Letters to the Editor
Community could have opened library
Regarding your June 12 story, "Kapolei librarian declines community-donated books": I went to my local regional branch of the library this morning to see what makes up a library. I say about 10 to 15 percent of the library was reference and research material and the rest was nonfiction, fiction and keiki books, magazines and videos. The range of material goes from good books to OK books to boring.
Hawai'i's government is always complaining about a shortage of money, and along comes a great opportunity to get the public to donate books that would fill 85 percent of an empty library with books and state Librarian Virginia Lowell says "no."
As an educator, Lowell has her priorities mixed up.
Richard Carriere
Where's accountability for the vision teams?
I am confused about the power and money given to Mayor Harris' vision teams.
It seems that the decisions on how to spend $1 million of taxpayer money to improve the community should be given to the duly elected neighborhood boards, rather than vision teams.
How are the vision teams selected? Are they just people who are willing to go to meetings and push their own special interests? These people have not been elected and do not necessarily represent the wishes of the whole community.
Where's the accountability?
Barbara Nakamura
Kane'ohe
Hawai'i was taken in deal with Disney
What possible rationale is there for giving $3.9 million to Disney to market Hawai'i through an as-yet-unopened animated children's film?
Even assuming the film is hugely successful, did anyone bother to do the math to see if it could possibly translate into enough added tourist dollars to break even?
Disney executives are notorious for giving others the worst end of the deal in negotiations, but even by their standards, this will stand out as brilliant — for them.
Of course Tony Vericella negotiated in secret. If he had presented this deal openly and honestly up front, he would have been laughed out of the room, probably even faster than the movie's appeal.
The real value of the deal was estimated to be worth about $2 million, if that. The folks at Disney no longer need to worry about "Lilo & Stich" being successful: their profits will come from the excess money being thrown at them by a desperately shortsighted and none-too-bright HTA.
Kathy Harter
Voters are fed up with the Democrats
When the FBI reported that Hawai'i led the nation in thefts, thefts from vehicles and robberies, the message was finally clear: We need change and we need it now.
When our local leaders decided to give first-time drug offenders classes instead of consequence, the "hole" was dug deeper.
Citizens in Hawai'i are finally fed up with the liberals who have created states of emergency in the state prison system and public schools, and questionable conduct by our elected Democratic officials.
Gov. Ben Cayetano once said, prior to Election Day, "The voters have short memories — they always forget." Well, not this time. The citizens of Hawai'i will finally take back their communities, feeling safe in their neighborhoods by using the power of the voting process. Wait and see.
Ben Mahi
'Aiea
AARP Hawaii stays out of the political arena
Thank you for recognizing AARP Hawaii's critical role in passing the two landmark prescription drug bills that Gov. Cayetano signed into law at the end of May. Johnny Brannon's June 12 story, "Lobbyist spending gets mixed results," was fair and accurate.
However, some important distinctions about how AARP Hawaii spends its lobbying resources were not mentioned. AARP Hawaii is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. We do not spend our lobbying resources on direct contributions to lawmakers or political parties. AARP Hawaii does not operate or funnel money through political action committees. AARP Hawaii does not endorse individual candidates for any elected office.
Our focus is on issues that our members tell us are important to them and their families.
All of the money we spent during the second half of the legislative session was on public education. We used TV and print advertising across the state to educate our members and their communities about potential state solutions that would lower the cost of prescription drugs for the people who need it the most.
The pharmaceutical companies, by contrast, do give direct contributions to individual lawmakers and political parties. They also "entertain" lawmakers, which AARP Hawaii does not do.
Greg Marchildon
State director, AARP Hawaii
State Ethics Commission should be independent
The state Ethics Commission does its best to enforce ethics in state government. Article XIV of the Constitution of Hawai'i mandates that the commission shall be an independent state agency.
To ensure independence, our commissioners are not even subject to Senate confirmation. From the inception of the state Ethics Commission, the commission, by law, set the salaries of all its employees, including the executive director.
But in 1982, the Legislature, which is subject to the commission's jurisdiction, passed a law that took away the commission's authority to set the salary of its executive director. The reasons for this sudden change in the law in 1982 are unknown and are highly suspect.
The commission has repeatedly introduced bills to return to it the power to set the director's salary. The Legislature has failed to pass these bills. The Legislature's control of this salary flies in the face of the scheme of independence established by our Constitution.
The commission's independence, and the appearance of its independence, have thus been subverted by the Legislature. Enforcing ethics in government is hardly easy. Having the Legislature determine the salary of the commission's executive director is simply wrong and is contrary to the will of the people, as expressed in the Constitution.
I am sure legislators would object to our interference with their independence, just as we object to their interference with our independence to carry our the mandate of the state Constitution with respect to ethics in Hawai'i.
The stronger our ethics laws, and the stronger and more independent the commission, the more faith and confidence the public will have in our government and government officials. It's time to return control of commission salaries to the state Ethics Commission.
Leolani Abdul
Chairwoman, State Ethics Commission
