County socialism driving up prices

Your Dec. 19 lead article, "Housing far out of reach," takes the editorial stance that county governments are working hard to fix the problem. But if you have even a cursory understanding of economics, you can spot that in fact one of the causes of high housing prices is the socialistic mindset and policies of the politicians running county government.

For example, the article cites a Big Island "in lieu" fee of $472 per house that purportedly encourages affordable housing but in fact is simply a tax that developers pay as a cost of doing business — a tax that increases the price of each unit sold by $472.

On Maui, the county government asks for "voluntary contributions" for such things as state land-use boundary amendments — but the $10 million collected from these shakedowns is neither "voluntary" nor a "contribution." The Maui government official quoted had the chutzpah to claim she "doesn't know what would happen if someone declined" to pay them. Gee, do you think his application would be approved?

The article goes on and on with such abuses, with the article's author, Kevin Dayton, not once labeling these egregious shakedowns for what they really are, an attempt to impose hidden taxes that drive up housing prices under the pretense of lowering housing prices.

It's time to take back our government and send such doubletalking politicians and bureaucrats packing — or at least demand a little more critical thinking from newspaper reporters.

Sewer pipe stench must be addressed

I find it hard to believe that we in the Kailua area have to smell sewer pipe stench almost every day since the sewer pipe enhancement upgrade on Kainui Drive four to five years ago. The only enhancement we have received is the constant smell of raw waste and other offensive odors.

When I call to complain (I started about two years ago), a crew is always sent out to do nothing. Who do city officials think they are kidding with this pacification effort? Call in engineers to fix the problem once and for all. And learn from your previous mistakes with the 1,000-year project slowly in progress on North Kalaheo Avenue.

We should not have to smell this foul odor every day and every night. Kailua is full of healthy people who jog, bike, work out, etc., and I personally have gotten ill while working out due to this smell. Hopefully we will not find that this raw sewage stench is actually harmful to our health in any way.

Congratulations due

Coach Dave Shoji, staff and all the Wahine volleyball players should be congratulated for showing good sportsmanship after their heartbreaking loss to Wisconsin recently.

They turned the other cheek when the other side was booing them.

Caregiving articles much appreciated

Thank-you for the effort The Honolulu Advertiser made to produce the excellent set of articles describing families with aged and dependent family members who struggle to keep them home and avoid the high cost of institutional care.

The articles describe very typical situations that are the source of much physical, financial and psychological stress. It is apparent that reporters Tanya Bricking Leach, Mary Kaye Ritz, Zenaida Serrano, Robbie Dingeman and others to whom the project was assigned did devote many hours interviewing, phone-calling, researching and writing about this complex topic. At the Elderly Affairs Division, the Senior Hotline received many inquiries about services and assistance. We are sure that service provider agencies were also called.

The Advertiser has performed a valuable service for readers who are coping with the stresses of caregiving or who need help to continue living in their homes. The Elderly Affairs Division was pleased to contribute referrals to experts and advice about topics covered. I am certain the reporters are now aware of other topics to expand the series. The Elderly Affairs Division will continue its willingness to be a resource.

Firefighters' names on tree wonderful

Kudos to the City and County of Honolulu for another wonderful Christmas Lights display at Honolulu Hale! There were many beautiful Christmas trees and displays to please young and old alike, but a special acknowledgment goes to the Honolulu Fire Department for listing names on their tree of firefighters enlisted in the National Guard and currently deployed to Iraq.

My wife's brother, Lincoln Ishii, is one such individual, as is his wife Nani's brother, Clyde Pelekai. Both were deployed in March and home for a much-deserved vacation at Thanksgiving. Before they returned to complete their tours of duty in Iraq, we visited the Christmas Lights display with Lincoln and his family, and the look of surprise on his face at seeing his and Clyde's names on the tree was only exceeded by his obvious pride at being honored by his fellow firefighters.

We all took pictures to preserve the image, but none could equal the memory of Lincoln's reaction to the honor that was bestowed upon him. Mahalo to those responsible for this wonderful gesture!

