How ironic that Gov. David Ige and a “powerful coalition of legislators” have come together with business organizations to propose a new Schools Facilities Agency to speed up the construc- tion of schools by bypassing many county and state laws (“New school agency would dodge legal safeguards,” Star-Advertiser, March 2).

The reason this agency would be able to accomplish this is by avoiding the bureaucratic process that slows down construction. How ironic that they want to avoid the bureaucrats over whom they themselves are in charge.

Ask any private developer or contractor why construction costs so much and takes so long, and they will tell you it’s because of the layer after layer of government regulations and agencies they have to deal with.

So now, the government is proposing a solution that enables them to avoid themselves. Simply amazing.

Jim Cook

Aiea

Suspend political rallies during virus outbreak

Given the growing pace of public facilities and gatherings being closed worldwide to mitigate the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus, I can’t help but drop my jaw at the thought of politicians holding crowded campaign rallies — especially politicians who have no opponents in the primaries.

Just stop it! Set your egos aside and help save lives.

Mary Ann Oros

Kaneohe

Stop price gouging on health care products

I find it terrible that once news of the coronavirus started circulating, many businesses that sell products to help protect people from becoming sick have taken advantage of this situation to make a windfall profit by raising prices.

The local market for these goods has been exhausted and when you look on Amazon, for instance, the prices have tripled or more. Try ordering a few masks and see what the prices are now. There should a way to stop all this price gouging. I believe that supply and demand drives the economy, but it should not be at the expense of the public during a potential emergency situation.

I remember during a hurricane the price of ice in a store was five times as much. Needless to say, I do not shop there anymore.

Ken Takeya

Kailua

Don’t scrap gas tax; set up separate EV system

Motorists currently pay a gas tax, based on the quantity of gas purchased, that contributes to the maintenance of our roads. A question of fairness has arisen, as electric vehicles pay no gas tax to maintain the roads they use.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation is studying the replacement of the gas tax with a fee based on the number of miles driven (“‘Driving reports’ will compare paying by the mile or by the gallon in Hawaii,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 13, 2019). We currently have a system of collecting the gas tax that is logical and straightforward. Does it really make sense to scrap an efficient system that works, and have to start from scratch?

How about we keep the existing system that works and add a separate system that collects a fair share from electric vehicles? The result will be a smaller addition to the current bureaucracy, rather than creating a whole new bureaucracy.

Doug Tonokawa

Kailua

Little-known health law helps small businesses

Back in the 1970s, when Hawaii legislators passed the law requiring employers to provide health care for their full-time employees, they also took care to protect small business owners and their employees by enacting the Premium Supplementation Act.

This largely unknown law provides refunds by the Hawaii Department of Labor to employers of businesses where there are fewer than eight full-time, health-care-insured employees. Due to lack of knowledge about the law, many employers have missed the opportunity to have dedicated, long-term employees who don’t have to work multiple part-time jobs to pay for their own health care.

Among the law’s benefits: Full-time employees boost efficiency and profit and employers have less worry about employee turnover; businesses can claim reimbursements for health-care costs up to three years prior to filing.

In my experience, taking the time to apply for reimbursement under the law was very rewarding for me and my employees. Form HC-6, Employer’s Request for Premium Supplementation, can be found here: labor.hawaii.gov/dcd/files/2012/11/HC-6.pdf.

George Atkins

Haleiwa Art Gallery

‘Remain in Mexico’ an inhumane policy

Some supporters of President Donald Trump are happy with his programs and his attitudes toward immigrants and asylum seekers. I am totally appalled. There is no compassion for these individuals. No sense of mercy. No sense of their humanity. They are not Americans. They don’t count. They are simply not wanted.

Now the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers is legally invalid (“Federal court of appeals halts Trump asylum policy, then suspends its own order,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 29).

The conditions in Mexico and the problems that this causes asylum seekers are insane and inhumane. But if Trump has shown little or no aloha for our brown Puerto Rican citizens, can it be any wonder that he has no regard for asylum seekers who are even more foreign and alien? Keep your tired, poor and oppressed — especially if they are brown or black. Trump doesn’t want them.

Roman Leverenz

Aliamanu

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