Lingle, Aiona attack on delegation appalling

It is understandable that Congressmen Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case would ask for Gov. Lingle's aid in passing of the Akaka bill. It is appalling that Gov. Lingle and Lt. Gov. Aiona would respond with a political tactic and criticize our capable congressional delegation.

The delegation is perfectly capable of rounding up votes for the bill if the president signs on. When considering any bill of consequence, Congress routinely asks the administration for its thoughts and opinions. Unfortunately, despite repeated invitations to share its views on Hawaiian recognition, the Bush administration won't indicate whether it supports the bill or not.

If Gov. Lingle truly cared about the passage of this bill, she would do anything and everything in her power to influence the president. If she truly cared about strengthening the power and voice of the people of the state she represents, she would be as strong a voice as she could be and help those who ask for help.

Congressmen Abercrombie and Case are willing to work with the governor. It is comprehensible that everyone, including the governor and lieutenant governor, is frustrated with the lack of support from the White House on this bill. It is understandable that the people of Hawai'i must be frustrated as well. But that is no reason to take out their frustrations on Hawai'i's congressional delegation when it asks her to use her influence with the president.

What price for oil?

Were the votes of Sens. Inouye and Akaka to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration the price we pay for increased military spending in this state? Were their votes part of a bargain with this administration — pork for Hawai'i and pork for Alaska? Neither state will be as healthy after consuming so much pork, but all senators from these two states are happy because they brought home the bacon.

Don't believe them; drilling makes sense

I see everybody is complaining that we are going to ruin Alaska's North Slope. They talk about the effect it is going to have on the caribou population. The same argument was made when the original pipeline was put in. Guess what? The caribou, wolf and bear populations increased dramatically due to the year-round grass in the area of the pipeline.

If someone has a better solution, please come forward with it.

Because of a lack of drilling over the last 20 years, we as a country have transferred some $4 trillion to the Middle East emirs and kings. Bottom line is, this whole anti-drill, anti-progress and anti-everything is only to bring the United States economy down. The environmentalists have almost blocked the use of our forests (renewable resource); our coal supplies (largest in the world) are under attack daily; now they want to prevent us from using our huge supply of oil.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is about the size of Texas, and they are proposing drilling in an area one-fifth the size of O'ahu.

Recycling solution

I have solved the hassle and expense of paying for and collecting those bottles, cans and containers and saving my time of standing in redemption lines by boycotting those products altogether.

I filter the water from the tap, buy frozen concentrated juices, and when I crave a carbonated beverage, I buy a Big Gulp in a cup at 7-Eleven.

If whales could talk

The same day your newspaper printed a photo of a baby humpback whale that had been sliced up by a boat propeller, you also printed a story that there will be no EIS required for the Superferry.

I wonder what response we might get if we could ask the humpback whales whether they think we need to do an environmental impact study. How does one translate "Hell yes!" in whale-speak? Does anyone out there speak whale?

All involved made scary situation better

On March 10, as my family was about to board an Aloha Airlines flight from Honolulu to Hilo, my husband suffered a severe kidney stone attack. What an awful way to interrupt a vacation! However, the treatment we received from the very onset was exceptional.

The Aloha Airlines staff immediately contacted airport medical personnel and the nurse initiated treatment, with compassion and efficiency. My husband was transported by ambulance to The Queen's Medical Center. The two EMTs did everything possible to make both of us feel safe and confident. The staff in the emergency room at Queen's could not have been more caring. The medical condition resolved itself later that same day.

In a very short time, a frightening and painful situation was handled with professionalism and expertise on all levels. Each and every person involved in this matter is a sterling representative of his profession and of your beautiful city and state. Thank all of you so very much, or as they say in your wonderful city, mahalo!

State government must end borrowed-money salaries

While Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the City Council debate a proposal to pay for the salaries of city employees with borrowed money, it is interesting to note that the state government has paid salaries with borrowed government funds for many years.

