Letters to the Editor
Increased traffic congestion costing us
Outraged at the Democrats' traffic cameras? Isn't it because we don't like getting mugged every time we drive our cars?
But the mugger isn't the traffic-harassment vans. The real mugger is the increased traffic congestion they have caused. That mugger is stealing a minute here, a minute there. What's a stolen minute worth? Only about $50 million for every minute stolen over a year's time from Hawai'i's highway users.
Big Brother, count your loot. Traffic engineers use a value of $12 for every hour stolen by traffic congestion or 20 cents per minute. Using only Hawai'i's population between 18 to 64 years, 755,169 people x 365 days x 20 cents per minute means $55 million stolen each year for each minute of traffic congestion.
What's the plunder for 10 stolen minutes? Duh, over half a billion dollars, or more than 1 percent of the state's gross product. Big Brother, what are the taxes on half a billion dollars — enough to pay for the state's current budget shortfall?
How Big Brother can argue increasing traffic congestion increases safety is nonsensical.
Sam Gillie
How will right turns be handled by camera?
Maybe a better solution to the traffic camera problem would have been to start first with the red-light cameras, then progress to using them for speeders.
Everyone seems to agree that something must be done about running red lights.
So far there has been little rebuff on the red-light cameras since they are not operational. However, there is a definite need to publicize how the right turn on red will work before the complaints start. What I read is that if you stop, then turn, you won't get a ticket. What determines a "stop"? A complete stop for how many seconds? A slow drift through, or what? Most drivers don't come to a complete stop — period.
John Gallagher
'Ewa Beach
Common sense shows why there's opposition
Rather than look to psychologists for a "deep" analysis of why there is anger toward the traffic van cameras, you only need common sense:
- People don't like change.
- People don't like others trying to manipulate them. When the traffic camera vans were first used, people slowed down to avoid a ticket. When this resulted in fewer tickets than expected, the state then announced that it would lower the ticketing criteria from 10 percent over the speed limit to 0 percent over the speed limit.
- People don't like uncertainty. People feel vulnerable to getting a zero-tolerance ticket since their speedometer may be 1 mph off or they may be caught when they speed up to change lanes.
- People don't like hypocrites. A speeding ticket issued to a traffic van indicated the state is holding people to standards that it itself does not follow. To make it worse, the state is challenging the traffic van's speeding ticket.
Jared Lum
Is bulletproof vest just a political ploy?
Am I the only one who finds it strange that the mayor has been wearing a bulletproof vest for several months but no one knew about it? It only became public knowledge after he ran into campaign contribution problems.
Is this another political ploy to divert the public's attention?
Unfortunately, knowing the attention span of the average voter, it will probably work.
Don Chambers
Mililani
What's Hawai'i's excuse for federal supervision?
Several decades ago, some states in the South were the laughingstock of the nation. Their governments were deemed so incompetent that their schools, prisons and mental hospitals were placed under supervision of the federal courts.
Unfortunately, the state of Hawai'i now qualifies for this dubious award.
There is one major difference between those Southern states and Hawai'i. They generally had low taxes and hence insufficient revenues. What is our excuse for this sorry state of affairs?
Brice Conquest
Frank Fasi a member in good standing of GOP
In a Jan. 20 commentary on GOP gubernatorial candidate John Carroll, Bob Dye states that Republican mayoral candidate Frank Fasi "still faces the possibility of being kicked out of the GOP." I would like to firmly establish that this is not the case.
Mayor Fasi is a member in good standing of the Hawai'i Republican Party. This fact can be confirmed by contacting Micah Kane, the party's executive director.
George Akahane Sr.
Co-chair, Fasi for Mayor 2002
If we must gamble, let it be a lottery
We have Costco, Sam's Club, Kmart, Wal-Mart, gasoline, Home Depot, Lowe's, ACS (traffic cams), $30,000 for a Mainland artist, money for out-of-state CPAs (Harris), $500,000 to beg Japanese to spend money here. Now, Sun International Hotels (gambling)?
All money from Hawai'i is not staying in Hawai'i. The jobs that are generated are low-paying. How many locals actually run our hotels? Manage big companies?
The coffee is brewing, but we just don't smell it. If we must gamble, how about a 50-50 lottery? Half for the winner, half for education (locals only). One day, Hawai'i will be foreign-owned. Get outta town!!
Dwight Kau
Waimanalo
Gambling company dug its own grave
There are many thoughtful and provocative arguments against gambling in Hawai'i. Countless words have been spoken and written by respected members of our community.
We all know, however, that pictures say more than words can ever tell. Opponents of gambling are fortunate that Sun International has given us a picture that can have far more impact than any words we've heard.
Why not blow up (preferably in color) the picture of "Atlantis" that appeared in the Jan. 21 edition? Show it on television and post it all over the state. Setting aside the moral and economic arguments, do the people of Hawai'i want anything that looks even remotely like "Atlantis" at Ko Olina or anywhere in our Islands?
