PRESERVING RURAL NATURE IS CRITICAL

Keeping 132.2 acres of pristine coastal area in its current land use provides undeserved, low- and moderate-income families of our community with continued recreational opportunity. Further benefit for O'ahu in rural Kahuku is the low or no cost of the municipal golf course and nearby beaches. Where else in the state could you find a city-run course alongside a beach? Maintaining public access over the entire area is necessary today as it was in 1937 when the golf course opened for sugar plantation workers.

Stewardship and the educational experience of nearshore reefs, marine and wildlife habitat of monk seals, green turtles and seabirds is critical for generations to come. Together with the mandate by voters to protect diminishing natural resources, O'ahu can ensure the rural nature of our northern communities remain intact.

RAIL TRANSIT

PUBLIC AMPLY TOLD OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS

Contrary to the Outdoor Circle's claim, the city has done a good job of notifying O'ahu residents about the potential visual impacts of the elevated guideway. Nearly 40 pages of the draft environmental impact statement are devoted to describing the existing landscape along the route and possible changes, including 20 photo simulations of the guideway in Chapter 4.

The draft EIS expressly acknowledges that in several areas the guideway could have a high visual impact; it also recognizes that in other locations, particularly urban areas in town, the guideway could cause only moderate to low impacts as it blends with the existing landscape.

As the Outdoor Circle's leadership is well aware, these potential impacts have been public knowledge since the alternatives analysis was prepared in 2006. In addition, the project team has consulted with the Outdoor Circle since 2006 as part of the outreach process; it is unfair and inaccurate for the group's letter to imply that they have watched this unfold from a distance.

The Outdoor Circle knows that expanding our bus system would put more vehicles on our already congested roads, further slow traffic and be less environmentally friendly; and a street-level train would be far slower than an elevated train.

Our research confirmed a street-level system simply won't work in Honolulu. Operating street-level trains would take three traffic lanes in Downtown Honolulu, when including the area needed for rail stations. Taking traffic lanes away from cars and trucks would worsen traffic congestion and traffic delays, as documented by the city's bus rapid transit project in the early 2000s. Congestion slows street-level trains to the same speed as buses. Cars turning into intersections and pedestrian crosswalks in a narrow corridor like downtown would slow street-level trains even more.

TAX INCREASES

MAKE NONRESIDENT PROPERTY OWNERS PAY

Taxes are the hot issue right now. The state needs money and we can't agree on where to get it or how we are going to save it. I have two suggestions to explore.

The first is taxing motor vehicles by value like in California, as opposed to weight as we do it here. I never understood the weight thing. It's possible that my friend's 1980 Chevy Van will cost more in fees than my other friend's $95,000 2009 Porsche. Will a heavier truck wear the road down faster? This could make sense when you compare a Camry to a semi-truck, but a difference of a thousand pounds?

The other is to increase the property tax for people who do not file with the state of Hawai'i. Residents now pay $3.29 per $1,000 for homes; I say let's make the wannabe kama'ainas pay the commercial rate of $12.40 per $1,000. Cha-ching! And just so it doesn't have the look of discrimination or penalty to our part-time neighbors, work it as a tax break for those of us who do add to the state tax coffers.

The unforeseen benefit to this will be a reduction in the "not for locals" Trump type of developments.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: YOU USE IT, YOU PAY

There is a very simple way for the state to cut taxes. First, collect no taxes for roads and schools. Make people who drive pay the costs of all state roads. Divide the number of registered vehicles by the cost to maintain roads and raise the amount of vehicle registration to equal the costs.

Give the schools back to the counties. This saves the state billions of dollars and the counties can raise the school funds by increasing property taxes.

The counties should not collect any taxes for their bus systems. Raise the cost to ride the bus equal to the costs of the bus system. People who use the bus will pay for the service. I think people should have a choice, pay the taxes to support the systems we have or let only the users that use the systems pay for their use.

POLICE CHIEF

CORREA HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING LEADER

We always ruminate about how our public leaders seem to fall short of our expectations. When great leaders step forward with courage, hard work and gravitas, we must support them.

Police Chief Boisse Correa is being reviewed for an extension of his contract. Chief Correa, from my experience, is everything we should have in the leader of our county law enforcement. (This is my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect that of the agency I work for.) Without his assistance and cooperation and the outstanding selfless work of HPD officers, we could not have turned around our agency in the past three years.

I did not know Chief Correa prior to becoming the administrator of the Honolulu Liquor Commission, but his straightforward public service has been fantastic.

In my estimation, we have one of the best law enforcement teams with the Honolulu prosecutor and our police chief. Just look at the crime figures.

Outstanding leaders need to know that we in the public do appreciate their work and their courage. We need to stand up and support these leaders or we can just shake our heads when things go wrong and complain. Our choice.