Letters to the Editor
Police should make visits to violators
Some may view the new policy of HPD handling crowing roosters to be a substantial waste of law enforcement's time. Not necessarily.
Just take Wahiawa, for example.ÊMany of those who have these nuisance animals within urban settings, may also likely be involved in the "ice" business, burglary, re-selling of stolen property, violations of parole, open warrants and other crimes against residents.
When these birds go off at 2:30 a.m., I'm all for HPD making "unannounced" visits to these dwellings and cleaning house.
It ain't just about the chickens.
Kevin Gagan
Education must also happen at home
Hawai'i's schools are not failing entirely because of "unqualified" teachers or poorly managed schools. I agree that all students should have their own textbooks for each course, but in addition to education at school, education must occur at home.
Without parents getting involved in their child's early learning experiences, it is extremely difficult for the majority to achieve anything, much less achieve a "passing" grade in school. Parents must ensure that adequate time is set aside daily and they assist their children in learning. Otherwise, no matter how much time and money is spent on the child at school, it will not achieve the desired goals.
Parents are the first, and last, line of education and also must be held accountable for their child's performance, not just the educators.
Chris Murphy
Wahiawa
Savio, state plans not fair deal for public
Hopefully, Peter Savio's condo proposal for the Ala Wai Harbor will give the Land Board and DLNR-DBOR "cause to pause" in their rush to implement their lease plan to "privatize" the Ala Wai Harbor before Cayetano leaves office.
Both plans have one thing in common: Both shortchange the public.
1. The state lease plan includes provisions that would allow the lessee to "write off" the Ala Wai lease rent and thereby deny the Boating Special Fund revenue that it needs to renovate other deteriorated state boating facilities.
2. The Savio plan offers the state $15 million to $20 million to lease the entire Ala Wai Harbor, planning to sublease slips to boat owners for 50 to 60 years. At the current low rate of $4.10 per foot, the 700 Ala Wai slips can generate approximately $1.1 million each year and $60.5 million over a 55-year period. This is only the slip fee revenue and it is more than three times the Savio offer of $20 million.
If the DLNR-DBOR fee increase proposal, now pending public hearings, is approved, the Ala Wai slip fees would increase to $15.70 per foot in the first eight years. This fee schedule would generate approximately $4.2 million each year and $231 million over 55 years. That's 11 times more than the Savio offer.
Is the public getting a fair deal in either of these plans? Hardly. "Selling" the state's premier small boat harbor for these "peanuts" is selling the public down the drain and is a gross misuse of a valuable public trust resource.
Fortunately, Savio's offer is just a proposal, but the state Ala Wai lease has already been approved by the Land Board despite opposition and attempts to amend the "write off" provisions.
This misguided effort has all the trappings of loyal Cayetano appointees ramming through a "present for Ben" upon his retirement.
William E. Mossman
Hawai'i Boaters
Political Action Association
Keep 'expert opinion' to yourself, governor
I read about Gov. Cayetano's "expert opinion" of Linda Lingle's proposal for "a new beginning." I notice he says that he "intends to analyze" each candidate's plan. Fine, do that to your heart's content and keep your political opinions to yourself.
Who are you, Mr. Cayetano, the thought police? We are perfectly able to make a choice and act on it without your guidance to help in our voting selection, or is that the Democratic Party way?
Kathy Kane
A wonderful plan can withstand analysis
I applaud the governor for analyzing "The Plan." Politicians play fast and loose with numbers and rhetoric until the votes are counted. Then they say, "oops."
Of course they're elected by then and we're stuck with them. If Linda Lingle's plan is as wonderful as she says, it will have no problem withstanding analysis by those who know.
I expect the same for Mazie and other Democrats: A politician is a politician is a politician.
Willie Jones
Mismanagement likely cause for deficit at UH
I cannot believe the University of Hawai'i athletic department has a $1.5 million deficit. Everyone loves to blame the Sept. 11 attack on all of their failures, but I don't buy it.
We had four moneymaking sports this past year: football, basketball, and men's and women's volleyball. Most big-time schools have one moneymaker (football). This points to mismanagement; that's all that it shows me.
If this is indicative of the type of management we have at the university, they need to all go and find new jobs. What a disgrace.
Robert Wilson