Achieving U.S. recognition isn't Native Hawaiian ploy

Janice Johnson of Kahuku fears the motives of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in its support of federal recognition (Letters, Dec. 11).

Johnson says federal recognition means she'll pay more federal taxes while "others sit back and get a free ride."

Achieving federal recognition is not a ploy for Native Hawaiians to avoid paying taxes. Federal recognition is part of the reconciliation that Congress initiated to right the wrongs committed against the Hawaiian people over a century ago.

As they continue to pay their share of taxes, Native Hawaiians have been patiently waiting and watching for those wrongs to be righted.

As they continue to pay their share of taxes, Native Hawaiians have been patiently waiting and watching as elements of modern-day society, including some whose relatives were principals in the illegal 1893 overthrow, take to the courts to tear down institutions such as the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and the Kamehameha Schools.

As they continue to pay their share of taxes, Native Hawaiians here and on the Mainland have passionately debated what form of government they want. There are many positions: status quo, independence, kingdom, nation-within-a-nation. OHA has been front and center in the effort to organize a new government, one that will replace OHA.

The Kau Inoa registration process is ongoing, and while OHA resources are supporting the effort, it will ultimately be the Hawaiian community that will determine its success.

Since letter writer Johnson seems so hung up on OHA's "agenda" as it relates to taxes, it's important to point out that every recent survey — and just plain common sense — shows that the vast majority of Native Hawaiians want to remain loyal Americans, and as we all know, that loyalty includes taxpayer status.

Yes, there's a smattering of those who long ago gave up on the promises of the U.S. government to make things pono. Some in our community have refused to pay taxes and have been hauled off to federal prison. But again, it bears repeating that the majority of Native Hawaiians are your friends and neighbors who pay the same taxes you do, and are patiently waiting and watching for justice.

Quit griping about homeless act

Within the last month, there have been numerous letters and articles about O'ahu's homeless situation. Filled with self-righteous criticism of Sen. Robert Bunda and the residents of the North Shore's support of Act 50, most of these articles and letters have been myopic and one-sided. There is another side of the story.

Act 50 does not make Hawai'i a mean state to the homeless. The lack of good government policies has. Act 50 is a response to the city and state government policies that have pushed the homeless out of sight and into rural communities. Beginning with the ill-conceived homeless villages in Hale'iwa, Wai'anae and Waimanalo and continuing today with little or no shelters and housing for the very poor and homeless, the government has done little to alleviate the causes of homelessness.

We, the rural communities of O'ahu, welcomed the villages and their residents. Was there ever any sustained thought to putting a village in Hawai'i Kai, 'Aina Haina, Kaimuki or Manoa? Yet, these areas have easy and close access to state offices, community colleges for job training, medical care, counseling and numerous other homeless needs not met in rural communities. Did Honolulu's urban population think that the problem would go away if they warehoused the homeless in the country?

How long would homeless families be allowed to live in Kahala District Park? Thomas Square or Manoa District Park? Yet it is OK for the rural communities to give up their public areas to numerous permanent "residents." Needles in our public restrooms are OK, but not in yours?

While our communities continue to grapple with how best to help the homeless, you townies complain about Act 50. How about taking responsibility — as a citizen of this state — and becoming proactive? Our community members and our churches have always been proactive: from the retired fire captain who brings food to the North Shore Christian Fellowship that runs a food bank and all the members of the community who participate in donating holiday meals and gifts.

Sen. Bunda is to be commended for having the foresight to sponsor a bill that highlights the problem and sends the message that homelessness will not go away just because it is out of sight of Honolulu residential areas. We, the rural communities, will no longer take responsibility for the homelessness caused in part by poor government planning, urban dwellers who do not want "the problem" in their neighborhoods and development pressure to build expensive housing and vacation homes instead of real housing.

The neglect of our government and our citizens to the needs of the low income and the poor has come home to roost. Stop complaining about Act 50 and do something to make such a law unnecessary.