Letters to the Editor
PROPERTY TAXES
KOBAYASHI'S RELIEF PROPOSAL DISMAYING
I read, with more than a little dismay, yesterday's article about Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi's proposal for real property tax relief. Can this woman be for real? Seldom has anyone come up with so many ill-conceived ideas.
It seems as if for every problem, one of our elected officials comes up with a piecemeal proposal that ends up causing more problems than it solves.
I think Barbara Marshall hits the nail on the head. As long as spending continues as it has, there will be a need for additional money.
If a segment of the taxpaying population gets relief, the remainder will have to pick up the slack. Could it be that Kobayashi is already running for re-election?
Don Chambers | Mililani
PAY CUTS
WHAT'S UP WITH TAX HIKES IN BOOM TIMES?
Let's see if I've got this right. Hawai'i is enjoying a boom economy, but the government is cutting our pay.
It goes like this. Hawai'i's economy is strong, with growth that is producing lots of construction and jobs. Unemployment is at an all-time low. Tourism is up.
Thanks to this booming economy, both city and state governments are enjoying windfall tax revenues. That means they should be cutting our taxes so the citizens can keep more of their own money. But the windfall just isn't enough for our Legislature, our governor, our city council or our mayor. While they're counting the extra tax money, they actually want more. They want to impose a pay cut on the rest of us by raising our taxes.
If you don't think that increases in parking fees, bus fares, sewer fees, property taxes, vehicle fees, conveyance taxes, rents and the general excise tax are the same as a pay cut, I suggest you sit down with your earnings statement and a calculator. Then factor in the impact of the current real estate boom on our young people who are trying to find an affordable home.
The insane stampede to increase our taxes makes it clear that our elected officials haven't a clue about the adverse consequences of overtaxation on our residents and our economy. Or they don't care. In either case, we definitely need more accountable leadership.
Robert R. Kessler | Waikiki
RALLY TODAY
HELP STOP CHILD ABUSE BEFORE MORE KIDS DIE
Six thousand cases of suspected child abuse are reported each year in Hawai'i, and many more go unreported.
The incidence of child abuse here has risen sharply over the past several years. More than 50 percent of reported child abuse cases and investigations here result in a finding of confirmed abuse compared to 28 percent of reports nationwide. The proportion of children receiving prevention services in Hawai'i declined from 22 per 1,000 to 12 per 1,000 from 1999 to 2002, due to the lack of dedicated financial resources for these important services.
The physical and emotional abuse of children yields harmful consequences for our society. Growing evidence links child abuse and neglect with drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, youth violence, chronic health problems and poor educational outcomes.
We need to raise public awareness to stop child abuse and neglect and educate everyone on how to report it. We need to prevent abuse and save lives. As such, Prevent Child Abuse Hawai'i, the Hawai'i Children's Trust Fund, Blueprint for Change, Prevent Violence Hawai'i and other child advocacy groups have organized a special event for today from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Hawai'i state Capitol. We invite all of you to call for an end to child abuse and neglect. Community members are asked to hold up hands with red hearts on the palm of the hand with a message to "KEEP KIDS SAFE."
Together, we can help keep our children safe. Let's stop the abuse before there are more victims like Peter Boy and Talia.
Aileen Deese | Executive director, Prevent Child Abuse Hawai'i
ANSWERS
WE SHOULD BE TOLD HOW AKAKA BILL AFFECTS US
The Honolulu Advertiser on July 14 used front-page headlines, two articles and the lead editorial to discuss the Akaka bill. In one article, Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., is quoted in answer to whether he was going to vote for it: "I need to talk and think and read more about it. I'm a little concerned about it in that it seems like ... it's quite a different thing than sovereignty of Indian tribes. I am undecided about it because I'm uninformed."
That statement is a remarkable admission of lack of knowledge. Ask yourself three things:
These questions beg for answers. We are not getting them. Now it is discovered that Sen. Craig Thomas is poorly informed also.
It seems to me that we need to get democracy, discussion and decision back to Hawai'i. Then we can vote before Sen. Thomas is allowed to do so.
Richard O. Rowland | President, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
COUNTRY
WINDWARD O'AHU MUST BE PRESERVED
The long and towering escarpment of the Ko'olau range, together with Windward O'ahu, which it dominates, is a national treasure. Honolulu is city. Windward is country. The public services are the same. The environment differs.
Windward objectives include zero population growth, no rail transit, highway beautification, wiring underground, more parks and trees, low-rise structures, no residences on scenic slopes, no pollution and a region clean, green and beautiful.
Short of creating another county, a new position as deputy mayor can preserve and enhance the Windward environment for residents, visitors and posterity.
