The crosswalk law has been in effect for a few years now and regardless of this law, pedestrians are constantly breaking it.
Only recently has there been informational TV segments directed to let the public know it is against the law to enter any crosswalk once the do-not-walk red blinking lights start to flash.
Disregarding this law affects everyone, not only those crossing the streets.
Now, we have bicyclists coming from every direction, too. They’re in the King Street bike lane, on our sidewalks and often going against traffic.
As a motorist, how are we expected to keep track of all of these situations around us? Someone is bound to get hurt.
Let’s all work together to make our streets safer and obey the laws, as they are intended to protect everyone.
Clifton J.M. Uyeda
Makiki
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Return surplus to Hawaii taxpayers
I read that there will be close to a billion-dollar surplus in this year’s state budget (“Ige prudent about $893 million surplus,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 16).
Who is the governor? David Ige. You can forget about any rebate. In fact, this no-compassion governor wants to increase the fuel tax and increase the vehicle weight tax, which the City and County of Honolulu just did.
A few years ago, the last Hawaii Republican governor, Linda Lingle, had a surplus at the end of the year and proposed a rebate back to the overtaxed citizens of this state. However, the Democratic-controlled Legislature turned down that rebate request.
The state has been giving generous pay raises to its government employees, while many non-government local families are struggling to survive.
Melvin Partido Sr.
Pearl City
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Criticizing Trump could hurt Hawaii
The Trump administration’s proposal to cut $3 million from the Compacts of Free Association budget is not “without explanation” (“Survey to track Pacific migrants,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 19). It’s quite easily explained.
President Donald Trump is notoriously thin-skinned and vengeful. His reactions can be borderline infantile. Every time one of our two senators open their mouths to criticize him, and it’s fairly frequent these days, it’s another mark against Hawaii’s share of the federal budget.
State Attorney General Douglas Chin isn’t helping matters either. When U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz says, “Words cannot express my disgust and disappointment. This is not my President,” and it gets nationwide publicity, Hawaii will take a hit somewhere.
It’s not that I disagree with our senators but, given their position and rank, they’d be better off taking a more measured or collective approach in critiquing the president. When U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono questions Trump’s “moral authority” to be president, true as it may be, it’s going to come back and bite the citizens of Hawaii.
Pat Kelly
Kaimuki
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Rail was a failed gamble; time to fold
The rail builders have been playing Monopoly with public funds and the result is bankruptcy. If they are playing a game of chance, which the rail boondoggle certainly is, then, as Kenny Rogers sang, “You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.”
Good sense, which doesn’t seem to be much in evidence, says to fold ’em and try to resurrect a workable and affordable transit system incorporating our already fine bus system.
Admitting a mistake is tough but continuing to do the wrong thing is nothing short of criminal.
Marion Walker
Kaneohe
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Private sector can revitalize rail project
Having just attended a workshop on Innovative Project Delivery, I believe it is imperative that the city ensure the final segment of rail be built in a cost-effective and timely fashion to restore public confidence in the project.
A Denver rail line (Eagle P3), begun the same time as Oahu’s rail and twice as long at 40 miles, was constructed on time and under budget. This was done by allowing the private sector not only to design-build, but also to finance rail construction. Such procurement is proven to achieve 10 to 15 percent cost savings and was recommended in a recent Ulupono-JLL report, but not acted upon by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation or the Legislature.
Second, the option of bringing the rail to at-grade from Middle Street to Ala Moana was credibly raised in a recent forum, and deserves at least a good independent review, as it works very well in Portland and many other cities.
Rodney Funakoshi
Ala Moana
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Neo-Nazi discourse has no place here
Fred Fogel attempted to convince us that President Donald Trump’s statements “may not be politically correct, but why care about that?” And what U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said about Trump was “inflammatory” (“Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 19).
Would Fogel agree that statements by neo-Nazis and supremacists about “blood and soil” and clearing out Jews from America are politically correct?
Free speech is America’s bedrock. But these words and attitudes do not advocate “working together,” as Fogel suggested, and this is what children are learning. They do not include blacks, Latinos, Jews, women, LGBT and other disenfranchised groups that make up America, to make us better. Neo-Nazis and supremacists are not American.
James Fukumoto
Aiea
