Letters: Taxing sugary drinks has tangible benefits; Judicial system doesn’t punish DUI scofflaws; Condo fire-safety rules too onerous for owners

Dan Muccia called the bill for a sugar- sweetened beverage (SSB) fee “social engineering” that would raise “the cost of living for those with limited resources” (“Social engineering in sugary- drink fee,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 20). His argument is misguided.

The positive impact of SSB fees and taxes is significant. In Berkeley, it led to a 52% decrease in sugary drink consumption among low-income residents, and a 29% increase in water consumption.

In a commentary published last year, Daniela Spoto of the Hawaii Appleseed Center explained how funds from the proposed fee on sugar-sweetened beverages, when “reinvested back into the most impacted communities, … help prevent future harm, and can give people from those communities a better shot at succeeding and thriving” (“Sugary drink taxes can dismantle systemic inequities by giving back to communities,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Feb. 15, 2021).

In declining to hear Senate Bill 2211, lawmakers said no to an estimated $60 million that could have helped fund programs like DA BUX, which makes local produce more affordable for low- income households, or expanded pre-K programs, as in Philadelphia.

Amanda Fernandes

Policy and advocacy director, Hawaii Public Health Institute

We depend on feds to clean up corruption

I add to the outcry concerning the commonness of corruption in so many sectors of Hawaii’s government. We have all been frustrated and defeated by the very authorities charged with protecting citizens from criminal behavior in an especially important sector, mostly never noted by the media.

The Judiciary, especially in Family Court-related matters, often has fostered criminally unjust and illegal practices. When presented with putative evidence, attorneys general and prosecuting attorneys offices have declined to pursue such cases because of political pressures or other agendas.

A more proactive and just Judiciary would mitigate the severity of corrupt practices at all levels of government.

Our thanks to the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) for exposing such practices ignored by state authorities. The feds are relentless investigators, but can only manage the tip of an iceberg. The process is slow and too late to help in many cases, such as the rail transit project.

Where would we be without U.S. DOJ assistance? Will we ever be able to rely on our local authorities?

Philip R. Foti

Kailua

Judicial system doesn’t punish DUI scofflaws

The law says a person convicted of a DUI will be sentenced pursuant to statutory guidelines, and that a driver’s license can be suspended or revoked for driving with a prohibited BAC (blood alcohol concentration), for being convicted of DUI or for refusing to submit to chemical testing.

As a well-publicized example, state Rep. Sharon Har pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence and went to trial. When standing, she was unsteady on her feet, police said. She refused to take a breath test or a blood test. Yet she was acquitted.

I have seen this scenario play out over and over. Where a person is charged with a DUI, the charges are dismissed with prejudice.

Where is the benefit of lowering the BAC when the judicial system decides to not punish those who have already been charged under the current law?

James Beasley

Makakilo

Fiscal warnings have been foolishly ignored

In 2010, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. Mike Mullen said, “The most significant threat to our national security is our debt.”

Around the same time, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said: “Look, I’m very much in favor of tax cuts, but not with borrowed money.”

The Simpson-Bowles report urging action on the national debt was released in December 2010. Since then, the federal debt has gotten a lot bigger. The rate of increase is scary.

I might put it differently from Mullen. The most significant threat to our national security is our willful financial illiteracy.

If you are in the woods and a bear is nearby, covering your eyes with your hands won’t make it go away. When you peek through your fingers, the bear will be that much closer.

Lloyd Lim

Makiki

Many more sources of noise pollution

I am sure that Stann Reiziss thought he was being comprehensive in his excellent list of at least 13 sources of noise that disrupt the serenity of Hawaii (“Noise pollution disrupts life in beautiful Hawaii,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 21).

Unfortunately, I would add the following egregious noises to his list: Harley-Davidson motorcycles tuned and driven for maximum noise; car or truck horns that simulate loud foghorns; a game of shouting at the top of your lungs, either from the street or a lanai; worthless car alarms, mostly set off by mistake; boombox autos; and false fire alarms from overengineered systems, to the point that residents no longer heed them.

It does seem that regulators are turning a deaf ear to noise complaints.

Jonathan Carr

Waikiki

Condo fire-safety rules too onerous for owners

The recent article, “Oahu condominium owners request more time from City Council to comply with fire safety codes” (Star-Advertiser, Feb. 17), highlighted a serious problem. The new requirements were imposed in knee-jerk fashion by former Mayor Kirk Caldwell. It overlooked the reality that thousands of condo dwellers would face undue economic burdens. No cost-benefit analysis was made as to how viable this latest “big government mandate” really is.

Hundreds of concrete buildings in Waikiki can’t even realistically catch fire. Yet they must pass this new 17-point assessment containing requirements, which have caused 166 out of 178 buildings to fail the evaluation. The government’s burdensome test that no one can pass is ridiculous.

The entire issue needs to be revised. Fire safety, yes. But it must be sensible and affordable.

Bradley A. Coates

Waikiki

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