A costly solution

Building a fixed-route rail transit system is to solving O'ahu's transportation troubles what replacing a child's four-drawer dresser with an eight-drawer dresser is to getting that child to be organized and clean.

But the train will cost a whole pile more money.

Price cap can work if principles followed

I understand Hawai'i is considering regulating gasoline prices, effective Sept. 1. I offer an informed opinion on the proposed system:

First, when pricing of essential products in the marketplace threatens the stability of our overall economy, and fuels inflation, then government has an obligation to respond to such volatility. Gasoline is an essential commodity, like electricity, and people have a right to have access to this commodity at reasonable and fair prices.

Second, regulation must follow its own principles. Transparency and fairness to all stakeholders, inclusive of the producers, wholesalers and retailers, government and consumers, are the fundamental principles of regulation.

Third, stability, or the calculation of prices through an accredited model of accurate commodity pricing over an established time period, in line with market pricing data, is a required characteristic of regulation.

Your system is designed to be regulated at the wholesale level, thereby allowing for continued competition at the retail level. This is a unique and innovative approach, which will require close scrutiny. Nevertheless, it has merit and is decidedly worth the attempt to implement. The reliability of continued competitive pricing at the retail level should be enhanced, and therefore all stakeholders should benefit.

While criticism of the system prevails, time will demonstrate that regulation is an effective means of accomplishing the purposes for which it is established.

Locking our prices to other markets is risky

If I understand it correctly, the gas cap law will tie our prices in Hawai'i to the cost of gas in other markets. This means that disasters in other markets could send gas prices in Hawai'i through the roof. Then we'd have to wait for a gubernatorial decree or the passage of another bill in the Legislature to correct costs, a process that could take months while we all pay exorbitant prices.

In cases where Hawai'i suffers a natural disaster, gas prices would remain in step with other markets. This means gas would remain cheap at a time of possibly low supply and high demand. In that case, we'd see a massive rush to the pumps as people tried to stock up on gas. That could lead to a situation in which the supply of gasoline ran out in times of disaster.

Has our Legislature really thought this through? Is this the price we're willing to pay to save — if we're lucky — a couple of pennies at the pump?

Grammar faux pas

Regarding Gov. Linda Lingle's statement "The chances of them catching up is not very good" and Vivienne Robinson's correction (Letters, April 23) to "The chances of them catching up are not very good": Both sentences are grammatically incorrect, according to the schooling I received some 60-plus years ago in Girard, Kan. I was taught that, correctly, the sentence should have read "The chances of their catching up are not very good."

Drunk drivers' cars should be destroyed

How hard is it to seize vehicles from repeat drunk-driving offenders? Stop studying the issues already and take action. You don't need to deal with storage costs because I have a better plan that will make drunk drivers think before getting behind the wheel.

A drunk driver slammed into and destroyed my grandmother's parked vehicle early Saturday morning and fled the scene. It happened in front of our house.

My aunt and neighbors apprehended the suspect quickly. The suspect was arrested for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.

I urge the state to reconsider House Bill 919 SD2. I would like to see the vehicles of drivers arrested for DUI be seized and destroyed at the nearest metal scrap yard.

Driving is a privilege, not a right. If drivers know that their investment can be reduced to scrap metal as a result of drinking and driving, then so be it. We need to be proactive in incident prevention and not reactive to people's cries of unfairness, because only drunk people put themselves into situations like this.

Light-rail systems haven't worked well

Look at any light-rail system that has been built in the past 20 years. They take longer to build than they were supposed to. They cost more than originally proposed. They never seem to end up solving traffic congestion.

We really need to ask ourselves if it is a practical solution for us. I'm not saying that rail is not a good form of transportation; it's safe and efficient. Did our transportation experts study any of the rail projects of other communities, like Southern California? All one has to do is get on the freeway at rush hour in L.A. now and you won't notice any difference from what it was like before Metro Rail was completed.

Are we ready to subsidize rail to make it affordable for the average citizen on O'ahu to ride? It won't get folks out of their cars. The only thing it will probably do is take people out of the bus instead.

There are more practical and less costly solutions such as more park-and-ride lots or bus-only lanes in the crowded traffic corridors. We have some smart people around here. Let's not get railroaded into something we will surely regret later.

Traffic problems will only worsen; rail system needed

The April 17 Advertiser included a column by Rep. Neil Abercrombie on the need to act now on a general excise tax increase if O'ahu is to receive federal support for mass transit, and requested readers' opinions.

It also included an interview with Mayor Mufi Hannemann that indicates his support for rail as well as a statement that "further growth is going to take place in that West O'ahu area, and that's where I would like to confine that growth."

Self-serving opponents of both the GET increase and fixed rail are mobilizing for a major effort without caring about the dire projections for massive housing development and dramatically increased traffic in Leeward and Central O'ahu in coming years. Letter writers urging a stop to growth are apparently not aware that we have no laws preventing "immigration" to Hawai'i from the Mainland.

Current projects in the Transportation for O'ahu Plan (TOP) 2025 will only slow down the projected increase in hourly delays on our roads; delays will still more than double. New proposals for bridges, a tunnel and an elevated high-occupancy tollway all would require funding above that planned for the TOP 2025 (i.e., "there is no free lunch") and would just move the traffic jams closer to town.

An intra-island ferry would never meet anticipated demand from West O'ahu. Drivers must face the coming reality of higher gas prices and increased parking fees in Honolulu — and may eventually be stuck with a congestion fee for entering the urban center on workdays, as is currently being done in London. The difference, of course, is that Londoners have the Tube, a comprehensive subway system that offers a rapid-transit commuting alternative; commuters do not have to drive.

An elevated grade, fixed-rail system is an essential element for a balanced transportation system. We must pass legislation now that will give the counties authority to increase the general excise tax by up to 1 percent, with almost immediate activation and a long-term duration that ensures commitment to complete and operate a rail system on O'ahu.

DLNR is focusing on turnaround

Recent comments in the paper clearly indicate there is confusion, misunderstanding and misrepresentations of what is and is not going on at the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

When I first started at the DLNR in January 2003, I found the lack of attention prior administrations gave to the DLNR very evident, particularly through the clear and consistent messages from DLNR staff: needs of the department were ignored, budgets were cut and staffing was cut.

Contrary to recent claims, it is the Lingle administration that is increasing the department's budget and staffing.

The administration has reversed the downward trend of annual cuts of $1 million to the DLNR. We have increased the department's overall budget by $10 million in just two years (from $60 million in 2002 to $70 million in 2004).

The fact is, the Legislature cut $4 million and 87 positions from the DLNR balanced budget request last year. Imagine what the department could be doing with additional funding and staffing.

Any suggestion that criticism of the DLNR is something new or different is simply not true. We inherited a department that for years had been the subject of public complaints and critical audits.

After years of inaction by prior administrations, we are working to implement the recommendations of those old audits.

The department stands fast in protecting the resources. In 2004, we initiated an integrated multiyear, multimillion-dollar invasive-species program of prevention, response and control, targeted research and public outreach.

Likewise, we made park improvement a priority, and have implemented the first major reconstruction of state parks facilities and restrooms in more than 40 years.

Over the past two years, the DLNR has developed new partnerships with many environmental and community groups, including The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Community Conservation Network, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund, Hawai'i Nature Center, the Department of Education and others to protect and preserve Hawai'i's natural and cultural resources.

Partnerships are priorities at the DLNR, and we appreciate the assistance and hard work individuals and groups around the state provide us.

We are reminded of the importance of respect and responsibility we each share for the environment and our natural and cultural resources.

Let's continue to work together to make Hawai'i a great place in which to live.