Letters to the Editor

Permits for weddings on beach are a given

Wedding planners and ministers who hold weddings on the beach should absolutely be required to obtain permits. They are conducting a business venture on public land, and so should pitch in to the public pot. They have no right to expect the public to underwrite their business.

To keep the romance, planners should provide this service to their customers just as hotels make wedding arrangements for their customers. That way the client doesn't have the hassle and can keep the romance. If couples choose to coordinate their own wedding, then securing a permit is no more hassle than booking a church or reception hall.

To deal with time and red tape, wedding planners and ministers should be allowed to buy standing permits for certain locations. This would carry no more risk of running into an occupied location than the industry does now, unregulated.

Nina Labbe is right, although misguided, in her quote, "The beach is supposed to be for everybody" — thus no permit should carry with it the right to displace anyone off the beach.

Voters are apathetic because we're let down

Your Aug. 3 editorial on voter turnout failed to mention one of the biggest reasons local voters have stayed away from the polls. As mentioned, every vote counts, but it is in the local elections where each voter truly has a chance to make a difference in politics that directly affects their lives.

Just three governors ago, John Waihee came into office with a budget surplus. Now we are one of the most taxed states in the country. How many state and municipal government officials have been arrested in the past 10 years? How many construction firms and individuals have been charged with illegally contributing to political campaign funds? How many politicians, who have the responsibility of amending and making our laws, can't even legally run their own campaign finances?

These lists go on and on, with state Sens. Cal Kawamoto and Melodie Aduja the most recent politicians under fire for campaign money management.

At this point, the only people I'd vote for are Robert Watada, director of the state Campaign Spending Commission, and Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, simply because he's always been a straight shooter.

Voters are apathetic because so many of the politicians we elect are apathetic with their elected responsibilities, campaign laws and personal code of ethics. Until elected officials give the public a reason to believe in the democratic process, expect to see the decrease in voter turnout continue.

Here's an alternative in congressional race

One of the reasons I decided to run for the District 2 congressional seat is to offer a choice to voters.

By registering to vote by the Aug. 18 deadline and then choosing a nonpartisan ballot in the primary election, you will have made a statement to our elected officials that we on Maui have had enough politics as usual. We will not be pushed around and want leaders who will serve in the district's interest.

By voting and putting my name against the two others who are automatically guaranteed placement on the general election ballot, you will have shown that Maui can make a statement that will ring in career politicians' ears for quite some time. I hope to encourage others to become involved in where our future is heading. Do we really want to be corralled as sheep following aimlessly to wherever? Your vote can really count this time, if only you make it do so. Please take the time to register and vote.

In the general election, you can still choose the candidate you think represents the island best. After all, I am only a high school graduate and mother

and ...

Now focus on Waikiki

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is to be commended for showing us how to protect ourselves from a hundred-year storm in the Ala Wai Canal area. Does this not beg the question of why hasn't the Corps of Engineers or anyone else studied and proposed all possible safeguards should the Waikiki area be hit by a 100-year sea surge or a run-of-the-mill tsunami?

Parking garage must blend in with Kailua

As a 30-year resident of Kailua, I have seen many changes — some good, some not so good. I do like the way Kaneohe Ranch has upgraded its buildings and brought a good ambiance and cohesive style to our town.

I am not as pleased with the monstrosity Kaneohe Ranch is building in back of the new Longs extension. If they don't build it too high, and finish it to blend with the rest of the style in Kailua, it may not be such an eyesore. But the way it looks now, it could be right out of the ugliest strip mall in America.

I'm hoping they will continue to be the good neighbors they have always been and do the right thing with this building.

Doing time shouldn't apply for this 'crime'

As I write this, my neighbor, John "Pilipo" Souza, sits in a cell at OCCC for committing an act of political protest. Mr. Souza is a very honest, honorable man who is deeply committed to seeing justice done for the kanaka maoli. One can question his tactics but not his integrity.

I find it ironic that ex-radicals can try to scam some $8 million from an insurance fund and be allowed to plead no contest, possibly receive a deferred sentence and not spend a day in jail while my neighbor, a truly good and honest man, is in jail for an act of political protest.

The same issue of the newspaper covering Pilipo's story also included an article about how crooks in the financial industry had acquired millions of ill-gotten gains at the public's expense yet had only received a hand slap and a fine that amounted to the cost of doing business.

The lesson seems to be, if you protest past wrongs, you go to jail, yet ripping off the public to the tune of millions of dollars is a minor offense without any serious consequences.

Bill 35 is not legislation to protect 'special interests'

After a very thorough examination of the impacts of Bill 10 and having listened to hours of testimony by both large landowners and farmers, I am convinced that action must be taken if we are to sustain our growing diversified agricultural industry.

Bill 10, passed last year to address "gentlemen farmers," also hoped to compel large landowners to dedicate lands to farming. The majority of the council members supported Bill 10 because the author of the legislation and the Harris administration assured us that the bill was revenue-neutral. We now realize that we were misled. The bill was ill-conceived, and rather than helping farmers, the measure will, in reality, drive them out of business.

Take, for example, the North Shore farmer whose real property taxes will increase from $1,900 in 2003 to $887,500 in 2004 and a Central O'ahu farmer whose taxes went from about $2,500 last year to over $350,000 this year. In both instances, the farmers said they would not be able to pay this substantially larger tax bill and may be forced to lay off hundreds of employees. Bill 35 is an attempt to give several hundred farmers, including many small farmers who are negatively impacted by Bill 10, tax relief while new tax legislation for agricultural properties is drafted and adopted.

It is very discouraging to hear a candidate for mayor call Bill 35 legislation to protect "special interests." It is indisputable that leaving Bill 10 to stand will force many farmers to shut down their operations. Clearly, those who are opposed to Bill 35 are stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that this will be the end result — less locally grown agricultural products, farmers out of work and lands currently productive left fallow.

Both farmers and landowners are united in their support of Bill 35. This is in direct contradiction to what the administration and the author/mayoral candidate would have the public believe when they call it "special interest" legislation.

UH logo proposals not that great

Looking over the latest set of six UH logo ideas, I have to agree with the comment in The Hono-lulu Advertiser (July 31) that "they don't seem to have much to do with Hawai'i or UH."

Reading the explanations on the UH Web site clarified some of the symbolism. But the fact that the designs need so much explanation suggests that the symbols don't work visually.

Designs one and six are supposed to be canoe sails and calabash (talk about mixed metaphors!) in the shape of the letters UH, with a Western-style torch in between (talk about visual culture clash!). And the canoe sails are on fire? Not a good sign. The shield and Western torch done in "petroglyph-style" in design two look weird — content and style don't match.

Designs three and four look generic — "half the universities in the world have a book with a flame attached" (Advertiser, July 31).

Design five perhaps started with a good idea of trying to signify an ahupua'a, but the visual representation doesn't suggest "ahupua'a" to me; trying to make the letters U and H into mountains and ocean doesn't work in this design.

The motto "Malamalama," "Light of Knowledge," is simple and direct. Has any designer seen a Hawaiian torch or lamp? Check out Isabella Abbott's "La'au Hawai'i," Page 77. The torch there and the poho kukui (stone lamp) with a kapa wick use kukui nut or its oil for light.

Either the stone lamp or the kukui tree itself or its leaves could be used as simple, direct symbols and could be made visually attractive. Perhaps the designers should start there.