Letters to the Editor
Cigarette tax law another bad decision
The April 17 Advertiser chronicled "Cigarette tax evaders getting more creative," by Brandon Masuoka.
Of course, state government created a brand-new crime, which last year produced "92 felony arrests."
Great work: Prisons get more inmates, courts have more business, police get more distracted from protecting your home from burglary, etc. Plus, criminals selling pakalolo and other dope get another profitable item to offer, as well as the opportunity to entice young people to try a new product and possibly get them hooked.
It will be claimed that lawmakers failed to see this coming (unintended consequences). If so, they sure are dumb. Bad law chases out good behavior, but it does build bigger and more intrusive government. That's the intended consequence.
The "problem" will get worse. Then our lawgivers can pass another law to "solve" the problem they created. It's apparent that most of them enjoy being busy and "productive."
We should all be pushing our government in the direction of eliminating these bad laws and developing good laws, which would reward positive individual self-government and good behavior that would be genuinely productive.
Do you think they could handle that? Why don't you ask one or two of them?
Richard O. Rowland
President, Grassroots Institute of Hawai'i
Bus/Rapid Transit system is the best
We support the Bus/Rapid Transit system. We are some of the hundreds of community leaders, workers, employers, senior citizens and students who see the value of a dependable public transit system.
We are also the concerned citizens who attended the hundreds of community meetings all over O'ahu over the past four years to discuss transportation alternatives.
We are the general public who helped make the decision to build a BRT system. We are the everyday people of Hawai'i who have proven our concern for addressing our worsening traffic problems and are willing to do something about it.
There is no legitimate reason to delay. The handful of people who now wish to delay or postpone building the BRT system offer no real alternatives and can't even agree among themselves. Some want to build futuristic monorails, others ask for more highways, some want to have government limit the number of cars coming into Hawai'i, and some ... simply want to do nothing at all.
Very few of these vocal opponents to BRT bothered to take part in the public planning process, but now insist on starting all over again. We say it's time to move forward.
BRT is a practical alternative to costly and controversial rail systems and subways, or crowding more buses into our general traffic. It is far better than doing nothing. And, most importantly, it is the consensus decision of hundreds of your neighbors who took the time and trouble to weigh the alternatives and help make a choice. We think BRT is the best way to go.
John Dell
Kalihi
Sam Bren
Waikiki
Maeda Timson
Kapolei
Fixed-rail system is our only answer
In his April 23 "Second Opinion" column, Cliff Slater expressed his opposition to the Bus/Rapid Transit (BRT) system. He has opposed a fixed-rail system in the past. His answer is more roads, including a toll road on the right-of-way originally proposed for the rejected rail transit system.
Then, in an April 24 letter, Corynn Owens proposed toll booths for H-1, H-2 and H-3, with the tolls used to fund the BRT.
In response, first to the letter: What power does the state have that would allow it to collect tolls from a federally funded interstate highway system, built to connect military complexes on O'ahu? If tolls cannot be collected on the interstate system, how would Owens feel about toll booths on Kamehameha Highway and Moanalua Road through 'Aiea? Or, perhaps, on the Pali and Likelike highways?
Tolls would just be a further harassment to commuters, particularly since they know our elected officials would find some way to divert collected funds from intended purposes to pet projects.
As for Slater's suggestion, both the state and the city must preserve fixed-rail right-of-ways wherever they exist — including on the 'Ewa Plain. The BRT and all of the other DOT projects in the TOP 2025 plan can do no more than slow down the increasing delays experienced on O'ahu's roads (as documented in the March 27 Advertiser).
At some point, hopefully, decision-makers with real vision will take the steps necessary to implement a comprehensive fixed-rail system that will finally solve the problems of O'ahu's long-suffering commuters.
Frank Genadio
Kapolei
Private insurance deserves tax credit
Rep. Mike Kahikina and Sen. David Matsuura are on the right track in proposing a tax credit for those who purchase private long-term-care insurance.
This proposal, if passed, would give the people of Hawai'i an incentive to look after their own welfare by purchasing long-term-care insurance from a private insurance company.
The ill-advised proposal to tax those 25 and over $10 per month for a long-term-care insurance plan provided by the state should be put to rest once and for all. I said "ill-advised" because one must be in that plan for 10 years before he or she would be eligible for full benefits (and for only $70 per day and for only one year). What if one were to need long-term-care benefits after paying into that plan for only one month or for only nine years? He or she would not be eligible for benefits.
It is projected that 10 years from today, long-term-care costs will be about $300 per day. How far will $70 per day go? Ill-advised proposals such as this give the people of Hawai'i a false sense of security.
Taking out a long-term-care insurance policy from a private insurance company will make the insured eligible for whatever amount he or she was approved for and just as soon as he or she has been approved (after satisfying a waiting period, if any).
Come on, Hawai'i, let's take responsibility for our own welfare and stop looking to the state for a handout.
