Frivolous lawsuits are costly to everyone

In his April 8 letter, Mr. Chris Heckman's comments, which suggest sending every patient with chest pain to the emergency room, are misleading and are typical of how frivolous lawsuits get generated.

It is not standard care to send every patient with a history of chest pain and who is asymptomatic at the time of an office visit to the emergency room. After initial treatment and workup, these patients are referred to a cardiologist, who, after performing further testing including cardiac catheterization to determine extent of coronary disease, dictates further treatment.

Since chest pain can be caused by many other diseases besides heart disease or angina, it is important for primary-care physicians to thoroughly evaluate and examine the patients in the office so that they will not miss other serious diseases such as stomach inflammation, ulcer or even cancer.

Patients who are experiencing chest pain in a place other than a doctor's office are advised to call 911 immediately to get quick emergency treatment.

We physicians are not against trial attorneys personally. We just want them to be fair. The high cost of healthcare and decreased healthcare access by our patients are tremendous financial and social burdens on our society.

There is no need for Mr. Heckman to get angry and attack and defame doctors personally. Instead, as a concerned member of our society, he should think of ways to discourage frivolous or non-meritorious lawsuits against healthcare providers.

Tow truck company should think of others

Stoneridge Recoveries has a city contract to tow vehicles on the freeway in the area that it is contracted to provide coverage for. The state is simply providing a free tow off the freeway, then dropping the vehicle somewhere safe. The owner of the vehicle still has to call his own tow service afterward.

Attorney Mark Kawata should realize that the city has a contract with Stoneridge but the freeway comes under state jurisdiction. Letting one tow company tow the vehicle off the freeway to the end destination does nothing to alleviate the traffic congestion problem. The state's program of tow-and-drop will recycle the tow truck faster to help alleviate any problems on the freeways.

I am not saying that the people from Stoneridge are being selfish, but what happened to the aloha spirit for the rest of the drivers?

Elected officials should take pay, benefit cuts

I just e-mailed my opposition for tax increases to the governor and lieutenant governor. Let's see our elected officials put their money where their mouth is.

A lot of our state's financial problems could be solved by our elected officials taking a pay cut, reducing or eliminating their retirement (which is ridiculous), cutting their expense accounts, or paying for their own medical and dental benefits or at least a large part of them.

We as taxpayers are sick and tired of these proposed tax increases. Let's see them lead by example. It could be a whole new concept. Hawai'i could lead this new reformation across the whole country, and our elected officials would be heroes, as well as easily re-elected next term. That would make our country sit up and take notice of the leaders of this tiny island state.

Maybe we could balance the budget after all. Lead by example, and start in-house first.

Legacy Lands Act should be approved

Sitting on Gov. Linda Lingle's desk today is a measure that would provide a lasting legacy of protection for Hawai'i's vast natural resources.

This important bill, the Legacy Lands Act, invests a small portion of the conveyance tax collected annually into preservation of wild coastline, native habitat and special places. This bill deserves her signature.

For decades, I have explored and studied Hawai'i's incredible biological richness and history. As a social worker and environmental educator, I have shared my knowledge of Hawai'i's secrets and natural evolution with countless students. The biological and cultural resources in our wild areas and along our undeveloped coastline are Hawai'i's greatest assets.

If we hope to continue to enjoy the benefits of these assets and preserve them for our children's children to experience, we must invest in their protection. The Legacy Lands Act would do just that — invest in our natural legacy for generations to come. I fully support the governor signing this historic measure into law.

Women's commission should be permanent

After many years of struggle, House Bill 1393 was passed by the Legislature, taking the Commission on the Status of Women out of its temporary home in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and placing it in the Department of Human Services. This, in effect, gives it permanent status and restores the funding that was denied by the executive last year.

The most important fact to remember about the commission is that women's issues are family issues. Women have battled long and hard for access to quality healthcare, fair wages and equitable treatment of both sexes. In addition, there was broad female support in the Legislature this year for a "Commission on Fatherhood."

The Commission on the Status of Women has played a major role over the years in supporting the rights of victims of such crimes as rape and protecting domestic violence victims. It has also involved itself in the dialogue on such international issues as the Global Gag rule and the ratification of the CEDAW treaty by the United States.

Now we need to make sure our first woman governor, Linda Lingle, signs the bill into law, which would make the permanent status of the Commission on the Status of Women a reality.

Beauty projects were wasteful, irresponsible

Regarding Keith Correa's letter of May 30: I too curse Jeremy Harris for his harebrained idea of "beautifying" Lunalilo Home Road with naupaka plants, trees and a medial strip. The naupaka has since been removed, with no explanation.

For over 30 years, I was able to make left turns to drive into and out of my driveway. Now I can't, along with all affected neighbors on this very busy road.

We previously had three traffic lanes for mauka- and makai-bound traffic. Now we're choked down to two and sometimes one if a large vehicle is parked in the curb lane. More new homes and cars in Hawai'i Kai, and he reduces lanes on a key road.

I think Harris neglected taking care of important sewer and road infrastructure by spending our money foolishly on "nice to do" projects in Waikiki, Kahala and Hawai'i Kai — the end result being sewer leaks, potholes and traffic congestion. My opinion goes one step further. I think Harris thought up these projects to make sure his campaign contributors were awarded large construction projects.

Harris was the worst mayor ever.