Tourism hurts communities, too

In a commentary, Erik Kloninger and Matthew Kiessling, executives at firms connected with the tourism and real estate industries, appeal to city officials to allow “alternative accommodation homeowners and operators … to continue reaping the benefits of these options” (“Isles’ economy, jobs at risk if lodging restricted,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 12).

They warn that imposing restrictions on vacation rentals will have a “negative impact on Oahu’s economy.”

The tone of the commentary implies that it is the responsibility of city officials to facilitate an ever-increasing number of visitors to Hawaii. Shouldn’t our elected officials work for the good of the community as a whole, rather than just a select few? Also, what about the negative impact of too many visitors on our environment and community?

Doug Tonokawa

Kailua

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Green beholden to Be Change Now

The “Be Change Now” super PAC backed both U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and state Sen. Josh Green. One lost and the other won.

Be Change Now really won because it now has its new puppet, Green, in a position to run for governor in the next election.

Everyone knows that the position of lieutenant governor has no real power. There was method to their madness. The construction unions always need a puppet on a string.

Carl Bergantz

Kaneohe

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Glad to be rid of negative PAC ads

I’m glad the Democratic gubernatorial candidate has been chosen so I don’t have to hear or watch the constant bombardment of those irritating false missile alert campaign ads endorsing U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. I believe those negative ads against Gov. David Ige really hurt her campaign.

I don’t care for negative campaign ads. But in this case, the overwhelming amount of these ads on social media made it very distasteful and offensive.

Clarence Chun

Kalihi

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PACs active on both campaigns

There were super PACs (political action committees) on both sides of the governor’s race.

Thomas Brandt seems to have selective memory (“PACs motivated by greed, self-interest,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 14). He slams the PAC supporting U.S. Rep. Coleen Hanabusa but failed to mention that a super PAC supported Gov. David Ige’s re-election bid. AiKea Unite Here is affiliated with the Unite Here Local 5 union.

AiKea cast the first stone, starting the negative campaigning weeks before Be Change Now started its negative TV ads against Ige.

The Be Change Now ads weren’t a smear campaign; they basically reiterated what we already knew, that Ige screwed up the missile fiasco by taking so long to inform the public, and that Randall Saito escaped a mental institution while Ige was in charge.

I don’t like the negative campaigning and I don’t like Be Change Now. But both sides had greedy, mudslinging, childish, disgusting, self-interested PACs helping them.

Stan Sano

Makiki

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Don’t prosecute Deedy yet again

Is city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro going to keep trying people in court three, five or 10 times until he gets the jury verdict he wants (“City prosecutor to appeal judge’s decision barring third trial for Christopher Deedy,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Aug. 10)?

This certainly would be double, triple, quadruple jeopardy and is not a good use of taxpayer money. A federal judge has ruled that Christopher Deedy does not have to face a third trial in the fatal shooting of Kollin Elderts.

The Star-Advertiser has asked the people of Hawaii several times, and each time we, the people, say that enough is enough (“Should Christopher Deedy be tried for a third time for fatally shooting Kollin Elderts in Waikiki in 2011?,” Star-Advertiser, Big Q, Aug. 14).

Kaneshiro needs to let God Almighty make the final judgment as to who was right or wrong and what was right or wrong.

Jaffran Foley

Hawaii Kai

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Say no to another giant skyscraper

Honolulu is not Hong Kong. SamKoo Hawaii plans to turn Honolulu into another Hong Kong with giant skyscrapers (“Zoning face-off likely over Ala Moana parcel,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 12).

Massive traffic jams caused by people leaving these monoliths are bad for the community.

I have lived in Hong Kong for a short period of time; the infrastructure for moving people from place to place was already there. Honolulu has limited bus service and a rail to nowhere.

Our streets and city cannot take another view-blocking skyscraper. How will people get around, to work and shop as we do, without an infrastructure like Hong Kong’s in place?

Just say no to more high-density buildings downtown.

Jim Delmonte

Hawaii Kai