As a state worker, I, like thousands of other current and future state retirees, am concerned about the unfunded liability of the pension system. Will we receive the pensions promised to us? Vince Barfield of the Employees Retirement System argues very convincingly that the state needs to devote more money to shoring up the pension fund (“Free up revenue for pension fund,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Oct. 26).

Yes. But the ERS itself is pursuing some very dubious policies. At a legislative hearing early this year, an ERS official admitted that the fund has “$600 to $800 million” invested in fossil fuel stocks. Given the reality of climate change, one can easily question the morality of this. And given the fact that so much of the world’s oil, gas and coal reserves will have to remain in the ground, one must question the wisdom of our pensions being so dependent on huge investments in fossil fuels.

It is clearly time to move our funds to more secure areas.

Noel Kent

Manoa

Possible rail tragedy can be avoided

Milena Del Valle. With the probable exception of Dan Grabauskas, that name is likely a head scratcher to many in Hawaii.

In 2006, Del Valle was crushed to death by a collapsed ceiling section of Boston’s “Big Dig” tunnel. Grabauskas was a Massachusetts public transportation official at the time.

That preventable tragedy seems worthy of reflection, owing to the extraordinary appearance of a nearly full-page ad by structural engineer Dennis Mitsunaga, citing potential safety issues related to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation rail project (“Will rail be safe to travel on?,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 30). Mitsunaga called for “third party oversight” to ensure the structural integrity of completed and ongoing work.

Then comes Frank Genadio, who called for a panel of outside “objective” experts to examine the assumptions and decisions that account for the project’s “appalling history” (“Rail needs a review and a new direction,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Nov. 1).

That history suggests that the voices of Mitsunaga and Genadio are likely to be echoed as the flawed, torturous enterprise drags on. They should not be ignored. One Milena Del Valle is one too many.

Doug Lamerson

Manoa

Remove GOP control to restore civility

The opinion piece in Sunday’s paper, which called for “civility” and made suggestions for whoever wins the presidential election, ignores both the last eight years of history and current actions and statements by Republicans in Washington, and in the state governments that they control (“Civility in the time of political discord,” Star-Advertiser, Insight, Oct. 30).

Six years ago, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell said that making President Barack Obama a one-term president was the GOP’s primary goal. Republicans consistently opposed and blocked anything Obama asked for, including legislation that they themselves had proposed.

And they are promising total gridlock if Hillary Clinton is elected, passing no legislation, confirming no one. A more uncivil bunch you cannot find. The only way to restore civility in Washington is to remove the current Republicans from control of Congress.

Vincent Giambalvo

Diamond Head

Cal Thomas’ views are simply wrong

I sometimes wonder if regular columnists in the Star-Advertiser are vetted, evaluated or fact-checked.

Cal Thomas’ insinuation that dictionary terms like “corrupt,” “dishonest,” “crooked” and “pervert” apply to Hillary Clinton but not to Donald Trump is ludicrous and laughable to anyone who has access to national media outlets (“Electing Clinton will cause even more political gridlock,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 1).

Thomas calls the Clintons “sleazy,” but then himself uses the sleazy metaphor, “hand-held device,” to suggest that Anthony Weiner used one, in addition to a computer, to “sext.” And he immediately demurs by adding, “pardon the expression.”

Finally, Thomas portrays Trump as “protecting the Constitution.” Really? I would advise Thomas to watch his back, because Trump has gone on record as stating that First Amendment rights should be scaled back or narrowed because journalists and the media are “too free.”

William E. Conti

Waikiki

Moped operators do need a license

Moped drivers do need a drivers license to operate a moped. Please do not perpetuate the myth that moped drivers don’t need an operator’s license (“Keep a careful eye out for moped riders,” Star-Advertiser, Off The News, Oct. 27).

Also, regarding the story, “HIV ‘Patient Zero’ myth is debunked” (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 27), I understand that “Patient Zero” is not the genesis of AIDS in America, but he and others probably spread it to thousands of other people for nearly a decade.

Remember, AIDS wasn’t even diagnosed until the 1980s.

Jeffrey Shockey

Waikiki

Kudos on favoring alternative energy

Citizens of Hawaii, look up and be proud. We are one of the few states that have welcomed sunshine as our favorite power source — trading it in for fossil fuel use as much as possible. After watching David Letterman on “Years of Living Dangerously” and Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Before the Flood,” I realize how close we came to caving in the battle in which NextEra almost bought out Hawaiian Electric.

We may have to work harder to keep our proud position in this battle, by using pricey batteries and such, but still — kudos, Hawaii.

Judith E. Thomas-Benito

Kapolei