Posted on: Wednesday, July 6, 2005

Letters to the Editor

We deserve what we get in bizarre Hawai'i

Hawai'i is a special place, a special bizarre one. Where else would a Democratic-dominated Legislature pass a savagely regressive tax, and where else would a Republican governor even think of approving it? Where else would the possible implementation of this tax and the massive public works project it funds turn on the legal effect of a typo?

And where else is group racism labeled as "sovereignty" and individual-based equality as "repression"?

Hawai'i is world-class, all right, world-class bizarre. Our often lamented "subtle inferiority of spirit" is richly earned when it comes to our politics. Our political leaders are its reflection, and we deserve what we get: foolishness and incompetence.

Trick is to make rail fare irresistible

I continually read articles describing the proposed rail system as a failure.

Yes, it will be a failure if the fare is not priced right.

I live in Kane'ohe and rode the bus to work until the fare was raised to a point where it was more cost-effective to drive my own car.

It's understandable that management would want to make enough to cover expenses, but it seems that fares are being driven by number crunchers and by the all-powerful workers' contracts.

Each year that goes by, expenses go up. Expenses go up and the fares go up. The fares go up and more riders decide to take their cars onto the already-overcrowded highways. The number of bus riders goes down. Income goes down. The number crunchers go back to work and the fares go up to make up for the loss of income.

The bus system has never paid for itself and it might never pay for itself.

The rail system is a chance to start anew.

Make the fare attractive for loyal customers, would-be loyal customers and car owners who are disgusted with the current highway congestion.

Free for the first year or two sounds necessary. After that, 25 cents per ride seems fair.

I would prefer a rail system to the awful-looking highways that we're "expanding."

Parts of the H-1 are six lanes wide going one way and still being expanded. How wide does the highway have to be? Eight lanes? Ten lanes?

Please don't kill the rail system before it's even off the drawing board.

Maybe it'll reach Kane'ohe someday.

Hawai'i's taxpayers are becoming OD'd

Taxpayers are suffering from an overdose of too many kinds of taxes, the most potent being the general excise tax.

Our Gov. Lingle says she is not the one (the dispensing pharmacy) raising the general excise tax, but that she is merely enabling the county to decide whether to overdose us some more. This sounds more like the governor and Legislature are the prescribing doctors. Isn't the bottom line that the tax dose is certain to be more and stronger, no matter who "imposes" it?

The governor's insistence for the Legislature to provide (tax credit) relief for the less fortunate does nothing for the rest of Hawai'i's taxpayers who pay the bulk of the taxes that run government. Isn't that like "killing the goose that lays the golden eggs"?

Finally, Neighbor Islanders are not the constituents of the mayor and council of Honolulu. But the general excise tax will be imposed on them by virtue of all of the products and services coming through Honolulu. Isn't that like "taxation without representation"?

I call on Gov. Lingle to veto House Bill 1309. Today is different from when she was on the Maui council. Common sense dictates there must be a limit on taxing too much. Her honor rests in living up to her written signed pledge not to raise taxes on the people of Hawai'i.

Scouts were able to provide 450 lei

I wish to thank the command at Tripler Army Medical Center for allowing the Boy Scouts of Troop 49 and Cub Scouts of Pack 49 to pick flowers on Tripler premises for Memorial Day services at Punchbowl and Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery in Kane'ohe.

Due to their continued support, and also to the generosity of MSG Broadwater and Glenn Higa of the Department of Pathology, we were able to collect and string 450 lei. This was the first time in four years that were able to put a lei on each and every grave site.

I thank you all for doing your "good turn" for all of the men and women and their families who have served in our armed forces and have fought to protect our freedom.

Akaka bill offers hope of survival

Gordon Pang's June 20 article "Forced assimilation may hurt Hawaiians" gets to the very root of why the Akaka bill is so important. The impacts of Hawai'i's history have been debilitating, even deadly, for Native Hawaiians; we need an opportunity and control of our resources in order to heal ourselves, individually and as a community.

As a January 2005 report published by the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development demonstrates, the approach the Akaka bill proposes has a proven track record of success. America now understands that if you let native people govern themselves, they are able to heal, and to contribute to their communities, their states and the nation. It was a painful lesson learned from 200 years of forced assimilation policy.

For Native Hawaiians, the Akaka bill is about our very survival — culturally, linguistically, spiritually and physically. For the state, it's about the survival of Hawai'i's unique way of life, the sharing of aloha, and the preservation of the culture that drives one of the state's largest economic engines. Besides, if the tourist industry were just about sunbathing and surfing, vacationers could drive to the nearest beach.

City resolutions don't deal with B&B reality

I have attended all four zoning committee informational hearings regarding short-term rentals. I oppose both resolutions; they do not deal with the reality of the many well-run but "unlicensed" vacation rentals and B&B.

