Posted on: Friday, June 14, 2002
Letters to the Editor
Repeal of estate tax for super-rich wrong
As the owner of a small business, I think it's so unfair that some members of Congress wanted to give multimillionaires a costly new tax break by permanently repealing the federal estate tax and leaving the rest of us with the short end of the stick. The Senate has rejected the effort.
Our nation is currently struggling to provide quality education and healthcare, protect Social Security and Medicare, and bolster homeland security for all. We could not afford to give the wealthiest 2 percent of estate holders an extra $850 billion over 20 years.
Instead of helping the super-rich get richer through complete repeal, we should permanently reform the estate tax to ensure that small-business owners like myself, family farmers and the vast majority of Americans never have to pay it.
Jay K. Evans
Public health ads are a waste of our money
A recent letter by Jeff Pace coined the term "liberal paternalism" for Hawai'i's government. I submit as an additional example of "Big Brother" is the state Department of Health's constant bombardment on radio and TV, at taxpayer expense, of how to live one's life better.
Obviously the state thinks it knows better than individuals how you should live your life. The ironic part is that the state thinks that individuals will actually change their lifestyles after hearing some phony commercial.
The state needs to save money? Consider canceling the "live healthier" ads (and the people who thought them up).
R. D. Greenamyer
Democratic machine can't run on record
I am not surprised that Gov. Cayetano signed the 2002 Democratic "campaign bills" just before their convention. Those bills are the ill-conceived legislation that is going to make Hawai'i the first state to "price-fix" consumer prices.
The Democratic machine has bashed the economy, and now they want politicians fixing prices. The citizens of Hawai'i are not going to be fooled again. The failing but expensive state institutions run by the Democrats, such as education and health and human services, have failed. Check the audits or federal investigations.
Many Democratic leaders have been indicted, convicted and sent to prison. Political corruption in Hawai'i has a label: Democrat.
The sad state of Hawai'i's economy is due to the inept, corrupt (need an airport contract?) and anti-free enterprise policies of the long-standing Democratic political machine.
Yes, the Democrats cannot run on their miserable record, so expect smears and political racism disguised as "local values." It's going to be a great political season. The citizens of Hawai'i have figured out who really is using and abusing them, and they are not going to be fooled again.
We are ready. I see the sun coming up on a better day with a healthy two-party system. The campaign of 2002 is here. To quote a great American, "Let's roll."
Sen. Fred Hemmings
Holding physicians responsible ridiculous
Regarding the June 11 story about holding doctors responsible if an accident occurs because the patient did not know of the potential side effects: That is irresponsible.
Whenever medications are dispensed, either by prescription or over-the-counter, the warnings and descriptions come with it. Each person is going to react differently to each medication; therefore, to hold a doctor responsible, unless he recklessly prescribes a medicine, is not sensible.
Such a motion by the courts would make doctors, as well as pharmacists and pharmacies, responsible in the same way. That drives up the cost of medications because the insurance rates would go up. The cost always comes back to the consumer.
As scary as it sounds, this is a matter the Legislature needs to address.
Jeff Kino
Political sign-holders don't cause accidents
I have a question for Gary Okino and the other councilmen who want to place restrictions on holding political signs: Do you have an example of even one serious traffic accident that occurred because of political sign-holders?
There's a ton of evidence about the real causes of traffic accidents in our community. Why doesn't the council do something about those?
Bonita Newland
Story on home prices skyrocketing unrealistic
Home prices skyrocket? Oh really?
As a potential property buyer who has been on the market for the last six months, let me take a few minutes to debunk this fallacy.
Some months ago, the Star-Bulletin ran the headline "Home Sales, Prices Soar." Never mind that a majority of those "sales" were current homeowners refinancing at a lower rate; many properties went up $20,00 just on that headline alone.
Prices are starting to settle back down to realistic levels, so along comes The Advertiser to save the current commission incomes of local real estate agents.
Seems to me what has occurred here is a clever manipulation of coverage purely to maintain profits. Consider the source of the story, a Realtor; does anyone in his right mind think he would state that home prices are still overvalued from Japan's long-past economic boom and Hawai'i doesn't have an economic base to justify them? Of course not!
Will prices go up? After your headline, certainly. But for how long?
Ever hear of wag the dog?
