City being irresponsible on reaching a budget

There is a decided lack of capable leadership in the city administration and the City Council and a prevailing attitude of "the public be damned."

Whenever there is a shortfall in the budget, the solution is always a knee-jerk response of raising taxes and fees. No money to pay bus drivers? Let's increase bus fares. Need to pay for police raises? Let's raise the vehicle weight tax. Still short? Let's double parking fees.

The truth is, there is money, but our politicians in city government don't have the courage to make unpopular decisions to balance the budget. Here's how to make ends meet:

• Continue the freeze on hiring except for essential jobs in public safety and public health.
• Restrict departmental spending by 10 percent or more.
• Abolish the vision teams — we can't afford lavish neighborhood signs (more than $1.2 million spent on signs for East Honolulu and those monstrosities in Nu'uanu).
• Stop building those expensive canoe sheds; it's also questionable whether they are legal expenditures since canoe sheds are for privately owned personal property and the general public is locked out from using them.
• Cut out frills such as the torch-lighting ceremony on Kuhio Beach.Ê
• Cut Sunset on the Beach.
• Let the fire chief enjoy his retirement; there is no need to continue him on contract. Surely someone else can do the job.

The mayor and the council need to know the public doesn't mind having certain services cut or reduced. For example, why does the city need an economic development office? Why do we have so many spin doctors in the information office?

The public can ask: "Who's looking out for us?" When the council passes the budget Friday, the answer will be clear: no one.

Turn Jasmine support toward local musicians

"American Idol" is immensely popular in the Islands. That's good for the few contestants who were selected who fit into the show's agenda.

Meanwhile, most professional-level musicians in Hawai'i can't get enough work to make a decent living. The majority of professionals I know have to work day jobs to pay the rent, food and extras. Gone are the days when shows, dance clubs and venues in Honolulu featured live bands that got paid a decent wage.

Consequently, very few musicians from Hawai'i make an impact on the Mainland music scene (Grammys, etc.) since most musicians are too busy laboring in other vocations to dedicate the time and effort to rehearse, record and pursue their best work.

People of Hawai'i, you made phone calls for Jasmine, now it's time to support local musicians by going out to local venues.

Police should also target other wrongs

Nanilei del Prado (Letters, May 27) writes about the current "Click It or Ticket" campaign and how police officers will also check for registrations and safety inspections as well as insurance coverage.

It is my hope that they will also take note on all other infractions such as the abundance of obviously over-tinted windows, reconstruction violations and whatever else seems to be running rampantly wrong that I notice every time I go out there.

If they don't, then it's all just a waste of time. There's no sense in having laws on the books if no one enforces them.

Chile did not win its independence from Peru

Linda L. Smith wrote a letter May 27 entitled "Chilean training ship deserved its welcome." I love Chile; my family lived there for three years. We keep great memories of this great nation.

I just want to make a clarification. Ms. Smith mentioned that "Chile ... won ... independence from Spain and Peru." Yes, Chile became independent from Spain but not from Peru. I was very surprised that a senior policy adviser to the governor was not well informed.

By the way, most people around the world love freedom and respect for individual rights. I am grateful we live in a nation where we can express our opinions.

Democrats showed us they are obstructionist

I can't decide whether I should laugh, cry or throw up at Rep. Scott Saiki's statement (Letters, May 26) that the Democrat-controlled Legislature was "unfairly" accused of conspiring to erode the governor's power. The Democrats threw roadblocks in the path of every bill proposed by the administration and Republican legislators. This obstructionist behavior was motivated solely by partisan politics and was a blatant attempt to erode the administration's power.

They made a mockery of public hearings, especially those on education reform. They rushed legislation through for the first time in many years to give themselves time for overrides. They passed meaningless legislation that has public appeal, such as the gas cap, that probably will never go into effect. They passed watered-down education "reform" bills that leave all the power with the DOE, the same people who have caused the problems. Then Saiki has the audacity to say "Democrats are still willing to work with Republicans."

Please give the voters credit for having a little sense, Mr. Saiki. You are right that we do not appreciate partisan posturing, and I expect many of us will show you how much we dislike it in November.

