TRAFFIC

BRING BACK VAN CAMS, THE SMARTER WAY

The rising traffic death toll on Hawai'i's streets is correctly responded to by Honolulu Police Department Chief Boisse Correa's increased enforcement of speed limits. However, I say the police have enough of a workload as is.

The increased enforcement of speed limits can far more efficiently be accomplished by the return of the van cams — but this time, with an ounce of common sense.

The van cam contractor should not have the incentive to issue tickets to drivers going 1 mph over the posted limit. Is it so far-fetched to mandate speed limit enforcement to drivers going 50, 70 or 100 percent over the limit?

Come on people, bring back the van cams along with an ounce of common sense.

RECYCLING

LAWMAKERS HAVE YET TO SHOW COMMITMENT

I read with some disgust the latest letters sent to you by people who are frustrated over recycling. They complain of long lines, hours of operation, rude employees, being short-changed and the hassle it takes to recycle.

I guess they just don't understand that our government is not interested in recycling, never has been, never will be.

The government likes it when people get frustrated over recycling. Why? Because it collects the unclaimed tax on the cans and bottles that are not recycled.

There are hundreds of thousands of dollars collected in the taxing of bottles and cans; the less people turn in, the more money the government keeps.

If our lawmakers truly wanted a recycling program that worked, they would have curbside recycling, a fair and streamlined process to redeem your deposit.

Contact your lawmakers and let's stop the insanity and the rip-off known as HI-5¢.

SURFBOARD RACKS

DON'T PENALIZE RESPONSIBLE RENTERS

Your article concerning the situation at the Waikiki surfboard racks was very informative and should help to end the months of rumors that had been circulating out there. I have been surfing Waikiki for the past 15 years and have had a Waikiki board rack for approximately 10 of those years. I can relate to the people on the waiting list to get a board rack, but naturally I want to hang on to the rack I had to wait five years to get.

What happened to the "first come, first served" policy? Why punish the people already in the racks and who have been dutifully paying their rent all these years by kicking them out? What's next — kick out all the yachts at Ala Wai Boat Harbor to give slips to all the people on that waiting list?

I realize that renting a surfboard rack on city property is a privilege and not a right, but rotating people in and out of the racks every few years is at best only a temporary solution — people getting kicked out of the racks on a scheduled basis is not the answer. Raise the rent, build more racks, eject the deadbeats, but do not evict the surfers already in there.

ELECTION DAY

LET'S ELIMINATE THE UNNEEDED HOLIDAY

I am curious to know why our state and city and county workers have a holiday on Election Day.

There is no reason for this, except for those working at our polling stations.

If we want to be frugal with our taxpayers' money, the state and counties (and the union who represents all of these workers) should consider eliminating Election Day as a holiday.

Otherwise, they should consider requiring these workers to work at an "alternate work site" by working at one of the polling stations to earn their paycheck. There is no reason that anyone needs the entire day off to vote, especially in a state where voter turnout is low.

SMOKING

GO AHEAD AND SMOKE, BUT KEEP IT IN YOUR CAR

I am writing about the recent article regarding the danger of secondhand smoke being very harmful to those in cars. I love to drive with my windows opened in our wonderful climate, however I am unable to do this because smokers hold their cigarettes out of their window and it goes right into my car.

I don't care if they smoke, but I want them to keep their smoke in their own car and not pollute my car or our air. They usually drop their butts on the roadside.

This can be enforced by having a Web site to report license plate numbers of those who hang their cigarettes out of their window. If the license appears twice, they will be fined $150. They need to roll up their windows and not endanger others. This will provide safe air on the road for all of us in traffic and create revenue for the city.

Thank you for the new law. We are all grateful for this measure. Please help those of us who are exposed to secondhand smoke while driving.

MONK SEALS

DEATH HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO PROTECT SPECIES

The recent death of a 5-month-old female Hawaiian monk seal pup in an unattended lay gill net off Waimanalo is tragic. Our monk seal is endangered, with a population of only 1,200-1,500, mostly in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Only 75 are in residence in the main Hawaiian Islands. The Caribbean monk seal was once abundant, but it is now extinct; the last individual was seen in 1952.

The Mediterranean monk seal is critically endangered, with fewer than 500 remaining. Every effort should be made to increase the population of the Hawaiian species in the main islands so it is less threatened by something that might cause mass mortality (100 Mediterranean monk seals died in 1997 from a toxic dinoflagellate bloom in the sea).

Monofilament lay gill nets are the worst offenders in the over-fishing of the inshore waters of Hawai'i. They should be banned statewide, as they are in other Pacific islands and other maritime states. That they have been shown to cause the death of protected species such as the Hawaiian monk seal and the green sea turtle should provide reason enough for the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA to enforce the federal Endangered Species Act and ban these nets.

ELECTIONS

DEMOCRATIC WINS WILL HAVE IMPACT ON IRAQ

According to The Economist (Oct. 28), the United States led the rest of the world on defense spending in 2004. In that year, Americans spent about $450 billion on defense while China and Russia each spent only about $60 billion.

In fact, the United States spent more on defense than the total for the next nine nations. Much of the American spending was for the war in Iraq, where costs have risen in 2005 and 2006.

Hopefully, the 2006 Democratic victories in the nation's Senate and House will sharply reduce the spending and the loss of lives.

WAR

WATADA'S STAND AGAINST WAR SHOULD BE PRAISED

While we will not all agree that the path chosen by Lt. Ehren Watada is the same path we would choose under similar circumstances, I do believe we can agree on his right to take a stand against a war that he considers to be illegal and immoral.

Our faith calls us to be makers of peace, not war. Lt. Watada has searched the reasons given for this war in Iraq and found them to be false. I have done this same research and have come to the same conclusion.

Our faith compels us to stand against laws that are unjust and against wars that are illegal and immoral. Just as I pray for the health and safety of those who are currently serving in our military, so I also pray for the well-being of those who choose to stand for what is right and just, such as Lt. Ehren Watada. We need more persons with his courage and fortitude.

HEALTHCARE

CONGRESS SHOULD LOOK TO MODEL PROGRAM

Now that the elections are behind us, my hope is that all of our newly elected members of Congress will move on with an agenda to achieve access to affordable healthcare for all. Fortunately, we have a good model in place — our Federally Qualified Community Health Centers.

This highly acclaimed FQHC program has a 40-year record of proven success in providing needed quality healthcare for our indigent populations and others in a cost efficient manner. The FQHC program has unmatched bipartisan support and now serves nearly 16 million people across the country.

Waimanalo Health Center provides a "medical home" to thousands of people right here in Ko'olaupoko. By being their regular source of care, we help our patients to lead healthy, productive lives and to stay out of overcrowded and expensive emergency rooms.

Our new Congress has a chance to put politics aside and do something positive to meet the need for affordable and accessible healthcare.

Supporting our community health centers offers Congress the chance to hit the ground running and join a bipartisan consensus around a proven solution in an otherwise contentious debate surrounding healthcare financing. All they have to do is help pass legislation that will increase funding for the FQHC program so it can reach more people.

We have every confidence that our new Congress won't waste time and will do the right thing for everyone. Healthcare is a right for all; not just a privilege for a few who can afford it. Mahalo nui loa and aloha!