Posted on: Thursday, April 8, 2004

Letters to the Editor

Resolving problems with Act 221 is top priority

I'm writing to set the record straight.

First, the state administration estimates that Act 221 generated between 600 and 800 jobs in 2002, with an average salary of $46,000 per year. Second, I'm working with, not against, the state administration, to increase public disclosure, to tighten up the eligibility requirements of the act to make sure there is no abuse, and to extend the successful program into the future.

Economic diversification is necessary not for abstract academic reasons, but because for too long we've seen many of our best and brightest move to the Mainland to earn a living. Tourism and government are our biggest employers, and until we diversify, we won't have enough professional options for our young people.

There is no other economic initiative that has created this number of high-quality private-sector jobs in Hawai'i. That's why I'm working with all parties to develop legislation that will tighten Act 221, make it more efficient, and extend its provisions in a fair and accountable manner.

CARE proposal won't give us what we need

Linda Lingle and her mighty CARE brain trust claim to want to liberate public schools from oppressive bureaucracy and empower principals to pursue test score excellence. Help me with the math.

Under the governor's CARE proposal, the Department of Education and the Board of Education would be replaced by new "local" school boards (possibly seven to 30 boards, to be decided later, when more politically convenient). These seven to 30 boards would also oversee and advise the schools. Then there would be an additional new statewide entity tasked with assuring that the test scores do in fact go up, and provide oversight and advice and enforce any punitive measures if they don't. How is this more autonomy? Or less bureaucracy?

Then to empower schools further, schools would be responsible for 90 percent (this 90 percent to CARE is a magic number) of their own maintenance and operations.

Now in addition to being held accountable for student tardies and absences, principals are supposed to make sure staff payroll is correct, lunch is tasty enough, and that there is soft enough toilet paper in all bathrooms.

Hawai'i's schools face serious challenges, but just "doing anything different" is not the answer. Educators have rejected the Republicans' multiple school board proposal not because they are lazy, or protecting their seniority, or brow-beaten by the unions, but because the proposal is very, very stupid. The business community, usually so supportive of the Republicans, questions the underlying assumption that more cooks make better beef stew.

Apparently, those who can teach, teach. Those who can't, sit on oversight and advisory boards.

Bishop DiLorenzo has been a giant in Hawai'i

As Catholics in Hawai'i, we have very good reason to be thankful for the blessings of God our Father and Christ Jesus upon us. We have been blessed with an absolutely wonderful bishop and wonderful priests.

Because of Bishop DiLorenzo six years ago, our son Jon will be graduating from the Catholic University of America and perhaps returning home to teach at one of Hawai'i's excellent high schools. For this, we are eternally grateful.

As we have told the bishop, "We sent you a boy, the bishop sent us a man."

Bishop DiLorenzo has been a giant as a shepherd in spirit, faith and service, not only to Hawai'i's Catholics, but people of all faiths. The people of Richmond are so very, very blessed to have Bishop DiLorenzo.

May God be with the bishop, always.

Traffic cams a shabby shot at real problem

Our legislators are at it again. Reacting to a problem without any critical thinking.

Lives are lost on our streets because of drugs, alcohol, inattention and immaturity of youth. None of these reasons will react in a positive way to a camera mounted on post.

The cam scam will not spot a drug or alcohol user. It will not reduce inattention on our roads. The naïveté of youth may need firm parental guidance.

Create laws that address the problem, not hurt the public.

It's time for action on fixed-rail system

I wonder how many of our legislators take seriously the Federal Transit Administration warning to not recommend federal support for (unfunded) local transit projects (Advertiser, March 27).

At the O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Commission Policy Committee meeting, the FTA regional chief, Leslie Rogers, also pointed out that 71 projects across the nation have been identified and will be examined for cost-effective solutions. It was made perfectly clear that projects without local authorization and appropriation will not be receiving any of the projected $55 billion in federal funds available for transit.

Members of the City Council and now the policy committee have resolved to support an elevated-grade fixed-rail system for O'ahu; but a resolution is nothing more than a "feel good" measure aimed at potential voters.

How many of our political leaders are now willing to follow the governor's lead and state that they favor a general excise tax increase to obtain funds dedicated to a rail system? Every candidate for office this year should be placed on record before the election as either for or against a GET increase or dedication of a portion of the existing rate for a fixed-rail system for O'ahu.

It's time for action, not words.

Educational reform is really about power

As a public-school educator of two years, I still don't see any true reform happening or in the works. I understand it perhaps may be a slow process, but we need to get something going.

There is still a continuing war in the Legislature between Democrats and Republicans over power. Reform really boils down to who's getting all the power.

Concerned citizens, you need to understand that having power or controlling power will not necessarily result in true reform. It is what you do with it that will impact everyone in a positive way, and reform will take its course. It's evident in Jerry Burris' April 4 column, "PR won't resolve school problems," that Democrats and Republicans are struggling for power in the educational limelight.

This seems to be a fight that will result in the death of true reform. We need to remember that our children will hold the ultimate power in the future. We need to pave the right way. In order to support them, politicians need to be exemplary role models.

We are all adults with ideas, opinions, agendas, issues and plans about educational reform. Well, we need to stop the continuous battle for power before it's too late.

