RAIL DEBATE

WEST SIDE RESIDENTS NEED TRAFFIC RELIEF

Hawai'i could have had the rail system running many years ago. The cost back then was almost half of what it will cost today.

People who don't live on the west or central side of O'ahu don't realize the consumption of time and the cost of fuel just to get into Honolulu and then to get back home.

Honolulu was where everything was built many years ago — medical facilities, doctor's offices, schools (UH, HPU, community and private colleges, private schools), shopping, businesses (government and private), Waikiki, etc., and jobs.

At the time when these were being built, the government wasn't considering the eventual great expansion of the Central and Leeward side of O'ahu.

There are provisions to create new businesses, schools, shopping, etc., but it's not an overnight endeavor and there's no comparison to Honolulu.

Desperate times need desperate changes! Don't stop rail!

RAIL HAS BEEN GOOD ANSWER FOR MANY CITIES

In response to all the Stop Rail Now experts, can anyone, including Cliff Slater, tells us why cities like London, Singapore, Hong Kong and even Naha, Okinawa, did not build elevated highways, toll roads, etc., as viable solutions to congestion, but opted for rail?

Let's see what happens if Hong Kong or Singapore (island cities like Honolulu) eliminated their subway/rail system today and see how traffic would move along those "cheaper" highway options. Imagine if the City Council in the 1990s had approved rail, would we still be talking about high gas prices and the delightful daily commute at rush hour today?

What city has gone bankrupt using rail? We must build rail to reduce congestion.

RAIL WILL GIVE US RELIEF FROM TRAFFIC CONGESTION

During the morning rush-hour traffic with thousands of cars heading into downtown Honolulu, the freeways and highways appear to be virtual parking lots at times. It's the same way in the afternoon.

The traffic will get even worse as the new residential areas, businesses and UH-West O'ahu become a reality.

You think the traffic is bad now, what will it be like five, 10, 20 years from now?

The rail system will give us much-needed relief.

This is another case of the "tail" — the very vocal minority, Stop Rail Now advocates — trying to wag the "dog" — the silent majority.

VETO OVERRIDE

KUPUNA CARE FUNDING WILL HELP CAREGIVERS

The House and Senate voted to override Gov. Linda Lingle's line-item veto of $500,000 to expand the Kupuna Care Program, which was part of The Caregiver Omnibus bill.

The Advertiser incorrectly reported that the House took up a different bill than the Senate to override.

In a correction, the paper stated that "the bill became law, and the override is largely symbolic, since the governor can still choose not to release the money."

Kupuna Care is a program that provides direct services to unpaid family caregivers taking care of relatives or friends at home. The services provided include bath services, chores and respite care.

The $500,000 provides funds for emergency and weekend respite and other help to caregivers. This money helps keep caregivers doing what they are doing and keeps people out of costly institutional care.

Family caregivers provide a tremendous economic asset to the state of Hawai'i by keeping many out of Medicaid and costly waitlist situations in hospitals.

To call this symbolic underestimates the importance of the override.

The Legislature has shown it values the work of the family caregivers. We hope and pray the governor will see fit to release the money.

Rep. Marilyn Lee, D-38 (Mililani, Mililani Mauka)

ENERGY

CHANGE HABITS, DON'T JUST DRILL FOR MORE OIL

Demands to drill for oil in the Alaskan wildlife refuge or in offshore waters, as Paul Lucey pointed out in his letter of July 11, will take many years to yield gasoline and only in limited amounts, not enough to bail out our spoiled lifestyle.

We need to change our own habits first. The figures below show that if we want to blame someone for rising oil prices, we don't have to look very far, since two-thirds of our oil is from North America:

Sources of U.S. oil, 2008: