It’s unfortunate that so many people are viewing the Haiku Stairs in isolation. That misguided perspective was even apparent in the Star-Advertiser’s recent editorial (“Haiku Stairs in crosshairs,” Our View, June 17).

While noting that the stairs provide access to an otherwise inaccessible Koolau Range ridgeline, the editorial proposes to get rid of them or else maintain them through a self-sustaining managed access program without any taxpayer subsidies.

Yet, these stairs are part of, and provide critical access to, our network of public land, making it more usable and, thereby, increasing its overall value. That easily justifies any public money expenditure from a cost-benefit standpoint.

But it just happens that the stairs are also particularly attractive and situated to provide a uniquely regulated opportunity for user-generated income to subsidize what we normally pay for with public funding elsewhere. A holistic approach is past due, and each neighborhood has an obligation to share our public park, mountain, and ocean resources.

Tim Streitz

McCully-Moiliili

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