$4,000 LITTLE TO PAY FOR BETTER SYSTEM

So "Rail to cost us $4,000 each" (Aug. 16). That is a bargain compared to the cost of an automobile and the annual cost of fuel, insurance and upkeep. And it is a lot more sane and practical than each of us driving around in our huge pods and stuck in traffic (as we were Friday afternoon on Beretania, with no help from anyone). This was a perfect example of the need for elevated trains.

Nancy Bey Little | Makiki

HEALTH CARE

OUR LAWMAKERS ARE LETTING US DOWN

As an active citizen of Hawai'i, and a registered Democrat for 37 years, I e-mailed our four Congressmen several weeks ago to ask when they would be holding meetings in Hawai'i to give information, answer questions, and receive citizen feedback on the health care reform. I received no response from any of them. Then I read in this paper that no meetings would be held in Hawai'i.

I called each of the Honolulu offices to see why this was so and to register my displeasure with this decision to shut out the people of Hawai'i from discussion and input. Essentially I was told they were concerned about the dissent that could take place. These decisions were made weeks ago. All four knew there would be no chance for the people of Hawai'i to be heard.

I am dismayed that fear of minority dissent would deny all Hawai'i citizens the opportunity to participate in these important discussions. Isn't hearing all sides of any issue critical? The people of Hawai'i are being denied the right to participate in public forums. Our lawmakers are letting us down. What are they afraid of?

Barbara Jamile | Honolulu

SHAME ON THEM FOR LACK OF MEETINGS

Our elected members of Congress have shown their total disregard for the people of Hawai'i when they refuse to hold town hall meetings to discuss the health care issue.

What are they afraid of? We are not an un-American, disruptive Astroturf mob. We are the people who elected them, pay their salaries, and expect them to be accountable to us, not to the party they belong to. We all know how they are going to vote anyway, straight party line regardless of the impact on their constituents.

We would like a town hall meeting where all of us have an opportunity to ask and hear others' questions on legislation that has a tremendous impact on our country and state. What are they afraid of, that we may ask them if they have read the proposals, that we may demand that they fall under the same plan they are hell bent on placing each and every one of us under? Shame on you, all four of you!

Frank Henrion | Kailua

HO'OPILI

PROJECT, RAIL PART OF BETTER FUTURE FOR KIDS

Ho'opili needs to be reclassified to allow for urban development and uses. Ho'opili is part of a much larger community plan. If it is not approved, will the rail transit station planned at Ho'opili sit alone in an agricultural field?

Where will future students and employees of UH West O'ahu and the Kroc community center live? These people and their families will need housing, places to eat and relax, and they deserve the opportunity to belong to a community.

The current farming operations on the Ho'opili site generate a substantial amount of dust — especially when crops are planted and harvested — which is a real problem for residents who live in the villages of Kapolei.

The idea that Ho'opili will create more traffic is just not true. The bottom line is that rail — along with other road improvements already happening in Kapolei and 'Ewa — will reduce traffic in the long run.

In the end we must ask ourselves a critical question: where will our children live tomorrow if we don't carefully plan today?

Leonard Leong | Honolulu

SAYING SAYONARA TO SUSTAINABILITY

We heard a great deal about sustainability. The state of Hawai'i needs to develop its resources to become self-sustaining. A large need is food grown here in the Islands. Now we learn that Ho'opili may take 1,600 acres out of food growing. Obviously the portion of our government that supports Ho'opili prefers to continue to import all of our food. Sayonara, sustainability.

In addition, the Board of Water Supply "projects that ... plans to build two desalination plants when needed will be more than enough." The one desalination plant that was built in the 'Ewa area years ago hasn't lived up to its hype. Ho'opili should build the two desalination plants before development to see whether they will actually provide potable water.

Mandy Bowers | Honolulu

HEALTH CARE

LET'S JOIN THE MOST CIVILIZED NATIONS

Nobody wants to euthanize Granny.

Nobody wants to take away your health care plan if you like it.

Nobody wants you to wait in lines, and nobody wants you to wear a green Mao suit and wave a little red book.

Big Pharma and the health insurance companies (with huge profits and huge salaries for top-level execs) want to derail health care reform. They prefer keeping all profit, and don't really care that 50 million people lack health insurance.

Business owners must struggle to provide employee health care coverage. Covered employees are only one step away from losing their jobs and health insurance, and going bankrupt, as so many have, from trying to pay medical expenses. Oh, try to obtain insurance with a "pre-existing" condition and you are up a creek.

There is tremendous waste and bureaucracy in the current health care system, and insurance employees often have more say about your treatment than your doctor.

Skyrocketing premiums may rise to 50 percent of personal income if nothing is done, and the cost of treating the uninsured at emergency rooms is already contained in the premiums of the insured.

The most civilized nations in the world have health care for all. Let's join them.

Bambi Lin Litchman | Honolulu