Edward Koch
Hawaiian sovereignty must be pursued
John Griffin's June 9 commentary "Sovereignty: Out of sight, out of mind" was excellent. The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy was illegal, and it is "a matter of essential justice" that something be done — sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately, I don't sense that many transplanted non-Hawaiians have any understanding or empathy for the Hawaiian people. The most common comment I get from them is "Get over it! They lost! Let them get on with their life."
This is, of course, easy for those on top to tell those who are now on the bottom. It is arrogant and condescending and bespeaks the need for a sea-change in public opinion regarding their "host nation." It is time for the U.S. to back up the Apology Bill of 1993 with deeds and restitution.
Perhaps Poka Laenui will run for governor someday soon and correct these on-going injustices. The kingdom of Hawai'i is still here. Justice is long overdue.
John Jaeger
Solving pedophilia
I think the cure for the Catholic pedophilia problem is right under their noses. It's called female priests.
Gordon Chung
Letter criticizing Mililani Mauka Phase III in error
Douglas Thomas' June 6 letter, critical of Castle & Cooke's future development of Mililani Mauka Phase III, left the impression that the community's needs and concerns were being ignored. This is certainly not the case.
Contrary to the implied inadequacy of lands provided for parks and schools by Castle & Cooke, I offer the following:
• Castle & Cooke has dedicated 130 acres for public parks in Mililani over the years, 60 acres more than required. Mililani Mauka Phase III is within walking distance to the new 16-acre Mililani Mauka District Park, built and dedicated by Castle & Cooke.
• In addition, Castle & Cooke has built and dedicated, to Mililani Town Association, six recreation centers with a seventh planned, on a total of 16 acres.
• Castle & Cooke has dedicated 24 acres in Mililani Mauka for schools and is in the process of dedicating another 12 acres. The Department of Education has repeatedly stated that multi-tracking, temporary classrooms and redistricting are preferable to overbuilding school facilities to accommodate peak enrollments, and that the present and planned schools in Mililani are sufficient to meet projected enrollments.
Castle & Cooke worked with the Mililani Mauka community and the City and County on revisions to its original plan for Mililani Mauka Phase III to address concerns. Based on the revised plan, the Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board No. 35 voted in November 2001 to support the rezoning without any of the conditions stated in Thomas' letter.
Thomas' statements are unfair, not only to Castle & Cooke, but to the Mililani Mauka/Launani Valley Neighborhood Board No. 35 and the City Council, which made an informed decision based on facts and recommendations from appropriate government agencies as well as input from the community.
Alan K. Arakawa
Kapolei Library can't be opened
While it is a fine example of community support, the letters and comments regarding the Kapolei Library and the problems with staff, furniture and material are somewhat misplaced.
It would have been much more productive had all this energy been directed at the incompetents in the Legislature. Those worthy individuals knew that the library had been inadequately funded and did nothing about it.
It would be worthwhile to invite the state librarian and various experts from her staff to a neighborhood board meeting so the residents could get a firsthand explanation of the problems inherent in implementing the suggestions about a reading room and filling the empty building with donated items.
There are several factors involved in opening the Kapolei, or any other, library that can't simply be overlooked. Some of the factors are staff, furniture, utilities, security, materials and liability.
The Legislature did not adequately fund staffing for the Kapolei Library, and it makes little sense to close some libraries to be able to staff a new facility.
Furniture is necessary both to provide work stations for the staff, which does not yet exist, seating and tables for the public, and storage for library materials.
The money to pay for utilities, a not inconsiderable amount, must come from somewhere, and again the Legislature did not see fit to provide funding.
Even if the building were to be used solely as a reading room, there would be a requirement for security.
The library system and, ultimately, the state are liable for any accidents or injuries on library property. Therefore, the building cannot be simply turned over to community activists for use as a reading room.
Finally, library materials are more than a collection of used books from someone's garage. After having dealt intimately with donated materials for more than 10 years, I believe I can speak with some knowledge. Donations are much less than what the public has been led to believe. I have found that most of the donations are more trouble than they are worth.
People are encouraged, and rightly so, to donate unwanted reading materials and other media to the library. There are indeed many worthwhile items received and added to the collections, and many items are used for local and annual book sales. However, more than half of what is received is either out of date, inappropriate or contaminated with various vermin. When contaminated materials are introduced into a library, the contamination is also added.
In closing, community action is truly a fine thing, but it would produce better and longer-lasting results it it were directed at the Legislature.
Don Chambers
Mililani
R-25th (Kailua-Waimanalo)
Kane'ohe
Pearl City
Vice President
Castle & Cooke Homes Hawai'i