At these hearings, I have been encouraged that the number of people who support controlled accommodation of short-term rentals vastly exceeds those who are opposed to them entirely. The support comes from residents of the communities and local businesses. Another encouraging aspect is that those who currently operate unlicensed rentals are anxious to see permitting re-established so they can be "working within the law."

Two concerns and problems expressed by those who want to eliminate or further restrict short-term rentals are real: parking and noise. Those problems can best be addressed on a case-by-case basis with existing or new ordinances.

One other issue from the opposition is curious: They seem to be saying, "No tourists in our town." I ask those people to remember their move to the Islands. Consider the community that welcomed you with aloha. Can you reciprocate?

The 'war on potholes' is already well under way

There's no need to send a message (Advertiser, June 28) to Mayor Mufi Hannemann about potholes and road maintenance because of the findings of the city auditor. The mayor recognized the dismal state of O'ahu's roads and began attacking the problems long before the auditor's report was released.

In our first few months in office, the Hannemann administration performed first-aid resurfacing to Lunalilo Home Road, Mapunapuna Street, Moanalua Road, Lilipuna Road, Mapele Road, Ahua Street, Paleka Road, Hamakua Drive, Ka'ahumanu Street, Pa'aloha Street, Ulune Street, Makuahine Street and Papipi Road, just to name a few. The city also completed reconstruction of Pi'ikoi Street, and began rehabilitation of Makakilo Drive.

Our crews ramped up their efforts and filled 30,037 potholes from Jan. 1 to June 29.

We eliminated the use of road maintenance workers to support Sunset on the Beach, and implemented an on-line system for the public to report potholes that helps our department work more efficiently. With the City Council's support, Mayor Hannemann increased the 2006 operating budget funding for pothole repairs by 250 percent, to $1.7 million.

The city auditor compiled his report from February to May, but 95 percent of the problems identified in the audit stem from policies and decisions made by our predecessors in the Harris administration.

Mayor Hannemann didn't need the audit to begin attacking the problems with the city's road maintenance program. He had our administration waging our "war on potholes" already. The public can be assured that we will continue our efforts while ensuring your tax dollars are used wisely.

Activists ruining Kona progress

The meeting notice at Kona-waena School Sunday, June 26, invited all who "support" the Hokuli'a project stalled by anti-development activists. It was a quest for positive dialogue — instead of endless negativism from activists, who, of course, showed up in force, got the microphone and unleashed a diatribe as their followers cheered, then rudely jeered folks with constructive ideas — some of whom had no time to speak and walked out.

The anti-development activists allege conspiracy between Hawai'i County and landowners and other fantasies, including claims that Hokuli'a and development in general are responsible for Kona's homeless, substance-abuse problems, etc. The activists try to divide the community with inflammatory fabrication, misinformation and a lawsuit attacking the county for approving development of the Hokuli'a project.

Hokuli'a, a billion-dollar project, spent many millions relying on county approval, including building a major public highway. Many innocent purchasers bought lots at Hokuli'a to build homes on and participate in an agricultural-use program. All is stopped at Hokuli'a and the new highway.

The lawsuit/shutdown resulted in anti-business repercussions for Kona nationwide. Can you imagine buying a lot for $1 million, starting to build a home on it and then being told that you can't finish constructing the home or live in it — but of course you must still make your mortgage payments on it?

Other anti-development activist strategies have stalled community public works projects, and recently the county lost millions in federal highway fund contributions as a result. The activists don't seem to care about the community, just stopping development.

The anti-development activists say Hokuli'a should have asked the state to change its land-use designation from ag to urban — even though the county already gave Hokuli'a approval to develop one-acre ag-sized lots and Hokuli'a agreed to create new ag activity on its land. Don't activists realize that if the designation was changed from ag to urban, there would be no ag use incentive for Hokuli'a or its lot owners and the lots would likely be smaller than the one-acre minimum allowed in any ag zone? The Hokuli'a project was approved under an ag designation, ensuring at least some ag activity.

Respected Kona rancher William Paris testified how marginal, nonproductive the land was for many years before Hokuli'a. The public never had good access to the land or shoreline here. Hokuli'a's project includes a beautiful oceanfront public park and public facilities where none existed before. Yes, Hokuli'a has golf and much open space. It's beautiful, idyllic compared to its former dry, rocky, barren terrain. It's a good neighbor and asset to the community.

Hawai'i did experience unchecked development in the 1950s and '60s but since then has had increasingly responsible county planners overseeing zoning/development approvals. No system is perfect, and all development is not bad. Hawai'i County would be insolvent today if responsible ranchers had not sold marginal ag land to good developers along the Kona/Kohala coast. Proceeds from such land sales helped enhance and diversify family ranching operations.

Development can be, should be win-win for everyone. We should be focusing on positive ways to support responsible use of marginal ag lands.