Overpopulation is threatening Islands

Regarding two recent front-page articles: First, Hawai'i is running out of natural water resources. Rainfall in recent years has been so scanty that our aquifers — on islands that have them — are nearly depleted. We have been told that for decades, but government continues to rely on expanding population to expand the economy.

Second, commuting time will double in 25 years. Your governments and many fellow citizens are happy that Hawai'i could receive a carrier task force and a Stryker brigade in the next few years, adding perhaps 50,000 more drivers to roads that are already over capacity. Those population-based economic triumphs are not accomplishments for which to commend our congressional delegation. They represent, instead, a complete lack of understanding of the nature of island (versus continental) economics and carrying capacity.

Islands cannot expand their populations indefinitely; Hawai'i cannot take water from Mexico and Canada or Idaho like the continental states can. County, state and federal government should, instead, be limiting population increases in Hawai'i.

The county and state governments must deny licenses and permits to developers until provable resources can be shown. It seems obvious the existing EIS process is useless; no one has yet acknowledged an adverse impact on island water resources by overconstruction, yet we are running out of water.

Governments must take the lead in redirecting Hawai'i's economy to one that uses fewer resources to produce more value. Mass tourism requires more, cheaper labor — the wrong approach for islands. Military use wastes land by removing it from the civilian sector in perpetuity and merely recycles our own tax dollars.

Medical malpractice: Don't blame lawyers

Regarding Dr. Inam Rahman's April 5 letter: If a patient presents himself to a doctor's office with chest pains and the doctor and staff cannot rule out an acute coronary problem — such as a pending heart attack — the patient is transported, perhaps even by an ambulance, to the nearest critical-care hospital to ensure the greatest survivability of the patient. The hospital has cardiologists on call and acute-care nurses and staff to minimize any damage if the patient does have a heart attack or other coronary event.

Missing a diagnosis is often malpractice and results in the doctor being sued for the damage the doctor caused by missing his or her treatment opportunity.

Do not blame the lawyers, Dr. Rahman; practice better medicine.

Tent at Pearl Harbor is inappropriate to mood

Regarding the commercial tent at Pearl Harbor: Having now seen this tent, which has little wooden and thatched-roof booths inside, just as you would see at a high school carnival, I do not think it is appropriate near a world-famous national monument — especially since there are still sailors buried at the nearby USS Arizona Memorial.

If people want to buy jewelry and have more food choices while waiting for a shuttle boat, I'm sure the memorial museum or the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum could easily provide these things. That way visitor expenditures would benefit the museums, which have been there for decades, and not go into the pockets of profit-seeking operators.

ILH baseball game admission too costly

People may complain about the cost of UH games, but obviously they don't have a son in the ILH baseball program.

I can understand that the city and state need money for potholes and educating tourists, but I don't think parents should pay $7 admission per person and $2 parking fees to see their sons play high school baseball.

My son has 11 games at Aloha Stadium this year. That's $176 for two adults to watch high school baseball games. Please note that my son is a senior. It's my last year to watch his high school baseball. He's going to college in the fall, and that $176 is almost the dorm deposit.

Could that be one reason why Aloha Stadium is so empty during ILH baseball season?

Clean Elections bill would pass muster

In a last-minute attempt to derail the groundbreaking reforms in the proposed Hawai'i State Clean Elections (public funding) legislation, the Hawai'i Christian Coalition and other misguided groups now argue that the law is unconstitutional. Such an argument is frivolous and should be disregarded.

The United States Supreme Court, in Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976), expressly endorsed the constitutionality of public funding election systems. The Arizona public funding election system, which is very similar to Hawai'i's proposed legislation, has been challenged multiple times and always upheld.

Public funding of political campaigns does not infringe on any person's religious exercise or freedom of speech — it is very obviously a content-neutral law designed to give all citizens, regardless of their religious or political beliefs, equal access to the democratic process.

Not only is House Bill 1713 constitutional, its passage is essential to give true meaning to the our nation's ideal of political equality. No candidate for governor or the state Legislature should be forced to be wealthy or have access to wealth to get elected.

Democrats are plotting to 'handcuff' the governor

After reading the March 21 editorial "Some good ideas still in play at Legislature," I began to worry about the current state of Hawai'i's Legislature.

America was founded upon a system of checks and balances to ensure that government officials represent the public, not just their own interests. Throughout history, there have been instances where an unbalanced system gave a single party total decision-making power for too long. One example is Southern Democrats who perpetuated segregation.

Hawai'i's Legislature seems to be headed down that direction. The current domination by Democratic legislators should cause concern.

The most telltale sign of a destructive super-majority in the Legislature this session is the "handcuff" legislation that would usurp the governor's executive powers. This year's Legislature seeks authority over the governor's ability to issue executive orders. The legislation would delay reaction time to any emergency until the governor and the Legislature agree. It would defeat the purpose of executive orders: quick, necessary actions on behalf of Hawai'i's people.

If such legislation passes, the governor would be unable to withhold funding unless a public hearing is held first. This inhibits the governor's ability to restrict funding to balance the budget.

The Legislature's most offensive attack on the state's constitutional structure is a bill that would require the governor to appropriate funding for any item the Legislature approves. This measure truly ends the governor's constitutional right to maintain a balanced budget.

Instead of crippling the governor, the Legislature should work with her on issues Hawai'i can no longer neglect. As The Advertiser noted, one of these issues is affordable housing. The governor's plans offer more temporary housing, more outreach programs and new means to increase housing for Hawai'i's homeless, lower and middle classes.

Legislators need a reminder to be public servants, not narrow partisans.

Kuhio Avenue trees have to go

We feel compelled to set the record straight regarding the Hannemann administration's position on the so-called Kuhio Avenue beautification project in Waikiki.

Many of us had concerns about the changes that were proposed for Kuhio Avenue before they were implemented. But those concerns were largely ignored by the previous administration. Instead, the project was rushed to completion, despite a request by the newly elected mayor himself that it be held until the Hannemann administration could review the situation.

As a result, there are many flaws with the project, the most egregious of which hamper public safety. Paramedics cannot use their available technology to control traffic signals because tree branches block the path of the signal. Tree branches also obscure street signs for police and fire vehicles. Fire Department ladder trucks would be unable to maneuver and park in certain areas should there be a high-rise fire. Buses have a difficult time negotiating turns.

Moreover, no one has yet taken the time to calculate what it will cost to maintain the trees that have been planted in the middle of Kuhio Avenue, or what the cost will be to maintain the streets and sidewalks that crack as the trees grow. Median curbing is placed around the electrical manholes when the standard practice would be to raise the manholes. There are sewer and other utility lines below the surface that could be compromised by invasive roots as well.

When Mayor Hannemann was elected, we felt it necessary to call to his attention these and other concerns. Fortunately for us, he is taking the time to listen. He even organized a walk-through of the area with us, so that he could see for himself how seriously we view the situation. And he agrees with us that the status quo is unacceptable.

Trees are a large part of the natural beauty of Hawai'i, and we value our Honolulu trees. We are proposing the selective removal of some of the recently over-planted trees to reduce the crowded conditions that have led to these public safety concerns.

The trees that will remain will be determined by: mitigation of safety concerns, consideration of their natural growth patterns, ongoing routine maintenance, and keeping the intent of the Kuhio Avenue beautification project. When feasible, removed trees will be saved and relocated to another site.

This is hardly a vendetta against the previous administration. This is not about uprooting trees for the sake of uprooting trees. This is about legitimate concerns for public safety and taxpayer dollars. This is about a mayor who is willing to take into consideration the views of his department heads.

For that, we are grateful. And we believe that, in the long run, taxpayers will benefit.