Mr. Kerszner says Sun International will "consult cultural experts" to help give their proposed resort "an only-in-Hawai'i" theme. What does this mean? Does anyone think the giant edifice that is pictured represents a Bahamian "sense of place"?
Sue Tetmeyer
Other schools also show discrimination
I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed trudging up and down the hills of Kapalama in my J-ROTC uniform, but I was still shocked to hear of the program's end at Kamehameha Schools.
J-ROTC was beneficial — it taught leadership and lifesaving skills — an opportunity now lost. Kamehameha cut this program to protect its admissions policy.
Kenneth Conklin is viciously fighting for equality since Kamehameha's admission is limited to students of Hawaiian descent. What about other schools with selective admissions? Sacred Hearts and Damien limit admissions to students of one sex. How are admissions based on gender different from admissions based on ethnicity?
Navy Hale Keiki School gives first preference of admission to military dependents. Enrollment excludes civilians as long as military dependents enroll. Shouldn't Conklin feel that this school discriminates against students based on their parents' servitude?
Lopaka Baptiste
Ames, Iowa
'Whacko' headline was inappropriate
As a professional social worker and the relative of a person disabled by mental illness, I would like to protest the headline "All 'signs' point to bin Laden being a whacko" in the Jan. 24 Advertiser.
Leaving aside the issue of Chinese astrology as a means of discerning bin Ladin's psychological characteristics, the use of the term "whacko" is demeaning to the mentally ill.
There is a growing body of evidence that disorders such as those cited in the article — obsessiveness, bipolar/manic-depressive illness and paranoia — are brain diseases. Making light of these through a term such as "whacko" makes light of the suffering that is associated with these diseases. It further stigmatizes the mentally ill and discourages people from seeking help.
Mary S. Sheridan
Professor of social work, Hawai'i Pacific University
Farrington Highway must have a bypass
I moved here from the Mainland in September and am living on Farrington Highway in Nanakuli. I do not believe that Farrington Highway can be made "safe."
The highway was not designed, obviously, as a major arterial. It services homes, businesses, shopping centers and numerous intersecting roads. It also accesses beaches, parks and picnic areas. At the same time, it must handle all traffic: commercial, military, business, as well as morning and evening commuters.
On the Mainland, large population centers have had ongoing highway construction to handle this type of situation for the past 40 to 50 years. It is simply called a bypass, an extension of the freeway, conveniently close to localities, with appropriate entry and exit ramps to service those localities. This is the only logical solution to this problem.
I am not certain of the politics involved, but sometimes highway construction qualifies for federal funds. It is obvious that rhetoric and the Band-Aid approach are woefully inadequate given the traffic levels and the ongoing accidents and deaths. How many more fatalities are needed to validate this plan?
W. Mulholland
OHA sets its legislative goals
On Sept. 12, the state Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to Hawaiians when it struck down Act 304, which gave the Office of Hawaiian Affairs 20 percent of the ceded-land revenues collected by the state for Hawaiian beneficiaries.
Without a steady flow of income to sustain all of our programs, we trustees must now reassess our current programs and look at ways to downsize to preserve our trust assets.
While the Supreme Court may have struck down the mechanism for payments to Hawaiians, it did declare that the state still must fulfill its constitutional obligation to the Hawaiian people. It also gave the Legislature the charge of amending Act 304. Until this is complete, there will be no payments made to OHA by the state.
OHA will ask the Legislature this year for an interim revenue amount until Act 304 is resolved. Because a formula based on revenues has been so problematic, we must consider, in the very near future, to settle the ceded-lands claims with the state. This would allow the Hawaiian people the opportunity to have a land base on which to build our nation.
The second OHA bill asks the Legislature to adopt a waiver from the state procurement laws. Because of an attorney general opinion, OHA is no longer able to give money to 501 C 3 programs. OHA is unable at this time to give any grants to anyone. This opinion has basically stopped all flow of money from OHA to any organization or group asking for funds.
The third bill addresses the need to revisit Act 302 as directed by the state Supreme Court.
The fourth bill allows the OHA trustees the ability to join the state retirement system. For 20 years, the trustees have not been allowed to join the system.
At the federal level, the piece of legislation known as the Akaka Bill is slated to be heard in Congress in the spring. While there may not be total agreement on the language of this bill, it is very important that Hawaiians receive federal recognition from the United States. Without this recognition, we cannot proceed to nationhood.
On another note, I am happy to announce that within the next 30 days, OHA will:
- Increase our business loan amount to $250,000.
- Partner in building 45 housing units in Kapolei.
- Develop a partnership with Fannie Mae to allow all Hawaiians to borrow money for home mortgages for down payments and closing costs at a reduced interest rate below the prime rate.
- Continue to work to develop a health initiative for our kupuna.
We ask for your kokua this legislative session to help us resolve some very critical issues for our people.
Rowena Akana
Vice chairwoman, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
