Letters to the Editor

Marriage definition is everyone's business

Jocelyn Fujii's belief (Letters, March 10) that it is the religious zealots claiming control of morality and the definition of marriage is true when over 80 percent of America's population is religious (2001, American Religious Identity Survey).

I want to challenge my dear friend on her statement that there is a 50 percent divorce rate in the glowingly successful institution.

The latest data from "The State of Hawai'i Data Book 2002" presents us fact that Hawai'i had 4,857 divorces and annulments in 2001. During the same year, 2001, Hawai'i had 217,068 married couples. My math says that 0.022 or 2.2 percent of all the married couples divorced in 2001, a far cry from Ms. Jocelyn's 50 percent.

Historically from 1980 through 2001, the divorce rate has not exceeded more than 2.5 percent of all married couples for each year.

I do believe that marriage is between a woman and a man. I also believe that it is all of Hawai'i's business to keep it such, even if my dear friend Ms. Jocelyn doesn't think it is.

Nice to see local face in French magazine

No matter where I have traveled in the past I have always, always had chance meetings with local people. It has not been so during these past six months in Europe.

During a recent trip through France, my sister and I changed trains at the station in Bourdeaux, France. Trying to pass the boredom of two hours of waiting, I decided to visit the small newsstand in the station. I picked up a French surfing magazine, and there in French was an article about Windward artist Ron Artis. It was a great article about his unique art form and his presence in the community.

It was unbelievable to read about someone from my hometown all the way in France. With that I'd like to thank Mr. Artis for the art that enlivens the Windward side and wish him more international fame in the future.

Rejecting school boards bill was right choice

I am a teacher and one of many who stand and applaud legislators like Rep. Robert Herkes, Rep. Eric Hamakawa, Rep. Mark Jernigan and Rep. Dwight Takamine, who voted against the dismantling of the school system.

This is not a Democrat vs. Republican issue. This is about what is right for Hawai'i's children — our future.

It is clear why teachers and administrators lobbied legislators long and hard to defeat this action: It is the wrong way to go. Going from one centralized board to seven local school boards would cost taxpayers more money and would add yet another layer of bureaucracy.

We are on the front lines and know what is best for Hawai'i's keiki. While our centralized school system isn't the best, it is far from the worst. And there are many legislative bills still alive that will change the system for the better.

Yes, there is room for improvement. We, the teachers, administrators, the DOE and the BOE are working on it. If you don't believe me, ask any public school teacher, and that teacher will tell you about the countless hours spent outside of the classroom and after school to move toward our goal of having every child succeed.

Bureaucrats had better hustle to protect us

While traveling east on the H-1 one Friday noon my simple shopping trip was transformed into a nightmare. I did not see them coming, but watched as they disappeared, weaving from one side of the road to the other in single file.

When told that it is not convenient to confiscate cars of these racers, I did my homework and found that in countries where this is done it works well. The possibility of forfeiting one's car if unable to pay fines, losing one's license, having one's insurance coverage revoked and the inconvenience of never being able to own a car again (this applies to the driver as well as the owner of the car), sorts out the good drivers from the bad and keeps our roads safe.

If the present governing body does not care about the community then they cannot rely on my vote at the next election until I again feel safe on the road.

After the wedding boom

With this flood of gay marriages in various parts of the country, invariably we can soon expect a rash of gay divorces — doubtless on grounds of irreconcilable similarities.

Let's take the veil off mayor's property taxes

Here we go again! The mayor's plan for real property tax rates would again result in a substantial rise in taxes. Real property assessmentss are rising every year, and maintain- ing the same residential real property tax rate will result in significantly higher taxes.

When reporting tax revenue it should be pointed out what the rates would be for the city to raise the same amount of revenue as the previous year. Then, if the city asks for the same rate as the previous year it would be reported and treated as the real rise in taxes that it is.

This year residential, single-family property money raised from property taxes will increase 16.9 percent while money raised from residential apartments will increase by 19.7 percent under the mayor's plan to keep the same rates.

If the commercial property tax rate remains the same the increased taxes would be 12.3 percent; however, the mayor proposes raising the rate another 7 percent.

During the 1990s, when property evaluations were steady or on the decline, a desperate Mayor Harris came up with all kinds of plans for raising additional money. None of these strategies are necessary now because property assessments are on a steady rise and keeping the same real property tax rate will only increase taxes.

Then in 2000 a "new method" was adopted where improvements were increased dramatically without any rational explanation. Then this year the separation of land value and value of improvements are no longer reported on the property owner's printout.

Add the fact that the property owner has to show more than a 10 percent error and you have a situation where it is very difficult to win an appeal, especially going up against the mayor's group of attorneys.

Yes, the mayor has been the aggressor in his war against property owners, and it is time for property owners to demand more accountability from the mayor's office and for the media to better report what is happening.