TEACHERS

LINGLE APPLAUDED FOR STAND ON DRUG TESTING

Teacher Rebecca Rosenberg said in a Feb. 5 letter that Gov. Linda Lingle has "utter contempt" for the teaching profession because of her stand on drug testing.

It would seem to me that the teachers who oppose drug testing are the ones showing utter contempt to their profession. Why the fuss? Why not take the drug test as agreed upon in their contract?

Isn't the whole point of drug testing to make the school environment safe? Why oppose a drug test if you have nothing to hide?

If you have nothing to hide then it really should not matter if you're tested or not, right?

Have we forgotten the arrest of a public school teacher for selling crystal meth to an undercover officer on five occasions?

If we expect drug-free schools and drug-free students, then why not have drug-free teachers and other Department of Education employees?

I applaud Gov. Lingle and her firm stand regarding teachers being drug tested.

BIG PICTURE

RAIL-TRANSIT TRACK MUST FIT INTO LANDSCAPE

The mayor and City Council are so focused on the goal of rail transit that they have failed to listen to the rumblings of the public. The plausible result is that when the public sees the plans, complete with a roller-coaster rail track in the sky, they will stop at nothing to kill it.

It is eerily reminiscent of the failed plans to redevelop Kaka'ako Makai. The Hawai'i Community Development Authority was so focused on redevelopment and economic gain that they failed to see the greater purpose bestowed upon them by the public. It was a case of development at all costs.

The mayor and City Council would be wise to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, quite literally. They should consider how they would feel if the train track was the first thing they saw outside their window, blocking the view of mauka or makai.

A good rail system does more than move people from home to work and back, it integrates into the fabric of the city, becoming a vital component to residents and commuters alike; creating connectivity and convenience, without sacrificing the character of the surrounding landscape.

O'AHU SHOULD TRY OUT FREE BUS SERVICE FIRST

The controversy continues to go on about whether we should have a fixed-guideway system or HOT lanes and tollways. The problem is that whatever is chosen, it will take millions or billions of dollars and years to implement.

In the meantime, tens of thousands of cars will be added to the streets of O'ahu.

The city has started TheBoat in an attempt to take cars off the road today and reduce some of the congestion on the highways. The problem is that the two boats have limited capacity and bad weather sometimes prevents their operation.

Meanwhile, the price of car maintenance, fuel and parking continues to spiral up.

There is a measure before the City Council to allow for free bus rides. If all the people on O'ahu, residents and tourists alike, could ride anywhere on O'ahu for free, anytime, anywhere, every day, can you imagine how many cars would be left in the garage beginning today?

If bus rides were free for a trial period of a year or two, I would ride it.

Sure, it means no bus revenue. Sure, it represents a huge cost to the city.

If the intent of the free bus service doesn't meet expectations, bus fares can be started up again. Lessons will have been learned.

Can we say that about the fixed-guideway system once it's being built?

BEACH ACCESS

NUMEROUS PUBLIC PATHS TO KAILUA BEACH

I support public access to Kailua Beach. It is unfortunate, however, that the media and news agencies fail to report both sides of the Kailua Beach access issue.

The protesters in front of L'Orange Place claimed restricted access to Kailua Beach because of a gate installed at the makai end of L'Orange. What was not reported is that less than 500 feet both north and south of L'Orange there are well-maintained public paths to the beach.

The public has unrestricted access to Kailua Beach from numerous beach-access paths along Kalaheo Avenue and Kailua Beach Park.

L'Orange is a privately owned street, which is maintained and insured by the residents of L'Orange, not by the state or city.

PLASTIC

IT'S WORTH THE EFFORT TO SWITCH TO CLOTH BAGS

Lawmakers appear to be reticent to ban plastic bags in Hawai'i because of the large public use of the bags.

There is concern for the implications for businesses. Many in Ireland had the same reservations. Yet that country put a 33-cent tax on each plastic bag, and the use decreased dramatically.

According to a recent article in The New York Times, even the business skeptics and opponents are now won over. Using cloth bags has become a way of life.

Change is always difficult. At first it is inconvenient, we have to do something deliberately, we have to put effort into thinking about it.

But once it becomes a habit, it feels normal and fairly effortless. The savings, on so many levels, seems worth that initial discomfort.

RECYCLING

SIMPLE TIPS ON HELPING TO MAKE AN IMPACT

Reading the paper often makes me feel hopeless —bulging landfills, plastic bags, broken schools, high gas prices.

While our lawmakers consider what needs to be done regarding our many issues, let's do what we can until logic prevails.

My family of four has made a number of simple changes, which if multiplied have a big impact.

First, purchase two large recyclable containers and label one "glass and plastic" and the other "paper," and sort your recyclables from your trash. Empty the recyclables in your local school collection bin (help the public school system). You'll notice a drop in your trash, and likely won't even have to put your trash out for pick up but once every other week (less stop and go for the big trash truck, save fossil fuels). Then, ride your bike to your local church thrift store, Goodwill or Salvation Army.

You'll find lots of big beach bags and totes; buy one (recycle). Machine wash and hang to dry, then use the bag for your groceries.

They may be small steps, but every bit helps.

ELECTIONS

MANY SEE BENEFITS OF FULL PUBLIC FUNDING

Although I appreciate the work that Barbara Wong does, I need to point out that her assertions in last Sunday's article on the cost of a full public funding system for elections were flat-out wrong.

First, the cost projections were not even in the statistical ballpark of likelihood. Second, Ms. Wong also implies that there is no ceiling on the potential amount of money it could cost to upgrade the partial public-funding system to a full public-funding system. The only way to describe that implication is that it's just not true, and here are the reasons why: