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It is too late to cancel the rail transit project, so why not extend the general excise tax surcharge indefinitely — first to complete the rail to Ala Moana Center and then to help finance the operation once it starts?
Otherwise, the mayor will impose another tax on us. The present GET surcharge is in place and we are used to it. We know that Mayor Kirk Caldwell, unknowingly or otherwise, misinformed us on the cost of rail. We know that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation totally messed up on the financial side, probably overpaying contractors, but all this is water under the bridge. Let’s move forward and complete the rail for future generations.
Increasing property taxes again would only hurt so many, including us senior citizens on fixed incomes.
Toby Allen
Hawaii Kai
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March for Science an important story
We participated Saturday for the first time in a protest march (not counting my college days in the 1960s) at the University of Hawaii. The March for Science was important to us because my husband worked for the Environmental Protection Agency and I am a retired teacher. We are appalled at the dangerous unscientific direction the country is being led toward by the current administration.
We were impressed with the planning that went into making the march a meaningful statement. We were even more impressed when we saw how many people had turned out for the march. The line of marchers seemed to go on forever and people honking their horns and waving at us showed us that they understood what the march was all about.
We were shocked that the March for Science story was relegated to the second page of the local section. We are disappointed and truly irritated at your handling of this important story.
Kay Kawatachi
Pearl City
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We need solutions to repeat violence
In a two-day span, there were two senseless crimes against innocent people (“Repeat offender charged in attack at Haleiwa store,” “Man charged with assault in beating at bus stop,” Star-Advertiser, April 21).
Both of these perpetrators have prior criminal records and history of mental illness. We cannot continue to put Band-Aid measures on the homeless and mental illness. The violence has escalated.
John Mayhew was on probation for breaking into a home just a few feet from the crime scene, and had previously attempted to break into the same home.
Haleiwa is no longer a sleepy town. We have 4 million visitors coming through our town alone. Honolulu depends on its tourists. As they travel to their hotel, what do they see? Homeless people camping out on the streets, freeways and viaducts.
The citizens are afraid. We no longer live in paradise. We must think outside the box and come up with real solutions.
Marilee Y. Lyons
Haleiwa
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Hawaii should back challenge to Trump
It is disappointing to say the least to hear some of our residents objecting to Hawaii’s challenge to President Donald Trump’s travel ban, which federal District Judge Derrick Watson blocked. Similar rulings in Washington state and Maryland confirm that Trump was wrong.
It is troubling also to hear Hawaii residents base their objection on their belief that only a “few” Muslims will be deprived of their rights or that Trump might retaliate against Hawaii.
Watson agreed that Hawaii’s people would face illegal discrimination and economic harm regardless of how few are hurt. The ban is still illegal.
When 120,000 Japanese were rounded up and deprived of their constitutional rights in World War II, would these same objectors have Hawaii refuse to oppose it?
If Trump threatened to withhold federal funds if Hawaii protected the legal rights of its people, would they demand we back off?
No. We do not cower in fear as the rights of other human beings are trampled upon. We fight back, for ourselves and others.
Francis M. Nakamoto
Moanalua Valley
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Bill would weaken current sign laws
City Council Bill 78, up for final vote on Wednesday, would allow currently illegal off-site outdoor advertising to be placed on city assets (city facilities, parks and tangible property, excluding buses), in exchange for a monetary contribution to the city coffers. The bill contains no oversight as to the size, location, number and nature of such signage, other than vague references to “adherence to aesthetic values” and “blending in.”
Additionally, sign placement is at the discretion of city directors, with little public input.
This proposal to put signs on city property to recognize sponsors sets a dangerous precedent, which seriously threatens our current sign laws that have kept our islands free of such visual blight for decades.
I strongly urge citizens to oppose this bill.
Diane Harding
Kailua
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Trump supporters part of D.C. swamp
Money buys influence.
The article, “Top inauguration donors have stakes in Washington policy” (Star-Advertiser, April 20), names the billionaires (casino magnate Sheldon G. Adelson, the coal industry’s Joseph W. Craft, investor and White House adviser Stephen K. Bannon and others) who swim in the Washington swamp.
I doubt whether President Donald Trump is able or willing to drain it.
Ulrich K. Stams
Kahala
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