I’ve been watching the debate over Bill 82, which would prohibit curb extensions in Chinatown, play out at Honolulu Hale (“City bill rejecting bulb-outs at 2 places advances,” Star-Advertiser, May 10).

I am extremely disappointed with the City Council. Council members Carol Fukunaga and Ann Kobayashi clearly aren’t listening to the majority of the community and businesses, or the professionals from the health, engineering and planning fields.

Instead, they’re listening to a vocal few who claim economic hardship, yet have not produced any evidence to back up their claims. Countless studies support the efficacy of bulb-outs and other “road diet” and Complete- Street measures in making our streets safer for everyone.

We passed Complete Streets legislation and now is no time to chip away at its implementation for what appears to be political gamesmanship. I strongly recommend that the mayor veto this bill and for the four other Council members to stand their ground if the Council chairman tries to override the veto. Pedestrians’ lives are at stake.

Jeff Merz

Waikiki

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Lobby for repeal of medical aid in dying

What will it take to repeal Hawaii’s new law supporting physician-assisted suicide?

For humanity to evolve, we must relinquish violence, which is rampant in our culture. Murder of others and murder of self are forms of violence.

Rather than contriving ways to remove people from the planet, we are invited to creatively and compassionately think of ways to support people on the planet.

Hawaii is a role model for “ohana” and “aloha” and family support — the exact opposite of physician-assisted suicide.

Our throwaway culture of convenience needs a wake-up call regarding the value of all life. If we humans are to advance as a species, we must give up all forms of violence, and reach out proactively to one another as members of a global community.

Please do yourself a favor and consider having an honest dialogue with your legislator about repealing the bill.

Terri Donovan Mansfield

Kapaa, Kauai

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Billions for rail could be better used

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is moving forward with plans to expand the rail from Middle Street to Ala Moana Center. I opposed this $9 billion (and growing) project from the beginning. I believed a world-class innovative bus system would have achieved the same results at a fraction of the cost and with no visual blight upon our small island home.

What if tax revenues earmarked for HART had instead been marked for “quality of life” improvements? Every homeless person would have a home; physical and mental health services would be provided; non-profit organizations would be granted funding to expand work; the Honolulu Police Department would be fully staffed to protect the public; low-income housing would be built; Oahu’s roads would be repaired to excellent conditions; every Oahu beach would be cleaned and the sand replenished regularly.

Quality of life or a railway? Our political leaders have misplaced their priorities.

Carlino Giampolo

Kakaako

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Better care should go to outer islands

Whenever there is a disaster of some kind, we can always know that the Red Cross and Salvation Army will be there to help the people in need.

What’s surprising is that with all the millions of dollars the real estate industry made selling property in flood and volcano zones, we never hear anything about real estate agents donating one dime to help the people to whom they sold the properties.

It seems the attitude they take is, hard luck. Even our Legislature pulls the string on our purse tight when it comes to allotting help money to those in need, even when it comes to developing the infrastructure on the outer islands instead of building condominiums here.

Alexander Atienza

Downtown Honolulu

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Feeding of feral cats increase populations

Recently, House Bill 2593, relating to the feeding of feral cats in Hawaii, died. The bill would have allowed a nonprofit animal care or rescue group to register and oversee caregivers of free-roaming cats; exempt registered caregivers of free-roaming cats from laws relating to the feeding and confinement of cats; and establish a trap-sterilize-return-manage process.

The state Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Hui Pono Holoholona, American Bird Conservancy, Native Ecosystem Services LLC, and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.

I find it interesting that the U.S. Army Garrison has ignored the host state’s concerns on protecting the aina by doing exactly what the bill proposed (www.hawaiiarmyweekly.com/2017/11/16/cats-and-release).

Since November 2017, cat-feeding stations have gone up at military installations. As a result, not only have cat populations exploded in these areas, but the mongoose and pig populations have dramatically increased.

John Learch

Fort Shafter