Kioni Dudley advocated the use of eminent domain to save the farmlands in West Oahu designated for residential homes (“Use eminent domain to save farmland from Ho‘opili project,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Sept. 28).

Yes, we do need agriculture in Hawaii, but should it take precedence over the need for more homes on Oahu?

Recently, a developer indicated that he planned 200-plus condominium units and was surprised that more than 900 prospective buyers showed up. We also have the highest number of homeless per capita in the nation.

This indicates that the demand for more homes overrides the need to use eminent domain to retain agriculture in West Oahu.

In addition, the Koa Ridge development must begin breaking ground to help meet the demand for more homes.

There is ample land on Oahu and the neighbor islands for agriculture. These areas also have a greater amount of rainfall to meet the demand for raising crops as compared to the Ho‘opili area, which is very dry and demands a greater share of the limited water resource.

Roy S. Tanouye

Waipahu

Fuel tanks a risk to Oahu water

I’m a concerned community member, kanaka maoli, student, sister and future mother of this land of Oahu.

The Navy needs to be held accountable for cleaning up leaking fuel from the Red Hill fuel tanks (“Navy is told to try again on the plan for Red Hill,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 4). These fuel tanks sit on top of the water aquifer that serves 600,000 residents and visitors from Halawa to Hawaii Kai.

This deeply concerns me. The water is exposed to the threat of fuel contamination, with long-term effects on the land, water, community and families. This needs to be stopped.

Nanea Lo

Kapolei

FTA to blame for rail fiasco

The full funding grant agreement between the city and the Federal Transit Administration assumed that rail would reach Ala Moana Center.

It is now clear that this would require massive tax increases, over and above the existing rail surcharge.

One option is to shorten the route (“Rail board stakes out dual tracks,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 4), but the FTA says it will demand a return of all federal money if the route is shortened.

Rather than take back federal funds, the FTA should itself be held accountable for the billions of dollars Honolulu taxpayers wasted.

But for the FTA’s malfeasance, rail would have been voted down before the first dollar had been spent.

When New Jersey’s governor canceled the ARC Tunnel Project, the FTA demanded a return of all federal funds but settled for only one-third of the demanded amount, even though the FTA had not been complicit in that failed project as it has been for the Honolulu rail project.

Cliff Slater

Pacific Heights

GOP candidate not a surprise

The GOP should not be alarmed that the party faithful has selected Donald Trump as their candidate.

For years, the GOP leaders have pushed for tax cuts that benefit the wealthy. They insist that trickle-down economics will induce the rich to increase employment, wages and income.

This will always fail, simply because the rich want to get richer and not incur costs that reduce their wealth.

The middle class has been reduced to the lower class and the poor are in poverty. They see the bankers making millions on shady transactions and never getting punished.

Pharmaceutical companies are increasing prices to astronomical levels just because they can.

The education system in America has been declining in quality and getting exorbitantly expensive compared to many other countries.

Every four years promises are made, but nothing changes. The public is looking for anyone who is not part of the status quo, even someone not qualified to be president.

Jon Shimamoto

Mililani

Some issues not ‘medical’ issues

“Doctors’ political views may affect patient care,” said the Associated Press headline about a study that suggested Republican and Democratic doctors practice differently (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 4).

The “medical” issues showing the difference were multiple abortions, regular marijuana use and gun storage at home. These are primarily political issues.

The story should have been headlined “Democrats and Republicans have different views.”

John LeRoux

Waikiki