HOW CAN MAYOR SNUB EPA, RESIDENTS?

Your article "Mayor won't spare Waiawa from rail" (April 16) really set me off.

For Mayor Mufi Hannemann to thumb his nose at the EPA and turn a deaf ear to the people who have lived in the Banana Patch area their whole lives is beyond my ability to comprehend.

Does he not have an obligation to respond to the expressed concerns of the EPA? It would seem that without a solid endorsement from them the federal monies for his train could be compromised. Or will he turn to us with a higher GE tax or higher taxes on our collective lower valued properties to make up for the shortfall that is surely in the offing?

NATATORIUM

CITY, STATE SHOULD LET FRIENDS TAKE CARE

As a resident of both Madrid and Santa Barbara, the ongoing developments at the Natatorium are far, far away but close to my heart.

I think the best solution to your dilemma is for the city and state to cooperate and assign their combined responsibilities via a long-term lease to the 501(c)(3) Friends of the Natatorium. At a time when state and city budgets are under pressure from all sides, it makes sense to allow private sector foundations and generous citizens to contribute funds to save the Natatorium.

Nationwide, there are numerous precedents for this sort of successful public/private partnership which have resulted in the renovation of similarly beloved public facilities, including the Santa Barbara Bowl, a 1936 WPA project and 4,500-seat open air amphitheater managed by the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation.

Give the private sector a chance to help bring back the Natatorium, a treasure that I hope my two young children will be able to enjoy on some future visit to Honolulu, a city my family loves and has been visiting since the 1930s. Best of luck.

UH LEADERSHIP

MORE ACADEMIC PRESIDENT NEEDED

As an alumnus of the University of Hawai'i, I say let us call for a more academic president of the University of Hawai'i. The University of Hawai'i is an academic institution first and foremost and has the responsibility to carry out instructional and research duties with those who are attending the university.

We should not lose our focus on what is necessary to bring into being a great university for those whose tax dollars create the support for this endeavor and the students. May we recommend having someone who is familiar with our unique educational, cultural and economic situation during the current financial crisis.

STATE BUDGET

SCHOOL OFFICIALS NEED A LESSON ON SHARING

While I support creating a quality public education system in our state and appreciate the hard work of our talented and dedicated teachers, I find it tough to support the Board and Department of Education's efforts to pressure Gov. Lingle to add more money to their budget from the federal stimulus funds.

While education is important, so are all the other services supplied by the state, such as homeless shelters, public housing, food stamps, unemployment assistance, job training, health insurance, public safety programs and medical assistance at state hospitals. If the only available funds are pumped solely into education, the state will be left with no other choice than to cut other equally important state programs to balance the state budget.

School officials may benefit from a visit to a kindergarten class for a refresher course in sharing.

TAX INCENTIVES

ACTS 221, 88 KEY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

Legislators must keep Act 221 and Act 88. It is frustrating to see the people in charge of our economy getting rid of the golden egg.

Now that "Lost" and "You May Not Kiss The Bride" productions are wrapped, it's adding more than 500 people to the unemployment numbers until a new production lands on our islands.

Do I need to give you flash cards to practice your percentages and fractions at home with your kids or just a list of all the economic failures that you are responsible for?

Please do your homework.

CAMPAIGN FUND

KEEP MONEY FOR BIG ISLE PROGRAM

The Legislature is trying to kill publicly funded elections on the Big Island by raiding the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund. My husband and I have contributed to this fund every year when we file our income tax return. We want that money to fund this pilot program on the Big Island next year.

This is a matter of challenging the "powers that be." Fair elections allow qualified candidates who have trust in their communities to run a legitimate campaign to at least get their ideas onto the table for debate.

In general, this makes sitting legislators uncomfortable because it allows more people to participate in a game that right now is only open to people who have connections to money.

KAKA'AKO PROJECT

LET'S PAVE WAY FOR A STRONGER ECONOMY

Two of Hawai'i's most talked-about goals are to diversify the economy and to improve education. It is surprising then to see that a current project, the Kaka'ako development by Kamehameha Schools, which addresses both goals, is coming under some pressure from the state.

The Kaka'ako revitalization project includes dedicated space for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics education, a vital component of improving education and creating a qualified workforce for the kind of businesses we want to attract.

On the economic development side, the project includes development of wet lab space, an absolute requirement for the creation of a biotech cluster, a stated goal for Hawai'i.

Other states, such as Massachusetts, California, Maryland and others are making significant commitments to developing a knowledge-based economy. As special as Hawai'i is, it is part of the international marketplace, and global competition for clean, well-paying businesses is fierce. To reach our goals of a better educated workforce and diversifying the economy, let's embrace the Kaka'ako project and clear the way to make it happen.