If all of us taxpayers had a senator like Jill Tokuda, we would be assured that fiscal discipline and taxpayer priorities would rule the Legislature (“Senate trims taxation scope of teachers’ property tax bill,” Star-Advertiser, March 1).

It is with great interest and satisfaction to me that Senate Bill 683, calling for a constitutional amendment, has been trimmed at a joint Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor Committee hearing. In essence, the $1 million property value threshold was changed to $2 million.

According to the Star-Advertiser story, Tokuda said that “the increased tax threshold is intended to ensure local families with more than one home aren’t burdened by the proposed tax.”

Furthermore, “oftentimes children will inherit their family homes when their parents die, downsize or move into senior living facilities.”

I have some breaking news for our legislators: Not everyone with more than one home is a speculator.

Are you listening, Honolulu City Council members?

Stephen Kealoha

Pukalani, Maui

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Lawmakers pretend to care about us

Thanks to Mark Middleton and Dora S. Johnson for their letters regarding holding politicians accountable (“Lawmakers happy to raise our taxes,” “Find a better way to raise revenues,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 26).

Every time our legislators say they have concerns about a bill to raise fees or taxes for this and that project, the first thought that comes to mind is that these legislators are just playing us.

They just have to assuage the fears of the people of Hawaii who are footing the bills. It is just a game of pretend. They have to pretend that they have disagreements.

Of course, they can only disagree up to a certain point from a locus that has been predetermined. They have to pretend varying degrees of sympathy to groups of people depending on their state of life.

The sad truth is that they just want more money from us to pay for their past and future mistakes and poor decisions.

Florencia A. Ranchez

Ewa Beach

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Red-light cameras would enforce law

In the past week or so, there have been several letters complaining about the proposed red-light cameras.

Their objections include: people speeding to beat the yellow light, something they do now; people tinting their windshields to prevent a clear picture, something now illegal; and that it may be illegal to ticket the person to whom the vehicle is registered, if he’s not driving it.

In rebuttal: The people speeding to beat the yellow also should be given a citation for speeding. The people with heavily tinted windshields should be ticketed for what is now illegal. If the registered owner of a vehicle does not want to be ticketed, don’t loan the vehicle.

All of this whining is comical because it indicates just how many people have no regard for the law. One solution to the scofflaws in Hawaii would be to make the fines really hurt. For example, a fine for speeding could start at $500 and increase for subsequent offenses.

Don Chambers

Mililani

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Free press needed to rein in Bannon

The chaotic song-and-dance of President Donald Trump is merely a diversion from Steve Bannon’s dark and more dangerous agenda. Bannon could hardly contain his delight in articulating to the Conservative Political Action Conference convention his call for the “deconstruction of the administrative state” (“Aides urge conservatives to stick together,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 24).

Bannon’s “deconstruction” goes far beyond the conservative mantra of lower taxes and less regulation. He wants to dismantle the entire state of American governance, and he has already aimed Trump at doing just that.

Bannon’s multifront assault is meant to bring the leadership of Congress under the thumb of the White House; undermine the authority of the judicial system; and erode the historic trust the American people have had in a free and independent press. This strategy is frighteningly in full bloom.

While we do have an independent Judiciary that will preserve and protect the Constitution, we need to regain our trust in an independent press, which assures we are a well-informed and thoughtful populace.

Richard Nemoytin

Mililani

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Tell Trump to heed First Amendment

Hurray! After siding with President Donald Trump in his outrageous attacks on the press that threaten the First Amendment, Cal Thomas in his column declares, “Even press critics must acknowledge that a free press is essential to a strong democracy” (“Media should be encouraged to see different side of story,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 28).

Tell that to Trump, Cal.

Carl H. Zimmerman

Salt Lake

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Homeless bringing down Honolulu

Recently my wife and I went to the Journey concert at the Blaisdell Arena. The parking lot was full so we had to find street parking. The closest spot was more than three blocks away.

Nonetheless, we had a nice sunset walk to the arena. However, our walk back to the car was anything but pleasant. While we were at the concert, a homeless encampment sprang up between Pensacola and Piikoi streets. We encountered more than 20 homeless campers, some with dogs. The dogs were intimidating, resulting in our having to leave the sidewalk and walk on the street. It was a scary situation: Either get bit by dogs or hit by cars.

When will this madness end? More than 30 years ago, I served on the governor’s state homeless task force; today, the problem has worsened exponentially.

Sadly, our once-beautiful city is devolving into a Third World nightmare.

Stephen Molnar

Kailua