Gary T. Kunishima
Article on kids' golf greatly appreciated
Thank you so much for the wonderful coverage in "Instructors aim to make golf for kids elementary." The March 21 article by Bill Kwon captured the event in a concise and informative manner. Your photographer also was able to capture the event with great skill.
Our teachers and students were so pleased that memories of that special day will linger for years to come.
Ali'iolani School again extends its sincerest appreciation for the positive coverage of Hawai'i's public schools. Community members have taken the time to call the school to express how great it is that they can catch up on school news through the newspapers. Those thanks truly go out to The Honolulu Advertiser and other news media.
Haroldeen Wakida
Principal, Ali'iolani School
Improve facilities
Cities around the world get multi-day and overnight visits by cruise ships, but not San Diego or Honolulu, even though these beautiful cities have vast, similar tourist attractions and terminal ports on a fast-expanding cruise route. Port authorities from both cities should coordinate efforts to increase their cruise ship facilities to suit.
Ralph Larson
Hau'ula
Moanalua sidewalk needs to be repaired
As a resident of Moanalua, I have reported several times to the city that one sidewalk slate located between 'Ainapua and Jarret White Road has lifted about 2 1/2 inches — one edge creating a hazard to walkers going up the hill.
Millions of dollars are spent improving Waikiki, Kokohead, 'A'ala Park, Chinatown sidewalks and soccer fields, and the city cannot replace one slate of concrete in our district.
The city is subject to lawsuits if people trip and injure themselves over the protruding sidewalk.
Harry Choi
Van cam conversion
The end of the van cams occurred just in time for the prom. What better way to transport prom-goers?
The expansive interior can hold three couples; the large windows are perfect for romantic views of the city; the white exterior matches any formalwear.
And a camera is ready to capture the moment.
John Choi
School uniform would help us save money
I am a Kaimuki High School student. I am writing this letter in support of school uniforms. I think this is a good idea because if we have a uniform in school, we can differentiate between schools on the street. So I could show people I am a student.
Also, I would not need to choose clothes every day so I could save money for other things. In China, where I came from, we have school uniforms for every season. School uniforms will stop students from wasting money to dress up.
Jia Yufeng
Duke's Canoe Club made children's day
Duke's Canoe Club at Waikiki is not only a business success story, it is generous within the community.
The namesake restaurant recently went the extra mile for the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation. On Saturday, March 9, it sent a scrumptious buffet and a team of chefs to barbecue for 300 children and teenagers of the Boys & Girls Club. The one-day event, called "Duke's Sports Day," was sponsored by the foundation to allow the participants to interact with Hawai'i's top athletics and water sports icons.
The headline on an Advertiser story on the event said, "Sun, fun and food produce a popular mix." There are a lot of kids around the island who agree.
Mary Philpotts McGrath
President, Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation
Keep left lane clear
Regarding your April 20 article about the proposal that TheBus have its own traffic lane: I suggest keeping buses and large trucks out of the far left lane on the freeways when there is no carpool lane. This would help traffic move more efficiently.
Sam Dunn
Republicans indeed a 'full-fledged party'
In his April 14 commentary, Bob Dye criticized the Hawai'i GOP for not yet being a "full-fledged party" with enough strength to run candidates for all federal and state offices.
Not only is the Hawai'i Republican Party a "full-fledged party," but it has the good sense to strategically set priorities and the ability to manage its resources so that it can be effective in achieving its goals.
Wouldn't it be nice if the Democrats who have run Hawai'i for the past 40-plus years could do the same? Most of us who live here would appreciate that type of leadership.
The Hawai'i Republican Party exceeded its goal of electing Republicans to the Legislature in 2000 and, even though we are still the minority, the Republicans have dramatically changed the Legislature by moving important issues from secret backroom deal-making to public discussion.
It's fascinating that Mr. Dye relies on his old pal Frank Fasi for comments on how to run a political party. Not only has Mr. Fasi never run a political party, he's bailed out of most of the political parties at least once. When he started his own party, the Best Party, its sole purpose was to get Fasi elected governor — it had one candidate and it fizzled quickly when that candidate lost. How can Mr. Dye seriously quote Frank Fasi about how a political party should be run?
Mr. Dye, after criticizing the Hawai'i Republican Party resoundingly, then goes on to quote Democratic Party Chairwoman Lorraine Akiba about presenting voters with "the best choices" as an argument for supporting incumbents and challengers equally. Unfortunately, Mr. Dye fails to note that with so many Democratic incumbents being publicly censured or hauled off to jail, Akiba is somewhat restricted in her ability to support Democratic incumbents.
Mr. Dye is suggesting a strategy for the Republican Party that is guaranteed to fail: apply all resources to all races and compete equally for every position. Perhaps, given Mr. Dye's many years as a Democratic operative, that's exactly why he's suggesting a strategy for the Republican Party that the Democrats would never use themselves.
Kevin Chong Kee
