Film office followed rules for tax credits

The article, “Film tax credit abused, audit finds” (Star-Advertiser, Nov. 23), did not provide the Hawai‘i Film Office with a fair opportunity to respond to the state auditor’s report. Our perspective could have helped readers better understand the report’s findings, the tax credit program we have administered for a decade, and the film industry we serve.

Timothy Hurley’s article incorrectly and irresponsibly implies abuses in the management of this credit program. The Hawai‘i Film Office has diligently followed the letter of the law in the execution of its statutory duties.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Hawai‘i Film Office welcome this audit, and while we do not agree with all of the findings and recommendations, the report provides an important opportunity to strengthen our administration and analysis of the program.

It’s critical we extend the tax credit program beyond 2018 to preserve the health of Hawaii’s film, digital media and creative industry sectors.

Donne Dawson

Hawai‘i State Film Commissioner, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

Gabbard was right to meet with Trump

Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was not offered or has sought a position in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration (“Gabbard in the Big Apple with Trump,” Star-Advertiser, Off The News, Nov. 23). She clearly said this in response to speculation about her future.

I’m glad we have a representative who speaks up on national issues as well as state issues and tells them to leaders of either party, Democrat or Republican. This is what a congressional representative should do.

Ralph H. Conway

Kailua

Voters hope Trump will succeed again

What a depressing experience it’s been for me for the last few mornings to keep waking up into a world where Donald Trump is the president-elect.

It still mystifies and baffles me.

Hillary Clinton ran a perfectly decent, respectable campaign all the way, and had a long and commendable history in compassionate, conscientious public service. Trump, on the other hand, is a loud-mouthed, reckless business-first, sentiment-second tycoon.

And somehow, despite all that — regardless even of what all the polls consistently showed — against all conceivable logic, Trump won.

Perhaps America still hopes that Trump’s uncanny campaign success may somehow hold true for his presidency as well, with at least some of the good things he said he plans to accomplish, including defeating terrorists and reducing the national debt.

Kevin Johnson

Downtown

‘Biased’ columns like paper’s endorsements

Jan Montgomery said Ben Shapiro’s “biased” column is not appropriate for a newspaper that “serves the general public” (“Shapiro poor choice for news columnist,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Nov. 22).

I remain neutral on a column written by a highly educated Harvard Law School graduate. However, I can see no difference between publishing a nationwide column and this paper endorsing politicians, especially when those endorsements come, not from named individuals, but from a newspaper that is supposed to “serve the general public.”

Like everyone else, Montgomery can choose not to read the column.

Allison Kubo

Downtown