leeward, and the approach to central Oahu because of the bad traffic congestion.
Development will have to proceed in other parts of the island which have no where near the levels of traffic on the west side, the urban core.
Highways will have to be widened and extended to reach other parts of the island. In short, we will have urban sprawl.
This is not an acceptable future for our economy, our children, and our grandchildren.
wiliki says: Without rail, development cannot proceed in the west, leeward, and the approach to central Oahu because of the bad traffic congestion.
10 years ago, before the downturn in the economy, all development was on the ewa plains and leeward coast. Development in other areas of Oahu was also nonexistent, so your claim that development in other areas is a false claim.
BTW, the definition of urban sprawl is “the spreading of urban developments (as houses and shopping centers) on undeveloped land near a city”. Just by that definition alone, Ho’opili and Koa Ridge is, by definition, urban sprawl.
Absolutely, was that from the beginning!
it is payola from mufi to the unions. happy labor day!
Rail FAIL.
Where are the usual suspect rail shills today?
Oh yeah…it’s a holiday. I expect them to start piping in around early afternoon after the Zippy’s has digested.
No.NO.NO. We Kupunas all stay at the shopping malls sipping our coffee…
And perving on “needy” kids, no doubt.
Rail was sold to the gullible public on a pile of lies. The project will likely cost 20 billion to reach Ala Moana. Just as neighbor island folks don’t pay, the increased cost should be passed towards those who live near the rail line and will benefit.
The rail cheerleaders can’t make a cogent argument for rail based on actual facts and numbers. Instead, theit defense rests on phantom lawsuits that made rail over budget, or stories about how our kids need rail. The fact is that most youngsters in future generationswill only pay for rail, not use it.
The critics have been spot on with actual numbers. 5 years behind schedule and billions over budget. And I know for a fact (and willing to bacl it up with my own money) that the ridership projections won’t be met.
agree…The rail ridership will not support the operations of this out of date, wrong-routed rail. IT is just a disaster for Honolulu as insiders all know.
This is one day that the Rail workers can take off and enjoy the fruits of your Labor. Mahalo Hawaii Workers. Go enjoy today’s LABOR DAY! Pack the family and get out!!
Keolu lies. Fire Keolu.
Lied about what wiliki?
I can name wiliki’s lies:
“Rail is already paid for”
“Rail has a solid finance plan”
“Grabauskas is doing an outstanding job”.
“Voting Third Party”…….is a waste of time. All it is,is just a feel good moment. Nothing more. Your vote is Moot! What really surprises me ,is Bernie Sanders supporters. Even with all the trash Bernie was throwing at Hillary,(“I don’t care about your Damn E-mails) some,not many ,but some will actually be voting for Hillary Clinton. I mean really,what was all the opposition about? All the protest ….and now? They will be voting for Hillary? Sooo Confusing.
So if you still want to vote and feel good about it,vote third party! The outcome will still be the same,but at least you can……. feel good about it.
15 days…..
IRT : “TMT developers can go somewhere else”. Your nimby point of view is not shared by most of the people who live in Hawaii. A “both/and” approach moves the conversation to the middle. Polarization is often not the best approach.
Build TMT in Kailua. THAT would be funny!
I’ll bet you a dollar to a doughnut, that a year after the rail line is completed… the train will not be running because they can’t work the bugs out of the system. When i ask why they are not “testing” the train now on the track already completed… I was told that the entire rail line must be finished before the train will work??? LOL LOL LOL
The rail planners haven’t yet addressed a power source for the train and their contingency plan for AFTER the ridership projections fall short. I guarantee that the ridership projections won’t be met. It’s just a matter of how badly it will be missed.
They’re expecting four rail cars this year. So they’ll have finish testing the four cars and begin testing a train with it’s routing and scheduling system soon.
But I notice that the track from the maintenance facility to the elevated tracks are still under construction as is the Leeward Community College rail station.
It’s just one train and if testing takes place during the day it should place no burden at all on the power grid.
So what are he plans for the power grid? Where is the train electrical infrastructure going to come from and why won’t HARt address it?
Is that going to the next “totally unexpected” thing?
They have not even said what the fare will be, I am sure they do not want anyone to know because it will be high. The whole thing is so ridiculous to burden a small island with these outrages costs. I can already predict there will be a rail but it will be a Ghost Rail because people will still use their cars.
Mr. Johnson, please try to open your narrow mind. They’re building a telescope for scientific knowledge and discovery, not drilling for oil for corporate profit!
He’s just another wanna be “Hawaiian” with the recently added middle name.
He needed a culture to identify with because the usual poi dog, mix American immigrants lost so much identity decades ago other than being classified as “White” in the census boxes.
IR “Voting third party better than no vote”. A point well made! News papers seem to be aware of who has a big budget. It is a case of pay to play … yet again. I too would like more exposure to third party candidates. I think that it is time for a new kind of politics that is not influenced so much by donations. I often get asked at what point does a donation become a bribe? I feel that this distinction is seriously blurred at this time.
I do not understand how you can protest building on Maune Kea when there are already plenty of telescopes up there. How do you think Hokuleia gets around ? The stars ! Another great opportunity LOST.
Now if you want to protest HOW COME no protest about all the OVER BUILDING of towers for rich outsiders, RAIL, Selling out PRIME lands to Foreigner investors ?
The telescope can actually HELP people and educate the youth in something other then a Hotel job. Wake Up people
Eggs Zachary!
Admitt it….if you want City/State services, taxes will/must rise unless you change leadership, said Captain Obvious.
A little birdie told me that you shouldn’t change horses in the middle of a stream.
If your horse is drowning, then you ate not to bright if you stay on it.
“Increasing property taxes in these areas seems fair.”>>> Not when these business didn’t ASK for this additional overhead. Maybe NEW businesses though.
No one’s talking property taxes.Especially not for new businesses. Did a little birdie put that in your head?
I can accept the TMT, as long as it also means, the removal of the other inactive Telescope Buildings.
I am for the reduction & removal, of all building structures, that no longer serve their original purpose.
Free preschool for needy kids.
What these preschoolers doing around old man like you? Does their parents know?
I’m always looking after my grandchildren. And one of these days I hope to have great grandchildren.
He’s probably stuck baby sitting and needs a break!
The TMT, will generate some taxes. Preschool, will use taxes. TMT has a shelf life. Preschool children, will be around forever.
OK -so, in that case Get your check book out Wiliki! YOU pay for them.
Gee, Mr. Johnson, your will to send TMT packing and send your kids away if they want to study astronomy. Why should we placate you and the other protestors. They don’t represent the majority of residents here or of Hawaiians. Why don’t you go away?