Letters to the Editor

How about tax breaks for other businesses?

Since starting my business in 1991, and weathering Desert Storm and lately the 9/11 attacks, I have managed my business to remain profitable, without government help. We are a small business, and many, many times have had to do without and live up to our business commitments to stay in business. Recently, we have had to lay off people as well.

Now I see Uncle Ben has given away $18 million in tax dollars to 10 companies that have contracts with the state to live up to. I suppose as a homeowner and a Hurricane Relief Fund depositor, my monies in that fund will be used to replace what Gov. Cayetano gave away.

Pardon me, but where can I go for a handout to get relief for my tax burden that I have dutifully paid since I've been in business? How about leveling the playing field for all businesses and give us a break on taxes from 9/11 through 12/31?

Hey, Uncle Ben and state representatives, do you really want to help?

Richard Moran
Waipahu

Don't attach strings to cruise ship waiver

As if the bankruptcy of American Hawai'i Cruises wasn't bad enough, now the new Norwegian Star may drop Kona as a port during its weekly cruises — not enough time to get its passengers ashore and back during the limited time (half day) in Kona.

With the Passenger Vessel Services Act forcing the Star to take three days out of seven to go to Fanning Island, it is no wonder its passengers don't see much of Hawai'i.

Sen. Inouye has stated that he would work to get Hawai'i an exemption from the act if these foreign ships would carry American (union) crews and pay U.S. corporate income taxes. They would never agree to that — the costs would be prohibitive. That is partly why American Hawai'i Cruises sank.

These foreign ships should be allowed to spend all seven days in Hawai'i — the money spent by the line and its passengers here would more than make up for lost union wages and taxes. The greater economic good for Hawai'i should eclipse union wants.

Inouye should work immediately to get a waiver of the act for Hawai'i cruise ships with no strings attached. Our elected officials must make it economically feasible for these companies to do business here. The money will follow.

Jay Lambert
Kailua, Kona, Big Island

Reasons abound to stop the program

Amid the concern generated by the use of cameras to catch speeders, one item has been conspicuous by its absence: a reasonable, defensible justification for their use. In fact, there are many reasons to discontinue the use of these cameras. For example:

• There is no evidence that proves that driving with the flow of traffic, in a reasonable manner, 5 to 10 miles an hour over the posted speed limit (which would be considered speeding by the current enforcement method) causes more accidents than driving at the posted limit.

• The current speed limits were set using outdated methodology. Speed limits in Hawai'i have not changed since the 1970s, when the 55-mph speed limit was implemented during the gas crisis. Today, cars are equipped with airbags, anti-lock brakes, controlled-crush structures and other safety enhancements.

• There is no effort to determine the costs faced by drivers as a result of this stepped-up enforcement. Besides the obvious costs (the fine for the violation and the commensurate increase in insurance), drivers are spending more time on the road, forcing them to adjust their schedules accordingly. This translates into less time with family, less time sleeping or less time for other activities outside work, all factors that contribute to driver stress levels.

• The concern over being caught on camera has many drivers traveling at or below the speed limit, causing traffic where there is no good reason for traffic to occur.

Hawai'i's drivers need to speak out, to get changes made while use of the cameras is still an issue.

Ross Hironaka
Waipahu

Zero-tolerance policy unreasonable, dangerous

The new zero-tolerance policy for speeding is unreasonable and dangerous. To follow this policy, drivers have to focus all of their attention on their speedometers.

Instead, drivers should be paying attention to the road, other cars and the natural flow of traffic. A zero-tolerance policy doesn't take into account those situations when it is safer to briefly drive above the speed limit to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.

Daniel M. Chen

Is it really that unsafe?

If the state feels that going 1 mph over the speed limit is so unsafe as to warrant a ticket, why does it not require a speedometer calibration be part of the annual safety check?

Dianne Minter