E. Alvey Wright | Kane'ohe
PRIVATIZATION
IMAGINE AN EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT WORKFORCE
Rep. Colleen Meyer said it all in her "State must look at privatization" (Letters, July 21). Have you ever noticed road crews with three working and two watching? Have you ever seen a city or state pickup truck on a mission with one person in it? No, usually two or more.
With privatization, these situations seldom happen more than once. A private contractor must meet a budget and complete his job. With government workers, there is no apparent feeling of urgency. And with private contracting, if the job doesn't meet specs and fails, the contractor is held liable and must come back and do it right.
Imagine that! What a concept!
Peter Nottage | Kane'ohe
'A CHORUS LINE'
BIRTHDAY PRODUCTION BY BRIGHT A MUST-SEE
Director Ron Bright with several returning graduates of the Castle Performing Arts Center produced and performed in a singularly stellar presentation of "A Chorus Line" I witnessed Saturday night.
Jade Stice, John Bryan and Jodi Leong were marvelous, representing the older chorus line dancers, superbly fitting into the storyline and anchoring the celebration of the 25th birthday of the Ronald E. Bright Theatre. Not since the 1983 performance of "My Fair Lady" and subsequent CPAC performances at Ball State U. have I been so thoroughly impressed and excited by a theatrical production.
The vocals, directed by John Bryan, especially the brilliant harmony by the whole cast and smaller groups, were stunning. The dancing, restaged by Marcelo Pacleb, was at least on a par with Broadway performances. Clarke Bright's orchestral direction and Sandy Riford's set and lighting design were tops.
What surprised me the most was that the dialogue among the cast members was not only clear and articulate, but the emotion in the delivery was riveting and provoking. I found myself involved in the story on several levels. I can't say that about the other performances, including on Broadway, I have seen.
My one disappointment was the size of the audience. Unlike the overflow crowds of yesteryear, this first Saturday night performance was about half full. Hopefully, the word will be out in time to bring the crowds back for these wonderful performances over the next two weekends.
David Moncrief | Kane'ohe
BIGOTRY
IT IS WRONG TO DENY GAYS THE SAME RIGHTS
We are amazed and saddened to see that people who call themselves good Christians are so full of bigotry and hatred.
Being gay is not a lifestyle choice; it's the way an individual is born, and refusing to allow gay people to have the same rights as the rest of us is morally wrong.
If Jesus were alive today, he would tell the bigots that his father created all life, not just heterosexual life. It is shameful to deny the right to commitment and marriage to anyone.
Carol and Larry Carpenter | Makiki
BIG DEAL
4TH OF JULY IS WORTH NOTING WITH FIREWORKS
May I remind the fire chief and The Advertiser that Hawai'i is part of the United States and Independence Day is a big deal. The fact that more fireworks are sold for New Year's than the Fourth of July tells me Hawai'i's schools need to put more emphasis on American history.
I constantly hear and read that Hawai'i is a melting pot, so let's start melting. To favor one ethnic group over others is just wrong.
The fact that no one in this administration has spoken out against this lame-brained idea is even more troubling.
Skip Rudolf | Kapolei
PEARL HARBOR
CHARGES OF SHODDY WORK AT SHIPYARD ARE UNFOUNDED
D.H. Worrall (Letters, July 28) has made assumptions based on limited or no knowledge of how Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Interme-diate Maintenance Facility and its federal civil service workforce operate.Who, or where, are these "knowledgeable employees of Pearl Harbor" who know that Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees are sent here to improve our efficiency, correct our shoddy work for us, help us meet our schedule, and, what, maybe show us island people so far away from America how to do things the right way?
I was under the impression that the work at Pearl Harbor and all of the other public shipyards go through periods of what we call "peaks and valleys" in the course of a year. Sometimes we will ask for off-island help from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and from both local and Mainland private shipyards.
Sometimes these same public and private shipyards ask us here at Pearl Harbor and the Intermediate Maintenance Facility to supply workers to help them out during a "peak" work period. I have not heard one excuse out of anyone from management, employees or the Metal Trades Council about how we should keep some made-up "status quo" or "business as usual" of supposed inefficiencies here in the shipyard.
I have heard about, and been involved in, many initiatives for improvement of our processes in the way we do business by both management and labor. This has been ongoing, long before there was any talk about the BRAC Commission or the BRAC list. Our entire performance of our mission to the Navy and the nation is supposed to ride on one submarine maintenance project from 1998?
Please. Pearl Harbor and the Intermediate Maintenance Facility have the premier Sail Team and Fly-Away Tiger Team and one of the top groups of workers in the nation. Change happens, and we of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and IMF effect positive changes in our commitment to keep the Navy's ships "fit to fight."
Matt Hamilton | President, Hawai'i Federal Employees Metal Trades Council