Israel's ties to Hawai'i beneficial to us both

Keith Haugen's May 25 letter ("Governor's Mideast trips need rethinking") is way off the mark many times over.

As a member of Gov. Lingle's delegation to Israel, I can assure you we did much more than plant trees and raise awareness there of Hawai'i. Israel already knows a great deal about Hawai'i and shares many of our concerns, including water shortage issues, ocean and coral concerns, energy self-sufficiency and more.

The bilateral memorandum of understanding in the area of agriculture — a personal 25-year dream — has the potential of aiding our farmers enormously. The Israelis are interested in our aquaculture expertise. We already widely use their drip irrigation. And, if they can make the desert bloom, perhaps we can pick up an idea or two about growing in a volcanic soil environment. Frankly, this is a classic "win-win" situation for everyone.

Mr. Haugen is correct regarding his reference about American foreign aid to Israel as being in the "billions of dollars." Actually, Egypt receives the same amount as well. The stipulation of both aid packages, though, provides that the vast majority of the money be spent purchasing defense materials from American companies. This helps our economy, saves jobs here and lets Israel, at least, maintain her strategic balance in a region surrounded by nations that would just as soon see her cease to exist. And if Israel "tweaks" or fine-tunes American technology, our military gets the improvements as well. Another "win-win."

Mr. Haugen further suggests that President Bush and Gov. Lingle show "support for Israel in that country's war of terrorism with Palestine." This is the classic language and fantasy-based accusation that those who hate Israel comfortably write without regard to logic. With respect, I am not sure in which part of our planet Mr. Haugen has resided over the last score of years or so, but most Americans and Israelis understand Palestine as a primary breeding-ground for terror and terrorists determined to destroy both democratic nations — not the other way around. By not even referencing that truth, he lacks the most important element of any good critique: the facts.

Housing moratorium would hurt

Makakilo resident Kioni Dudley has recently demanded a moratorium on new housing construction. His position is based on misstatements about Castle & Cooke's Makakilo plans.

Dudley's demand is: Don't build more homes in Makakilo until all our problems are solved. A simplistic "stop growth" demand does not productively deal with the complexities and reality of community growth, and does little to solve anything.

Castle & Cooke is proud to be investing in Hawai'i and the Makakilo community. As new members of that community, we conducted four community informational meetings with neighbors, community groups and the neighborhood board to ensure that we were sensitive to community concerns and that our project could benefit and contribute to this vibrant community.

We commissioned archaeological and botanical surveys to mitigate any potential for negative impacts. We have been working closely with the DOE to ensure school issues are addressed. We will spend $4.3 million to extend Makakilo Drive nearly 3,000 feet closer to the interchange that will eventually be built at the H-1 Freeway (originally a public project) because nearly everyone in the community wants a second access point to and from Makakilo. We will also contribute $500,000 toward regional transportation improvements.

These are not solutions to all issues, but they are very real efforts that address legitimate concerns.

Responsible planning decisions accommodate the needs of the entire community, including the need for housing for more than just those who have already moved into the neighborhood. Dudley's concerns are neither new nor unique to Hawai'i. A community's infrastructure grows to meet the demands placed on it, and that is happening in the Makakilo/Kapolei area.

Castle & Cooke's Makakilo site has been fully entitled for housing for nearly 25 years, long before Dudley's home and neighborhood were built. If Makakilo residents who preceded Dudley had stopped further development then, he would not have his large home on Palehua Point that sits above our site. Dudley's demands sound as if he does not want anyone else to use "his" streets and schools.

Limiting the number of new houses would increase the shortage of homes available for young local families pursuing their dream of owning a home. Demand for homes already exceeds supply, explaining in part the soaring home prices in Hawai'i. Stopping further homes will put home ownership on O'ahu out of reach for many families and contribute to the out-migration of young families forced to pursue their dreams on the Mainland.

Castle & Cooke is proud to be providing families like the Dudleys the opportunity and dream of living in a nice home in a great community. These families will be his new neighbors, just as he was once a new neighbor in a growing community.