Mayor Kirk Caldwell said criticism of the special playground at Ala Moana Regional Park is ludicrous (“Caldwell reaffirms support for Ala Moana playground,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 8)? The people of Hawaii aren’t stupid. We have learned why Caldwell has dug his heels in to bulldoze the park for the playground ripoff masterminded by Park Lane condominiums through a front nonprofit, Pa‘ani Kakou.

It’s money. The investors behind Park Lane have given Caldwell and leading City Council members huge campaign contributions. It’s payback time. As Neil Abercrombie can attest, big money does not equal votes.

If Caldwell expects to be governor, he might want to dump the special interests and do the right thing for Ala Moana and Hawaii’s people.

John Shockley

Free Access Coalition

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