Letters to the Editor

New city buses are not rider-friendly

As a concerned citizen who uses public transportation, I would like to voice my complaint, which is shared by many, of the new buses, which are totally rider-unfriendly.

Obviously, they were purchased by someone who does not ride the bus. They seat fewer people, and the aisle is narrow and therefore carries fewer commuters at a time, making for longer waiting time at commute hours. The narrow aisle makes it difficult when loading the wheelchair of a handicapped individual. The two steps up in the rear is an accident waiting to happen and a lawsuit that will cost the taxpayer more money.

I'm sure the new buses cost more, but the only positive thing I see in them is the fact that they are lower at the exits, making getting on and off safer. I think the negative aspects far outweigh the positive one.

Bottle bill will burden the consumer mightily

Bill Comerford's April 13 commentary "Bottle bill creates problems" does a good job in explaining the business side of problems with the bottle bill, but the consumer has an even greater burden to consider.

Not only will 2 cents of each bottle deposit go for administration and recovery efforts, the tremendous inconvenience for each and every beverage consumer will quickly be realized. Instead of going to the store with an empty shopping cart, the average consumer will be required instead to grab an empty shopping cart to haul the various beverage containers into the store to get his return deposit. He will have to wait in line to be helped by a clerk, wait while the clerk counts and writes up his returns, and then take the return ticket and give it to the cashier for his refund when he completes his shopping.

If he has no recycling center within two miles of his home, he will have to go to a regional recycling center, where he will be required to wait in line to return his containers to get his refund.

What has not been discussed at all is the windfall the current recyclers will receive. Reynolds Recycling and Tomara Recycling stand to make millions of dollars. They will collect all the containers from the stores and centers for free where previously they paid per pound for the containers. Having lobbied the legislators with big campaign contributions for their votes on this law, they will reap huge profits from all the aluminum cans they receive for nothing and can now send to the Mainland for big bucks.

The bottle bill is a "feel good" law that will not significantly reduce the landfill site but will cause considerable inconvenience to consumers and provide huge profits to recyclers. The bottle bill should be canned before it can do more harm than good.

Without budget support, schools will stay same

With much of the focus on educational governance restructuring, a critical component to assure quality education in public schools must not be neglected. This is the commitment to provide essential resources to support student achievement in our public schools.

Research-based education studies indicate that strategies most likely to improve student achievement are small schools, highly qualified teachers, a comprehensive curriculum and high-quality preschools, to name a few. Other essentials are adequate school facilities and effective school leaders, which all require sufficient funding.

The reality is that there is not enough funding to meet cost increases in public education. Currently, there is a $600 million-plus backlog in statewide school repairs and maintenance, increasing budgetary requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and Felix Consent Decree, and greater resource needs to help students meet the standards. There is also insufficient funding for teachers' and administrators' professional development, which is necessary for quality teaching and quality leadership.

Like educational governance, money itself is not the cure-all to address all problems in education. Parent-community partnerships, a commitment to high standards and high achievement by all and accountability are also musts. However, without sufficient budgetary support, efforts to successfully educate students will not be realized.

Iraq is no place for U.S. civilians

There have been many articles in the news lately regarding U.S. civilians in Iraq who have been kidnapped or killed. I feel sorry for those individuals and their families, as well as all the innocent victims of this war — on both sides.

However, with the exception of human aid organizations and U.S. government administrators, U.S. civilians have no business in Iraq while we are in the middle of a war with that country (regardless of what President Bush has declared: "Mission accomplished").

Civilian contractors are in Iraq for one reason: to make tons of money. In a country so economically devastated as Iraq is now, are we to believe there are no Iraqis who could drive a fuel truck instead of bringing over a U.S. citizen to do it for $120,000 per year?

Civilian security forces? Isn't that something the world's best military force could handle?

Ahhh ... the lure of money. Is it worth it?

Aloha Air decision on extra luggage welcome

What a pleasure to read in the business section an " 'ohana" style decision by Aloha Airlines. Aloha's decision to allow additional luggage to fly, space available, but at no charge, is purely a passenger-service plus.

Pacific Islanders coming to Hawai'i for any number of reasons always have their "wish lists" for their extended families. Deciding who had to go without was tough.

Mahalo, Aloha, for a smart decision that benefits businesses and families.

City Bank takeover would be blow to us

I have never owned any stock of either Central Pacific Bank or City Bank, although I knew many of the founders of both banks. In the beginning, both groups of organizers said one of their principal motives was to be a local bank and provide competition in the banking business for the people of Hawai'i.

Central Pacific Bank is no longer a local bank and is now a subsidiary of a large foreign bank, despite its shibai ads using local actors to try to re-create a 50-year-ago "local" image. The real motive of Central Pacific Bank is pure greed, to buy out the stockholders of City Bank and eliminate the competition of City Bank.

If Central Pacific Bank succeeds in its attempt to take over City Bank, at least 25 City Bank branches will be closed and 500 City Bank employees will lose their jobs without any chance of starting a comparable new career in the present economy with equivalent salaries, seniority and benefits. It will be a lose-lose result for the people of Hawai'i and the employees of City Bank, but there appears to be no public concern.

I hope the stockholders of City Bank will think about the effect of a takeover regarding the loss of competition in the banking business and the loss of jobs for City Bank employees, and reject all attempts by Central Pacific Bank to eliminate City Bank.

Another infamous date

Sept. 11 is like Pearl Harbor. It should not have happened.