Letters: Conflicting land-use laws hinder housing; Comprehensive plans for housing, tourism; Navy divers deserve praise for Red Hill work

Honolulu’s mayor is proposing to spend nearly $30 million on affordable housing projects for Oahu to offset our housing crisis (“Housing projects planned from North Shore to town will create 972 affordable units in the next five years,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 3). Far short of meeting housing needs, we will be asked to increase our property tax contribution to affordable housing property taxes from 0.5% to 1%.

Hidden is the fact that our housing crisis has long been caused by our state land-use law, which requires state land-density review of developments, a highly costly process when added to counties’ land-use review. This double- layer review is unheard of across the country. Other states delegate land-use review to the counties.

Normally, other states separate forests from city limits and provide policy guidance, such as encouraging agriculture, affordable housing and economic diversification. Land-use density reviews are solely the responsibility of counties.

Instead of changing the law, politicos showboat a solution with more government spending and taxes.

Gene Dumaran

Ewa Beach

Comprehensive plans for housing, tourism

Once again it is election time and political candidates are blindly saying whatever they believe might attract votes. However, not every emotional idea is good for Hawaii, nor will they properly provide a successful solution.

Where is the comprehensive plan addressing housing (a necessity) and tourism (a major revenue generator for the state)? The Hawaii Convention Center and Aloha Stadium are key elements driving a wide variety of tourist- related revenue.

The state currently has unused affordable housing stock. Perhaps we should effectively utilize those units before we build more. If we do build more housing, we need to be sure we don’t just create unacceptable neighborhood density, eliminate greenbelts/recreational areas, or create yet another unmanageable and time- consuming bottleneck for the state’s transportation system.

Without tourists, the state will not be able to pay for schools, roads and other infrastructure. The only alternative is increased taxes for kamaaina.

Develop a comprehensive plan that looks toward appropriate solutions, with adequate discussion from all parties — not just desperate politicians.

Robert Zoller

Aiea

Navy divers deserve praise for Red Hill work

Mahalo to the Navy divers who are involved in the cleaning of the Red Hill fuel spill (“Navy divers describe conditions within the contaminated Red Hill well and how the mission affected them,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 7). Having worked in the city’s underground sewer tunnels, I truly appreciate their sacrifice and willingness to get the job done.

The Navy must monitor the health of these divers and others who had exposure to the fumes and other contaminated elements.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply should examine whether seepage into the aquifer requires similar remediation.

Leonard Leong

Manoa

Griner made wrong decisions about Russia

Regarding the detainment of Brittney Griner in Russia (“Kremlin says Brittney Griner swap must be discussed without publicity,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, Aug. 5): While I am sympathetic about the length and harsh sentencing of Griner, I have begun to ask myself some questions.

I believe all U.S. Olympic athletes should understand they carry the responsibility of being in the world spotlight and as such, their actions represent American society to the world at large.

It was Griner’s decision to travel to Russia, our adversary, when the Russian military was staging at the Ukraine border just one week prior to her departure.

In addition, the response that “I was packing in a hurry” is something you would expect from a high school student, not a world-renowned athlete. That was also her doing. She was traveling to Russia for money and a paycheck.

With all due respect to all falsely imprisoned U.S. citizens around the world, Griner’s situation is her own doing. Period. Her actions reek of complacency. I am sympathetic, but only to a point.

James Calhoun

Kalama Valley

I’ll always be a graduate of McKinley High School

Regarding the suggestion of a name change for McKinley High School, it’s totally understandable (“Honolulu school named for President William McKinley muddles alumni’s identity,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 6). It has been politically correct to change lots of things in recent years. On the mainland, many statues of Confederate leaders have been taken down. Professional sports organizations and universities have made name changes. It seems to me that what’s happening to McKinley is no different.

The bottom line is, for the rest of my life (and beyond), whenever anyone asks where I went to school, I’ll answer “McKinley.” And they’ll know. And some will say, “Ahhh, Tokyo High!” (Yes, about two-thirds of the graduating class had Japanese surnames.)

Chuck Nakagawa

McKinley Class of ’61

Mililani

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