Year after year affordable preschool programs are proposed in the Legislature. Year after year they fall short, or are never passed out of committee, or don’t get funded.

Thirty-two years ago I needed it, when I paid for daycare or preschool that cost 50% of my salary at the time. Now, with my first grandchild due this year, I wonder if my daughter will become as hopeless as I was waiting for affordable daycare or preschool.

Luckily, since I am retired, she will be able to continue to work. I had no such support when my children were young.

Mary Kawasaki

Makiki

Spray disinfectants on Chinatown streets

I’m not sure if the Chinatowns in San Francisco and New York have the same issues as Honolulu’s Chinatown, with homelessness, trash and sidewalk filth, and rat infestations.

I suggest that every so often the city, during non-business hours, sanitize the sidewalks and roadways by spraying disinfectants between Beretania, River, Nimitz and Bethel streets, especially Kekaulike Mall — all of the filthiest parts of Chinatown.

Also, goods for sale placed along the sidewalks, combined with the occasional sleeping homeless, take up walking space and can force pedestrians onto the heavy-traffic roadways. Another accident waiting to happen.

Rick LaMontagne

Hilo

Put health concerns over economic ones

As I read the headlines in the newspaper about the COVID-19 virus — “South Korea scrambles to curb infections,” “Hawaii officials ponder new coronavirus’ economic impact” — there are more concerns about the economic impact than for our total welfare.

I am puzzled as to whether greed has overtaken common wisdom for the containment of the contagion, which could save lives and benefit the long-term welfare of the world.

There appears to be no end to greed and a dearth of common sense. I request of elected officials and the government: Can we please use wisdom and common sense, and think in terms of global welfare, to make the right decisions? Let us not walk into a hornet’s nest knowingly.

Birendra Huja

Kuliouou

Chinatown is a treasure, and open for business

Misunderstanding and rumors about the COVID-19 virus have unnecessarily scared away shoppers and visitors to our Chinatown ( “Chinatown hit with virus fears,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Feb. 19).

Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Lt. Gov.Josh Green have both personally come to visit and shop in Chinatown in an effort to reassure the public that the chances of contracting the virus in Chinatown are not any greater than in any other neighborhood in the state.

We have a lot of hard-working merchants who work seven days a week to maintain their businesses and preserve the culture and history of our special district. Let’s continue to shop, dine and play in Chinatown. Maintain healthy practices as you always should do, and please come to Chinatown to enjoy the wonderful food, great shops and historic streets and architecture.

Joseph W.C. Young

Honorary mayor of Chinatown

Red-light cameras will cause more frustration

If the state is trying to cause more driver frustration, road rage and risky behavior, it’s on the right track (“Red-light camera bill advances in Legislature,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 3).

Traffic light cameras will be expensive to buy and costly to monitor. At many intersections, the only two cars that can turn left are the two that run the light as it changes.

Pedestrian crossing lights last until four seconds before the light changes, so, unless right turn on red is possible, right turns may be impossible.

If you really are interested in pedestrian safety, allow all pedestrians to cross at an intersection at the same time, followed by vehicles. It is the only way to keep our traffic moving and pedestrians safe. How much can this cost compared to installing traffic light cameras, monitoring, billing and accounting? Unless cameras are meant to provide more tax revenue?

Teresa Todd

St. Louis Heights

‘Little Albert’ Maligmat has talent, class, aloha

Over the last 30 years I’ve had the honor and pleasure to work with Albert Maligmat on many occasions (“‘Little Albert’ Maligmat is taking his singing talents to the desert, Star-Advertiser, Show Biz, Feb. 23).

While his nickname is “Little Albert,” he is a huge talent, overflowing with class and genuine aloha. I wish him and his wife success and good luck. He will be missed.

Richard Ames

Haleiwa

Bus rides could have been free for years

A reader asked, “Has anyone figured out how much it would have cost to eliminate bus fares altogether instead of building rail?” (“Free bus rides better option than rail,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Feb. 22).

The current published combined annual budget for The Bus and Handi-Van is about $250 million. That would have been about 16 years of free bus service at the original cost estimate for rail, 40 years of free bus service at the current soon-to-be-built price. Perhaps this untimely comparison puts it all in perspective. Think we were duped?

John Keiser

Makiki

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