Letters to the Editor

Shame on city and state workers for not keeping up with their full job responsibilities. This applies to all supervisors and managers.

I recently used a public restroom at one the most beautiful scenic spots on the North Shore. It was neglected and filthy. The faucet was running, the floor drain was backed up, the toilets were dirty, and the stench of urine was disgusting.

How can Hawai'i market itself as a destination tourist spot if such conditions exist for the public? Mainly tourists stop at this spot to use the beach and change clothing and shower. Restrooms at other beach locations are just as hideous as this one at Shark's Cove.

If these managers cannot keep their employees doing their jobs, then they should be replaced. The work needs to get done right and with consistency for all to enjoy. They should be conscious of what Hawai'i is all about and take action and responsibility for what they know they should be doing to get this message of Hawai'i out.

Happiness isn't found if you aren't wanted

I totally support Pat Bacon's comments on the Brayden Mohica-Cummings' situation.

In 1964, I had the honor to meet Mary Kawena Pukui and her family at her Birch Street residence, through George Bacon, her son-in-law. Mrs. Pukui took me as a student in my study of Hawaiian culture and the like. Over the course of 30 years, our families became close, or pili, as the Hawaiians would say. I became her keiki ho'okama, she my makuahine ho'okama.

During that time, there were those who scoffed at this, saying how can a grown man become a hanai at that age? Neither I nor Mrs. Pukui or her family pushed or took issue with these unkind individuals.

I still remember Mrs. Pukui and Mrs. Bacon reminding me about the Hawaiian saying of enduring 'a'ali'i shrub of Ka'u. That was good enough for me. Had I forced or pushed the issue, I would have violated the delicate balance of the inner spirit of what it means to be sincere Hawaiian.

It is most unfortunate that the Mohica-Cummings case has been forced down our throats. Indeed, Mrs. Bacon is very correct: "If they don't want you, you don't force yourself there." You won't find happiness in an environment that doesn't want you.

Concentrate on fraud, waste in government

Enough about cutting government spending. Government costs money. Services cost money.

Instead of beating up our political representatives, both local and state, about controlling government spending, we should be holding them to task to investigate and prosecute fraud and waste in government, i.e., pothole trucks that can't possibly work in Hawai'i, unnecessary "nice to have" projects, etc.

Since local law enforcement officers have now received a much-deserved raise, mandate them to investigate waste and fraud in local government.

State Auditor Marion Higa has continually pointed out waste and fraud in state government, but I haven't seen any heads roll or criminal charges placed against those individuals. Why?

Tractor-trailers are a danger on the Pali

I have watched tractor-trailers come barreling down the Pali Highway tailgating frightened motorists. A sudden stop by a motorist would have led to death. No police were around.

I have watched tractor-trailers carrying derelict cars going up H-1. The cars are loosely tied down, and the trucks carrying them are in bad shape.

Every time I see this, I say I should report them, but then I forget to do so. I wonder how many tickets are given to these truck drivers by the police. I do not think too many because the problem continues daily.

Maybe it is time for us citizens to report these dangerous trucks so there might be one less fatality. My prayers go out to the family of our most recent victim.

Commission botched rehiring of fire chief

The Honolulu Fire Commission's rehiring of the retired fire chief for 89 days was an irresponsible move. No one person is indispensable.

Perhaps the Fire Commission members should all resign for not filling the fire chief's position temporarily with one of his assistants while a search begins for a successor.

But, more importantly, the rehiring of the fire chief also blocks the many personnel under his command from "climbing the ladder" sooner. And for some, it is important for their retirement, too.

Audit is better than suit on state, county gas taxes

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano is moving back to his plaintiff attorney days with his strong "sue 'em" article in the Nov. 30 Advertiser. This is another effort by a former politician and plaintiff attorney to shift the public focus away from "where the rubber hits the road" issues and instead tie up the courts seeking work for his attorney colleagues.

What is overlooked in all the talk of gas prices is the fact that we drivers pay, every year, more than $225 million in gasoline taxes (51 cents/gallon) at the county, state and federal levels.

State and county taxes paid by Hawai'i drivers total 16 cents/gallon for the state plus 16.5 cents/gallon on O'ahu (Maui levies a tax of 18 cents/gallon). These Hawai'i taxes (32.5 cents/gallon) generate $150 million per year — split about evenly between the state and the county. Over the past 10 years or so that Cayetano refers to in his article, that would total $1.5 billion paid to the state and county coffers by Hawai'i drivers.

More productive than a lawsuit would be an audit of how the authorities and politicians in Hawai'i have spent this $150 million a year over the past 10 years. Was it spent directly on transportation maintenance and improvements? Do our state and county offices spend more than half the tax money on "administration"? Is any of the gas tax money siphoned off to subsidize the general fund and nontransportation projects?

An audit would yield information on local practices and procedures that could quickly be given to policy-makers for review and modification. A lawsuit, on the other hand, would drag on and create complicated appeals that would not be resolved for many years, especially if the appeal must go to the Hawai'i Supreme Court.

As for me, both a driver and a taxpayer, the O'ahu roads I drive on make me suspect that we would benefit more through an audit of how this gas tax money is spent. The potential improvements from an audit could more rapidly affect the roads and shocks on my car than a long wait for resolution of a questionable legal action that even big law firms seem to have backed away from prosecuting.