Letters to the Editor
Hawai'i award winners offer their sympathy
On the occasion of the recent death of Hawai'i arts benefactor J. Russell Cades, those of us who have received the Elliott Cades Awards for Literature over the years would like to express once more our appreciation to Charlotte and J. Russell Cades for their generosity and support.
The awards, only one of countless contributions the Cadeses have made to the fine arts in Hawai'i, were established in 1986 in memory of Elliott Cades, the brother of J. Russell Cades, and have been presented by the Cadeses in partnership with the Hawai'i Literary Arts Council to two Hawai'i writers every year since 1986.
The awards have offered Hawai'i writers recognition and encouragement, often at important moments in our writing careers. Our sympathy, aloha and gratitude to the Cades family.
(Signed) Nell Altizer, Kathy Dee Kaleokealoha Kaloloahilani Banggo, Eric Chock, Sue Cowing, Phil Damon, D. Mahealani Dudoit, Steven Goldsberry, Dana Naone Hall, Marie Hara, Vilsoni Hereniko, Craig Howes, Nora Okja Keller, Juliet Kono Lee, Darrell Lum, Mahealani Kamau'u, Larry Kimura, Lisa Matsumoto, Pat Matsueda, Chris McKinney, Gary Pak, Tony Quagliano, James Rumford, Cathy Song, Joseph Stanton, Frank Stewart, Cedric Yamanaka and Lois-Ann Yamanaka
Contract requires reimbursement to firm
There has been much misinformation about the photo traffic safety program, and Milo D. Huempfner's Feb. 14 letter cannot be allowed to go uncorrected.
The reason state taxpayers could pay about $1 million if the program were repealed is quite simple. The company has incurred all the cost of this program up-front. The contract was structured so that the state would not have to invest substantial sums of money up-front for a program that was designed as a three-year demonstration project.
If the contract is broken by the state and the contractor is not at fault, then the state is required to at least provide it a reasonable reimbursement for its costs. There was no "golden parachute," and the governor is not involved. This is a common provision in state contracts in order for the state to be able to terminate contracts when necessary.
This program is not about money. It has always been about addressing the concerns of the public, who, in a 2000 Department of Transportation survey, said speeding was their No. 1 traffic safety concern. This is just one of a number of safety measures the department has undertaken to curb speeding and ultimately save lives.
Kim Murakawa
Press secretary, Office of the Governor
Vet fee for sterilizing cat wasn't exorbitant
On Jan. 24, a short column by Cindy Newburg representing the Citizens for Humane Animal Policies appeared in The Advertiser. In this column, Ms. Newburg suggested it was alarming that the average fee to sterilize a 1-year-old pregnant female cat with no prior veterinary care was $126, even when utilizing the low-cost spay/neuter program provided on our island.
I am certain I speak for many veterinarians on O'ahu when I say we are supportive of this program and recognize the great need for it here to control unwanted pet overpopulation.
Ms. Newburg fails to mention, though, that the extra costs that are often charged by veterinarians are to provide some very basic healthcare needs for the animals in this program, and to cover a small portion of the cost of doing a safe surgery on a pregnant animal, which makes this surgery much more difficult.
A larger issue in my own mind is the fact that Ms. Newburg feels that to spend $126 on a pet is alarming. These are living creatures that will in the course of their life become ill or injured, particularly if not given any routine care. Is it acceptable to adopt a pet with the expectation that if they need medical care at some point, it will just have to suffer because the cost is too great? Who would approach having children with no expectation of ever having to provide or pay for healthcare?
When someone adopts a pet, he is making a commitment to add a new life into his family, a life that requires care and devotion and sometimes financial investment. In return, he will receive unconditional love, loyalty and companionship for many years.
Michael B. Curtis, D.V.M.
Medical director, VCA Kane'ohe Animal Hospital
Free bus rides could lead to student fraud
City Councilman Duke Bainum is proposing a bill that would allow city transportation officials to negotiate with O'ahu's colleges and universities to pay an annual lump-sum fee that would enable their students to ride TheBus by showing a university ID card ("Bill would let college students ride free," Advertiser, Feb. 16). He cites the success of similar Mainland programs.
Pittsburgh has such a program. The ongoing joke in that city is that thousands of residents who have graduated and kept their ID have been riding free for years. Students who take a semester or a year off can do the same.
Will the UH system change the IDs every year? Every semester? What will prevent a 1999 graduate who still possesses an ID card from manipulating the system?
Currently, there is no technology allowing TheBus to monitor such fraud. Integration with the university system through slide cards would surely cost millions.
Dan Morin
'Aiea
Libertarian views are being ignored
You do your readers a disservice in ignoring me, the Libertarian candidate for governor.
I am the only candidate for governor of Hawai'i who will govern effectively to realize my goals of de-militarizing airports, ending the War on Drugs in Hawai'i and prohibiting federal intrusions where there is no jurisdiction, ending real property taxes, enforcing the Bill of Rights and the sovereignty of each individual, and putting government back in its place as servant of the people, where it belongs.
The Democrats and Republicans manipulated the media to exclude me from televised debates in the 1998 governor's race, so voters in general did not know much about me and my message of freedom, peace and prosperity in Hawai'i with a Libertarian governor.
So far, it looks as if The Honolulu Advertiser and TV-8 are trying harder this year to exclude freedom and liberty from this year's election. Please do a service to the residents of Hawai'i: Inform your readers and viewers of the choice they have to vote for freedom from tax slavery with Libertarian George Peabody for governor of Hawai'i.
Theme: less government = more aloha.
George Peabody
Don't spend $400,000 on an unneeded study
Spend $400,000 for a study on the economic and social effects of gambling? What a waste.
Since this issue appears dead for this legislative year, forget it. People are either for it or against it, and no survey will change their minds.
Hawai'i doesn't need gambling. Hopefully, our top politicians know that.
I. Hedemann
Kane'ohe
Aloha Tower parking solution is available
On Sunday, Feb. 10, Heidi Bornhorst presented a convincing argument for maintaining Irwin Park as intended by the donors.
Perhaps it is time for the Aloha Tower developers to take a walk to the parking area diamondhead of the Aloha Tower Marketplace. The entrance to the tower complex to the far end of the parking lot is less than two-tenths of a mile.
To encourage the walk to the complex, planters filled with trees or umbrella stands along the sidewalk to moderate the sun's effect would enhance the short walk.
This lot is the place for a parking structure. Modeling the one the city built at the NBC complex would provide an airy, soft-looking structure, and the walking distance to the Marketplace is certainly manageable for most. To help others, an electric cart or other vehicle could provide shuttle service.
Let us hope that the developers can use more creative solutions for parking needs than changing the Irwin Park "oasis."
Dorothy W. Lum
Runners trampled landscaped area
Every year it's nice to see the turnout at the Great Aloha Run. The only gripe I have are the inconsiderate and don't-care people who walk, run and bicycle through landscaped and grassy areas.
For many years there was a bare eyesore area at the makai end of Richards Street. This year, someone decided to beautify that spot with grass and maintain the landscaping. It was disgusting to see how some people trampled through the area instead of using the nearby sidewalk.
If you are a guilty party, please do better next time by using the sidewalk. Mahalo.
Lorraine Paresa
Another road fatality shows cameras needed
Jan. 21, 2002: another tragic death on Farrington Highway, caused by a speeding motorist.
To add pain and insult to this tragedy is the fact that the main topic of conversation and news that very same day was removing the traffic cams off our streets so speeders may continue threatening lives of others on our roadways.
Every government official and O'ahu citizen who has lobbied or whined to remove the traffic cams from our highways needs to take a look in the mirror and see just who is really responsible for speed-related deaths on our roads. We may not like all the laws we have, but they really are there to protect us and our families.
Speed kills; does it have to happen to you before you get it?
Ken Tyrrell
Educational claims don't bear scrutiny
Regarding the Feb. 17 letter from the governor's chief of staff, Sam Callejo: Callejo offers the raises that Hawai'i educators received and the new schools built during the Cayetano regime as indications that Ben Cayetano has performed well in office. Was Mr. Callejo on a taxpayer-subsidized vacation out of the country for the three weeks the teachers of this state had to fight on strike in order to receive that pay raise? Callejo and Cayetano cannot take credit for something the state obviously did not want to grant in the first place.
As for the new schools that are being built, it is laughable that Cayetano, like his friend and mentor Gov. Waihe'e, loves to use this as a means to "prove" his support of state education. In fact, new schools will always have to be built during every governor's tenure. An ever-expanding population necessitates this. Consequently, this is another irrelevant point.
Building new schools truly helps the construction industry, not the education system, as Gov. Cayetano's DOE cannot fill those new classrooms with teachers and school supplies. Why has no one questioned the fact that we as Hawai'i taxpayers pay virtually the most in taxes in the whole nation, yet the teachers never have enough books for their students and enough school supplies to teach effectively?
What is your boss doing with our tax money, Mr. Callejo? Instead of holding the teachers accountable for the quality of education, we should hold the state accountable for its abusive financial neglect that destroys the teachers' ability for success in the classroom.
David Lee Rogers
State capitalizing on our addictions
First it was a proposed alcohol tax hike. Next we'll have nicotine addicts stealing Mom's money for Kools. This amounts to the state capitalizing on the addictions of its constituents.
Well, hey, why not just legalize cocaine and ice, and tax that, too? Big money is being spent there. We've already taxed our "visitors" out of the desire to come here. Marijuana has been a cash crop for this state for decades — let's tax that, too. Think of the revenue that was lost because we did not do this years ago.
How much of this proposed tax will be devoted to treatment for addicts? Based on the track record of our government — and its response to the need for treatment of addicts of every ilk — we'd rather build new prisons.
Lisa M. Wiley
Marion Higa should investigate HMSA
Cliff Cisco, a senior vice president of HMSA, stated that "It is impossible to believe that a government agency has the resources and expertise to pass judgment."
Marion Higa, the state auditor, has the expertise and courage to call it the way she sees it. Lawmakers should have the state audit HMSA. Lawmakers then could make the appropriate fix.
Masuo Nakamura
Hilo
Symmetry will return
Contrary to reports that the symmetry of 20:02, 20/02, 2002 won't happen again, all we have to do is wait 110 years.
Using military dating (date before the month, not after), we'll have an early Christmas present on 21:12, 21/12, 2112.
Mark Stitham
Kailua
