ISLE ROADS DON'T ACCOMMODATE ALL

As a new university student living in Manoa, I am shocked at the lack of sidewalks and bike paths for commuters. After moving to Manoa, I wanted to buy a bike and use it as my main mode of transportation, but I quickly realized how unfriendly Hawai'i's streets are to bikers.

Instead, I walk to school every day from my house and am constantly forced to walk in the street because there are no sidewalks. Since my classes end at night, my walk home is made even more dangerous, and I am always nervous that a driver will fail to see me.

I love being outside. I enjoy running and biking, but I feel that my activities are limited because the streets are so unsafe. As a member of the community who drives, takes the bus, and walks, I would like to see Hawai'i's streets designed to accommodate all users of the road.

TAX INCREASES

OBAMA RIGHT — IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE

As we hand in our tax forms and head home with a sigh of relief that tax day is over, we turn on our TVs to find that it has only just begun! The proposed tax increases by our Legislature are simply ridiculous. Do the leaders who are elected by "us" and are working for "us" expect "us" to sit back and continue to allow our state and nation to crumble to pieces? Obama was right, it's time for a change! Time for new politicians!

OBAMA CHURCH

FIRST FAMILY SHOULD EMBRACE DIVERSITY

Melvin Partido Sr. (April 15) encourages President Obama to select a church that fits his own values — against abortion and against basic civil and human rights for individuals of any sexual orientation. But he is totally silent regarding the right to life of innocent civilians in war and those facing capital punishment.

He ignores the facts that in American culture religion is usually respected as a private matter, and that the Constitution guarantees certain freedoms and rights including choice of religion. No doubt the Obama family will pursue a church following their own values. But wherever this may be, they would be wise to occasionally pay respect in the institutions of other Abrahamic religions (Islam and Judaism) as well as in those of others like Buddhism and Hinduism.

More than ever, this world sorely needs understanding, respect, appreciation, and tolerance for religious and other kinds of diversity, including for what others regard as good and bad values, as long as these do not violate the dignity and rights of other human beings.

BUDGET, EFFICIENCY

'GAS-GUZZLING' DOE SHOULD BE REPLACED

The Department of Education is a gas guzzler of an organization that requires an inordinate amount of money to keep it going.

Furthermore, it is shocking to realize that when the DOE gets more money it becomes even less efficient — a lot less.

DOE funding has increased substantially in recent years. In fiscal year 1999-2000 the DOE operating budget was $972 million — already a lot of money. The operating budget increased each year since then so that seven years later it more than doubled to $2.186 billion.

However, the substantial funding increase resulted in only a slight improvement in the quality of education, as indicated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Eighth-grade students in Hawai'i took the NAEP test in 1998 and 2007. During that period the proportion of students who scored either "proficient" or "advanced" in reading increased by only one percentage point, from 19 percent to 20 percent.

Math, science, and writing scores showed only slightly better improvement.

The DOE should be replaced with a modern public school system that operates efficiently and demonstrates good performance.

ANTI-SMOKING FUNDS

PROGRAM CUTS WILL JEOPARDIZE OUR KIDS

Hawai'i citizens need to know that legislators are preparing to balance the state budget in part by cutting adult and teen anti-smoking programs. Doing so would sentence many of our citizens including young people and those yet unborn to a lifetime of health problems and decades of costs for our state.

A legislative conference committee has before it a bill that would gut funding for successful anti-smoking programs that have dramatically reduced teenage smoking in Hawai'i.

If the wording in SB 292 survives the conference, Hawai'i can expect to see teen smoking rates increase, just as they did in Massachusetts, California, Florida, Indiana and Minnesota after those states' anti-smoking programs were cut.

It is no longer debatable that as smoking rates rise, so do health problems and costs. Short-term thinking by the Legislature could result in decades of sorrow and additional healthcare expense.

We simply can't allow legislators to pull a fast one that jeopardizes our children's health. Tell them to leave anti-smoking program funding alone!

CAT KILLINGS

IT'S TIME FOR POLICE TO PROTECT ANIMALS

Ghandi said, "the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated." So what does the story of the cat killings at Kapa'a Quary Industrial Park say about the people in Hawai'i? How does our society continue to condone animal cruelty, or for that matter, the intimidation against people who only show compassion and caring for all creatures?

For years, cat colony caregivers have been managing feral cat populations all over the state. One of the most successful examples of the trap-neuter-return-manage methodology is Ala Moana Beach Park. Hundreds of unsterilized feral cats once roamed the park. But the ongoing trapping and sterilization of the cats, along with the removal of sick and friendly cats and kittens, ensured that through attrition, the colony numbers decreased. Today, there are only a handful of feral cats left. We believe that all cats deserve a loving home, but the reality is that millions are living feral lives in our communities — a situation that our society created.

Cat colony caregivers use their own resources to provide a humane solution to these challenges. They deserve our respect, not our contempt.