Gov. Linda Lingle's budget proposal for Fiscal Biennium 2005-2007 recommends taking significant steps to eliminate the long-standing practice of paying certain state employees' salaries with borrowed funds. The governor views this change as responsible fiscal and financial management.

When the state plans to build or renovate a public facility, it borrows money to pay the design and construction costs. In certain cases, a portion of the borrowed money is used to pay for the salaries of the employees working on that project.

Using borrowed money to pay for ongoing, everyday operations such as salaries is like using your credit card to give your child an allowance when you have the cash in your pocket. Borrowing funds, and having to pay interest on that money, to pay for employee salaries is a waste of tax dollars, and places the financial burden on future generations.

Just as a businessperson would not on a regular basis pay for employees' salaries with borrowed funds, the state government should not borrow money to pay for government employees' salaries.

The governor is proposing to replace these bond funds with cash from the state's general fund or special funds for certain positions in the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Hawai'i Community Development Authority.

The affected employees will see no difference as a result of this change. They will continue to be paid for the good work they do.

However, public taxpayers will benefit by having the added assurance that their money is being spent wisely, and that the state is making sensible decisions when using public funds.

We are pleased to see the public officials and the news media concerned about proposed plans to borrow funds to pay current city employee wages.

We hope the Legislature will join with the governor in taking this common-sense approach to ending the practice of paying salaries with borrowed money.

Randal Lee has paid his dues

Almost 23 years ago, Randy Lee started working at the Honolulu Prosecutor's Office. I've only worked with him for four. After leaving the Public Defender's Office, he worked under three Honolulu prosecutors starting with Chuck Marsland, then two terms under Keith Kaneshiro, then two terms under Peter Carlisle, and into his third term. He has handled every type of case from traffic to murder.

Some cases that may ring a bell:

• In 1991, he successfully prosecuted America's Most Wanted Segundo Matias for killing local model Leeann Kauhani.

• In 1997, he successfully prosecuted Kenneth Young, an infamous Waikiki drive-by purse-snatcher who targeted Japanese tourists, for which Lee was awarded the Waikiki Hotel Security Association Certificate of Merit.

• In 1997, he successfully prosecuted former Senate president James Aki for running gambling activity on his property.

• In 1998, he successfully prosecuted key figures in the Atlantic and Pacific Trading Co., a ponzi scheme that bilked almost $10 million from more than 500 victims.

• In 1998, he successfully prosecuted "Madame X" of promoting prostitution and money laundering.

• In 2000, he successfully prosecuted former city official Michael Kahapea for stealing more than $6 million in taxpayer money in the 'Ewa Villages and related scandals.

• In 2002, he successfully prosecuted former councilwoman Rene Mansho for stealing taxpayer money.

• In 2003, he successfully prosecuted an HPD major and an assistant chief for diverting money budgeted for feeding prisoners to purchase extravagant meals to feed themselves and fellow police officers.

He's held supervisory positions in circuit, family, district and traffic court. He instructs trial advocacy and cross examination at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, S.C. He lectures for the National White Collar Crime Center. He sits on numerous community, legal and social service committees.

He's currently assigned to the city campaign spending investigation, which has led to convictions of 50 people and more than 70 charges in donation limits, false name contributions, theft and money laundering. On any given day, his desk is lined with neatly stacked files containing the inner-workings of kickback schemes, fraud, identity theft, forgery, computer crimes and other felonies. Poster-sized diagrams line the wall showing multicolored money trails branching out from one person, washed through another: check numbers, cash, withdrawals, deposits, amounts, account numbers, recipients, executives of companies, lawyers, government employees, politicians, a hundred thousand here, half a million there.

Many cases that Mr. Lee has handled while I have known him were neither savory in their content nor desirable in the political baggage and public scrutiny they brought with them. However, he has, over the years, cheerfully accepted this burden for the good of the office and the public. Although it would be a great loss to the prosecuting attorney to see him go, it would be a far greater gain to the judiciary to have him as a judge. Did I mention he's married with children?