Why was Bill 35 even considered by the City Council (“Council OKs cap on ride-hailing ‘surge pricing’,” Star-Advertiser, June 7)? Because the taxi companies are a monopoly that have gouged the people of Hawaii for years.

When we call them we are told to wait 45 minutes to an hour. We don’t know the price until we get to the destination. And we have been picked up by drivers who don’t care what the inside of the taxis smell like.

Uber shows passengers the price before they accept the ride. They arrive normally in under 10 minutes and have nice cars and people to ride with.

A driver must keep a good average and there is a system of checks and balances within the Uber app for drivers and passengers to use.

Uber and Lyft have introduced competition for the taxi business, and taxis must either up their game or get out of the way.

Eric Clark

Kalihi Valley

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Homeless pick over bulky-trash items

The homeless love shopping through all the bulk-pickup rubbish piles that usually take several weeks for the city to pick up.

Many times I have seen the homeless having a field day gathering their goodies from bulky rubbish piles. It’s not their fault they gather rubbish in shopping carts.

Matthew Gushiken

Kuliouou

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Praise for those who get off the streets

This whole thing of the homeless saddens me, disgusts me, angers me, frustrates me and hurts me. It’s with us and won’t get fixed, no matter what caring individuals, churches, shelters and government agencies do.

Drive down South King Street and see the ugliness — Pawaa In-Ha Park is overrun with tents, garbage, bicycles, animal crates, shopping carts and dirty pigeons. Continue down to Moiliili Field and see the population living around the public restroom. Next is the Old Stadium Park; visit the huge colony there. Don’t forget to return to King Street around 7 p.m. to see all the people sleeping in doorways — masses of blanketed cocoons, makeshift tents or sitting in beach chairs.

Maybe they like this lifestyle and don’t want to make any effort to change (or so it seems). I commend those individuals and families who found the courage to take the step forward and change. I pray God blesses them with the strength to succeed.

Linda Iverson

Moiliili

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Stop persecuting sex-trade workers

As a transgender person, I want to congratulate the Legislature for protecting our young people from the harms of so-called conversion therapy (“Ige signs bill banning conversion therapy,” Star-Advertiser, May 26).

However, I want to underscore the continual hypocrisy of legislators wishing to be viewed as LBGT-friendly, while ignoring the plight of sex workers in the hands of the criminal justice system. Government criminalization of prostitution is the single largest harm facing transgender women globally.

It is true that many middle- class transwomen who have become involved in rights issues have not supported the thousands of their sisters who work in the sex trades. This has led many elected officials to the improper conclusion that they can be transgender-friendly without supporting sex-worker rights.

All the legislation aimed to protect transwomen from discrimination, hate crimes and conversion therapy does not excuse a government that directly attacks so many of those in the transgender community.

Tracy Ryan

Makiki

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Can’t blame GOP for Hawaii’s troubles

I am delighted with the article about the GOP collapse (“Isle GOP’s collapse makes primary critical,” Star-Advertiser, June 6).

At last — coverage! Since our Legislature numbers are so low, (5 out of 76), we cannot be blamed for all of the dysfunctional problems facing our tiny archipelago in paradise, brought on by corruption and greed, such as a boondoggle rail to nowhere, disgraceful conditions of public schools and libraries, horrific infrastructure, the unceasing construction of stratospheric high-rises, the cost of living causing the highest homeless per capita in the U.S.

By the way, we do cross over to vote. I voted for David Ige to get rid of Neil Abercrombie, and I’ll vote for Ige again to block Colleen Hanabusa.

I measure by the factor of “who can do the most damage, and who has the highest greed.” I just described our mayor, Kirk “Mr. Golden Shovel” Caldwell.

Let’s surf on that blue wave, y’all!

Jacqueline Utkin

Waikiki

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Short-sighted politics means bad decisions

Here we go again! Climate change. Rising oceans. Photo ops (“Ige signs bills to combat climate change, sea level rise,” Star-Advertiser, June 5).

Isn’t this is the same politician who recently wanted to attract Barack Obama’s presidential library to our Kakaako oceanfront? The same guy who promoted Kakaako as our next business center rebirth? The fine print should read: Must visit by submersible. The new “canyons” of condos built in Kakaako will have bottom floors submerged.

We can’t blame only politicians for making poor decisions. They often base policies on four- or six-year election terms. Obviously, long-range planning will not get you re-elected.

Timothy Fern

Kaneohe