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The career politicians were comical in a recent Honolulu mayoral debate.
First is the notion that federal monies are coming to fund the rail transit project. How will that happen, with our horrific national deficit now bigger than our GDP? In fact, all major economies globally are sitting on a deficit time bomb about to send us into another thousand-year Dark Age.
Additionally, the former mayor said the private sector will contribute to rail funding. The wealth in this state is so paltry; our major banks are facing a flood of foreclosures given our projected nine-year tourism recovery.
The career politicos said they will either boost tourism or diversify into technology, alternate-energy resource ventures, agriculture and more.
Right — especially with our high business costs and the worst business climate in the country.
Gene Dumaran
Ewa Beach
Amazon’s land buy could be good for isles
Amazon recently acquired a 14.4-acre site on Sand Island (“Amazon buys Servco lot near Sand Island worth $70M,” Star-Advertiser, July 18). The purpose for this purchase has not been revealed, but is there perhaps a ray of hope that a major distribution center for the Pacific might come of this?
Oddly enough, I have never heard of any of our local politicians working with Amazon or any other major company to create new jobs and reduce our dependence on tourism. The only thing they encourage is luxury real estate development and money-losing public- private partnerships for the rail line.
Right now our economy is on its knees, but there is an opportunity here if only our politicians will open their eyes.
Edward D. Lasky
Hawaii Kai
Parent scared to send children back to school
I have four children: two in elementary school, a toddler and infant. My family has health conditions that make it high risk should we contract COVID-19.
I have many concerns about schools opening this fall. It’s not safe and there is no guarantee anybody can give me that my children will not get COVID-19 during school. I have called my kids’ school asking for an online option. The principal said no: It’s face-to-face for K-2nd grade. He also said that the state Department of Education is working on a virtual online option, but it’s not finalized yet.
I shouldn’t have to homeschool my kids. The DOE should have the option of virtual/online learning during these times for families with health risks like mine. I’ve worked so hard to keep my family COVID-19 free. There should be phases to opening our schools the way there are phases to opening up the state.
I am scared for my family’s health but, at the same time, I want them to have a decent education.
Sheela Castro
Makiki
Mail-in ballot could make voters at risk for ID theft
I just received my vote-by-mail ballot. When I opened the envelope and saw the instructions, I was appalled.
The government wants me to sign a envelope with my address and signature on the outside of the envelope. This is a perfect way for someone to make a false account and steal my identity.
Anyone who submits a ballot is opening himself or herself up to identity fraud. Is the state going to be responsible when this happens? Probably not. The state needs to be called out on this.
The mail-in voting system needs to be stopped before people’s identities are stolen and they lose all their hard-earned money. The fact that this is the system Hawaii came up with just proves that we have no leaders in the government. Please fix this injustice in our voting system.
Richard Enright
Waianae
Postal workers can be counted on this election
What is wrong with the state’s chief elections officer, Scott Nago? At a time when we have the most narcissistic leader in our history trying to frame himself as the victim of voter fraud in case he loses this November’s election, Nago makes the asinine remark that the Postal Service “has a history of overpromising and underdelivering” (“Election ballots going out earlier than expected,” Star-Advertiser, July 17). This from a man whose office has had numerous problems handling the past few elections.
As a letter carrier, I would appreciate Nago concentrating more on ensuring that the Office of Elections does its part to make this year’s elections run smoothly and fairly. I know that I and the more than 2,000 postal employees in Hawaii will be doing our part.
Paul Campbell
Waipahu
Trump will claim rigging even if he wins election
President Donald Trump said he fears that the upcoming presidential election will be rigged if mail-in ballots are the norm. So, if he wins, I suppose he would be the benefactor of the rigging, right? No, he will say that he won in spite of rigging.
I believe he actually wants mail-in ballots so he can cry foul if he loses, whereupon he and Attorney General William Barr will contest the results and refuse to accept the count. Trump’s exit will be like no other president’s, and I hate to think of the harm he will cause after his exit.
Jim Killett
Lahaina
Put stadium, rail, raises on hold during crisis
The “lighthearted” read about renaming Aloha Stadium got me thinking (“The state’s new stadium might bring big dollars if it sells its naming rights to a sponsor,” Star-Advertiser, July 9).
In the age of COVID-19, expenditures for the rail and the stadium, as well as for state and city government employee pay raises, should come to a screeching halt. Hawaii has roughly 250,000 people out of work, with no relief in sight.
With the possibility of federal stimulus stopping soon, we have a major crisis, with people unable to afford basic necessities. All funding needs to be redirected to those in need. The rail, the stadium and raises can wait.
Judith Santos
Kailua
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