UH making the same mistake on a new logo

I see that the University of Hawai'i is reopening the search for a new logo. I also note that it is once again going to commercial sources for its creation.

I do not understand why this is so.

It must have courses in commercial art or creative art or some such with qualified instructors and talented students.

I do not understand, therefore, why the administration does not take advantage of this in-house talent and assign the task to them.

According to a "squib" in the March 26-28 issue of USA Weekend, Nike's famous "Swoosh" was developed by a graphic design student who received the munificent sum of $35 for her effort.

There are several advantages to this course of action besides the savings of several thousands of dollars:

• There would be more flexibility regarding criteria, term of completion, payment and other less easily defined aspects of the program.
• The students would gain valuable experience in a "real world" task that would serve them well in the years to come.
• The potential for disagreement of contractual requirements and possible costly and time-consuming changes would be eliminated.

Get rid of the roosters

Rooster noise is spoiling life everywhere in Hawai'i, not just on Kaua'i, as in your report. I just spent three days on the Big Island, and the vacation was spoiled by four roosters crowing incessantly from 3:30 a.m., giving me a splitting headache. Roosters should be declared a pest, outlawed and their owners prosecuted — at least within a half-mile of residences.

FedEx shows the way for mass-transit system

With all the varying opinions for a future O'ahu rapid-transit system, it seems the simplest and most straightforward solution has the best chance for success.

Like Federal Express' methodology of a hub-and-spoke system, an elevated light-rail system built alongside or above the H-1, H-2 and Nimitz highways would provide the hub to get people to and from Leeward and Central O'ahu directly to the airport, Aloha Tower Marketplace, Ala Moana Center and the University of Hawai'i.

On the Leeward side, one station would be located in Kapolei, where there would be a secure parking structure to allow all residents on the Leeward side to drive to this station, park their car and board the train. Similarly, another station would be located in Waipi'o near the H-2 freeway where all Central O'ahu residents could drive to this station, park their car and board the train into town.

In essence, phase one of the elevated rail would only have six boarding and de-boarding stations.

The four stations in town would cover the majority of destinations for all weekday riders. Some city buses/shuttle routes could then be realigned (spokes) to service the area surrounding each "hub" if a person's destination is beyond walking distance of a hub station. This would include workers and visitors who need to go to Waikiki; they could get off at the Ala Moana station and take a short bus or shuttle ride to their hotel in Waikiki.

Future phases of the transit system could include additional stations (with secure parking) located in Wai'anae and Wahiawa.

Flexibility of the train itself would also help to ensure success. The train should be modular so more "cars" could be added during peak hours and then removed during off hours; it should be designed to allow people to carry on their bicycles, suitcases, surfboards, wheelchairs and maybe even their pets.

In addition, with only six boarding stations and an elevated track, security becomes manageable. Another key selling point is that this system would completely bypass the time-wasting gridlock traffic that occurs on the H-1, H-2 and Nimitz highways every day and that will get worse over time.

Oil firm profits made unfairly

I don't like our gas-price-cap law, but I support it. I am a former Shell service station owner who has publicly supported the company on most issues, but I cannot on this one because I know their high profits are made unfairly.

How are oil companies making such high profits in Hawai'i? Not by having a more efficient refinery. One is old and needs upgrading. Not by taking the risk of operating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Our isolation seems to inhibit price wars. In the 24 years I was a dealer, I don't remember ever participating in the kind of price wars you see on the Mainland. Without price wars, profits are stable and business less risky. Don't we then deserve a discount instead of paying a penalty for our gasoline?

Higher profits are simply coming from higher prices, and how do the oil companies calculate gas prices in Hawai'i? I don't believe they're sitting down and calculating their costs and then adding a fair profit margin. They are more likely sitting down and calculating what the market will bear. They probably try to calculate the highest price they can charge without being accused of gouging.

But unfortunately for them, there is no business formula to calculate the gouging threshold. It is one of those "if you see it, you know it." And we've seen their numbers and we've felt the sting of being gouged. Sales at Chevron/Texaco lessee stations in Hawai'i were just 3 percent of sales, but represented 22 percent of profits. That is way, way out of line. Their new numbers try to hide that slice in a bigger pie.

Some people are defending the oil companies by pointing out that everything costs more in Hawai'i, so the fact that our gas price is 35 cents more than on the Mainland is OK. The oil company supporters assume that part of the 35 cents is for our higher taxes and the rest is divided between the oil company and the retail dealer. Here is how that 35 cents is divided up: (1) 13 cents is for Hawai'i's higher-than-average gas taxes; (2) the remaining 22 cents goes to the oil company; (3) not a single penny goes to the retail dealer to help pay for his higher cost of doing business in Hawai'i.

This is true for the independent Shell dealer. The old Shell leases allowed for a rent subsidy, but the new leases do not. In fact, according to the Lundberg Survey, the O'ahu retail dealers operate on gasoline margins that are lower than the national average. That means even more money going to the oil companies.

The gasoline market is not normal and the oil companies take advantage of the situation. We need a mechanism to ensure fair prices. If the gas-cap law is not the answer, then someone needs to come up with a better solution. Until then, I will support the cap law.