Letters to the Editor

Liquor panel misdeeds can't be shrugged off

I was amused by Mr. Charles Silberstein's June 24 letter, "Be careful in setting liquor panel blame."

Mr. Silberstein compares the Liquor Commission with the Police Department and Mr. Weatherwax with the chief of police. Mr. Silberstein then goes on to compare an investigative staff of over 50 percent who were involved or at least suspected of being involved in a string of criminal activity that lasted over a period of several years to a few bad eggs in the Police Department (let's guess 1 percent, maybe).

He says if we blame Weatherwax for not being able to keep check on his investigative staff, we should have the same blame for the chief of police when officers commit crimes. The chief of police is responsible for over 2,000 uniformed police officers while Weatherwax was in charge of a handful of investigators.

Of course, any large organization will have its share of criminals within its ranks, but when more than half your personnel are accused of criminal activity over a period of years, then the person in charge is obviously doing a poor job. Most people with any kind of connection to the bar business knew these investigators were extorting money, goods and favors from bar owners for years.

How could anyone be so naive to think Weatherwax should not be held accountable?

GET hike acceptable, so let's start planning

The 0.0056-cent increase in the general excise tax is insignificant, and some kind of budgetary approach is necessary to initiate and implement planning for a rapid-transit system for Honolulu.

I especially applaud the governor's earlier proposal for an elevated monorail from Kapolei to Iwilei along the Farrington-Kamehameha-Nimitz highways. This would have negligible visual impact along this already-overburdened route; however, it could seriously challenge the transportation system while it was being constructed.

I also believe Sen. Gordon Trimble's proposals for interisland and intraisland ferries are a more immediate resolution to the problem that would also anticipate and divert traffic off the Kapolei-Iwilei route to offset potential construction congestion while installing a future monorail system.

However, I strongly urge the governor to veto House Bill 1309 until such time as the Legislature incorporates the changes the governor has recommended and the exemption to the GET is made for food, medicine and medical services as was promised during her 2002 campaign.

Mayor's criticism of Harris disheartening

We had the great pleasure of walking through Waikiki recently and enjoying the beautiful tiki torches, magnificent waterfalls and the splendor of the renovated, majestic Waikiki. It was our return trip to the Islands after being away for one year.

However, it was with great dismay that we have been reading in the newspaper of the mayor's criticism of the previous administration.

It is disheartening to hear such negative remarks regarding projects such as Sunset on the Beach, which have not only strengthened the spirit of the community, but exemplify the spirit of aloha for all those who visit the Islands.

We can only hope that the current administration has the wisdom and vision to move forward, and not simply aggrandize itself by berating and criticizing the accomplishments of others.

Jefferson understood America's ties to God

For those citizens of Hawai'i who are so up in arms over the religious convictions and "shocking" statements of our lieutenant governor, let me remind you that one of our most-often-quoted presidents on this matter, Thomas Jefferson, clearly understood the source of America's inalienable rights, that he even doubted whether America could survive if we ever lost that knowledge.

In 1794, he said: "And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have lost the only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?"

Jefferson believed that God, not government, was the author and source of our rights and that the government, therefore, was to be prevented from interference with those rights. Very simply, the supposed "wall" of separation of church and state was not to limit religious activities in public; rather they were to limit the power of the government to prohibit or interfere with those expressions.

This country was founded on freedom "of" religion, not freedom "from" religion. Unfortunately, misguided revisionists and activist judges continue to rewrite our Founder's intentions and our country's foundations.

Huge pile of 'dirt' is disfiguring sandy area

I go to Waikiki beach regularly. Some of the regular beachgoers constantly pick up rubbish, leaves and trash left on the beach. They take an interest in keeping the beach area clean.

On Saturday morning, when I unloaded my belongings near the Duke statue, I saw what looked like a huge pile of dirt. I wondered why a pile of dirt was dumped right on top of the white sandy area. When I looked closer, I realized that the pile was really very brown, dirty sand.

I understand that this sand will be used to fill in the rocky shoreline area. I am appalled! When I walked around the pile and looked at my feet, my toes were brown and dirty.

I would like to know if someone from the city can tell us if that dirty-brown sand will in fact be used to fill in the beach area? And why dirty sand?

Fallout from Akaka bill are available to see

U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl distributed an excellent legislative notice to the U.S. Senate on the consequences of the Akaka bill. As the chairman of the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee (RPC), he acts for the Republican leadership of Sens. William Frist, Mitch McConnell, Rick Santorum and Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The RPC membership include Sens. Saxby Chambliss (Agriculture), Thad Cochran (Appropriations), John Warner (Armed Services), Richard Shelby (Banking), Judd Gregg (Budget), Ted Stevens (Commerce), Pete Domenici (Energy), James Inhofe (Environmental), Chuck Grassley (Finance), Richard Lugar (Foreign Relations), Mike Enzi (Health), Susan Collins (Homeland Security), Arlen Specter (Judiciary), Trent Lott (Rules), Olympia Snowe (Small Business) and Larry Craig (Veteran Affairs), who are all chairs of a Senate standing committee.

The RPC meets for lunch every Tuesday at the Capitol, hosted by Chairman Kyl. On another weekly scheduled day, the Republican staff directors of the Senate committees meet to review pending issues, such as the Akaka bill. The RPC policy researchers produce the in-depth research papers on the many complicated and controversial issues facing Congress. (rpc.senate.gov/~rpc/index.cfm)

When Sen. Kyl presented the RPC report generated from the results of research and consulting with many policy experts on the Akaka bill to the Congressional Record on June 22, the report became available to all congressional representatives.

HECO credit for some isn't fair to rest of us

HECO is planning to build a new plant on the leeward side of O'ahu and giving a 7 percent credit to all in the 96707 zip code for 10 years. Does this seem fair?

HECO has been raising our bills substantially under the guise of "Energy Cost Adjustment," which is really a fuel surcharge. I am sure everyone who received last month's electric bill discovered this increase even as we are trying hard to reduce our costs.

Now with this new plan for crediting a group of people in a certain area, we all will certainly be paying for this credit by even higher charges. The rationale is faulty. It's based on the residents living in 96707 having to put up with the unsightly plant, but they have been looking at similar structures within the Campbell Industrial Complex for decades.

What is it about one more plant that allows HECO to "rob Peter to pay Paul"? Are we just going to sit back and take it?