BRINGING THEM HOME KEY IN REHABILITATION

The recent sex assault allegations made by two Hawai'i women in a Kentucky prison renew questions of the state administration's policy of sending prisoners to the Mainland.

The research is clear. There is no question that the support of law-abiding loved ones is vital for offender rehabilitation. Incarcerating people thousands of miles away from home is a sure formula for continued criminal behavior.

Research additionally shows that the loved ones of imprisoned people, especially children, suffer trauma and health problems from having a parent or relative incarcerated. These serious problems have a disproportionate effect on minorities like Native Hawaiians.

The claim that it saves the state $1.6 million more a year to keep women incarcerated in Kentucky is short sighted. The savings in lower recidivism, and increased healing for loved ones, far outweighs this cost.

It is time to bring our prisoners back. Over 95 percent of these people are coming home eventually. Let's bring them home now and work on rehabilitating them, instead of bringing back further criminalized and abused people who will only cause more suffering, and cost more money in the long run.

Lorenn Walker, J.D., M.P.H. | Waialua

MAUI WATER

BALANCE KEY FOR PRECIOUS RESOURCE

With summer in full swing and rainfall levels quickly diminishing, our drought-like weather pattern rears its ugly head once more.

The decline in rainfall, however, is not confined to Maui but is an ongoing global occurrence. I am fully aware of the role that the state water commission plays in governing our precious resource, whether in our east or west Maui streams. Stream biota is imperative for a healthy ecosystem to exist, as agriculture is essential to our way of life. Agriculture enables us to be a self-sustained community. It also contributes tremendously to our local economy.

I wish the state water commission and their staff much luck in striking a sound balance for Maui's future.

Kelly Ruidas | Wailuku, Maui

HSTA BARGAINING

PUT DRUG TESTING, PAY HIKE IN PERSPECTIVE

This is in response to the letter from Mililani (July 6) regarding the HSTA not bargaining in good faith. I should mention that the so-called better-than-average pay hike that was spoken of was already years overdue and stretched out over a period of three years and barely met consumer price increases.

Although it is correct that HSTA did not finalize its end to the agreement for mandatory drug testing, the demand from the governor was abrupt, allowed no time for arbitration and involved questions about where the funding for these tests would come from. There were also questions regarding the constitutionality of the proposal.

It should be noted that a drug testing clause was already in place in our contracts long before the governor's insistence on teacher drug testing in exchange for pay raises. Bargaining in good faith? Let me ask some fair questions: Do you believe teachers should have to pay for their own drug testing? Do you pay for your own random drug testing at your place of employment?

John Nippolt | Kane'ohe

FURLOUGHS

STATE WORKERS OUGHT TO BE CONGRATULATED

Even after the decision of Judge Karl Sakamoto declaring unconstitutional the executive order of Gov. Linda Lingle on furlough, the state workers continue to be the subject of unkind and unjustifiable criticism for having not agreed or followed the arbitrary and unilateral order of the governor.

On the contrary, they should be congratulated to have fought for their rights and for not being intimated by her threat of layoffs. Plain and simple, it is indeed very unkind and unjust for the lowly paid public employees to have a pay cut of 13.7 percent of their salary when Gov. Lingle and her high-salaried administration officials had a cut of 5 percent.

Why didn't she have these low-salaried public employees have the same pay cut, which could have been accepted by the union leaders?

Gene A. Albano | Salt Lake

STATE BUDGET

IT IS TIME FOR A SHIFT IN THE LEGISLATURE

I got a hunch the union has nothing to sacrifice, that's why they have not presented a formal offer at the negotiating table requested by Gov. Lingle.

The only offer they have is to raise the excise tax on the overtaxed people of Hawai'i, raid the hurricane fund, a fund that belongs to the people of Hawai'i in time of crisis, and raid the rainy-day fund, but nothing to show if they are willing to sacrifice and help Gov. Lingle with the current budget crises.

There were calls for a temporary excise-tax hike of 1 or 2 percent.

The problem with this suggestion: the Democratic party does not have the word "temporary" in its vocabulary.

With its habit of spend, spend, raise taxes, a temporary tax hike will only end up being permanent. More headache for our pocketbook family budget.

I just hope it's not wishful thinking to say that when election rolls around in 2010, the over-burdened taxpayers in Hawai'i will elect another Republican for governor and vote for a majority of Republicans in the Legislature to end the Democrats' majority since statehood.

Melvin Partido | Pearl City

HEALTH CARE

SINGLE-PAYER SYSTEM COULD BRING FREEDOM

Under the headline "Compromise key for health care bill" (July 6), none of the arguments addressed the real issue of our shameful ranking by the World Health Organization. We are No. 1 in health expenditure per capita and No. 72 in health performance.

The sentence "Republicans see a public or government insurance plan as unfair to the private insurance industry" blew me away.

If a plan is better, then we the American people should have it. This is a system of by and for the people, not the mega-corporate interests!

The real "compromise" began when comprehensive, universal single-payer health care was considered off the table. It works better than our system in all other industrialized countries. But industry lobbyists have more sway than we the people.

Single-payer just means that you go to whatever doctor or hospital you wish and the government will be billed. You pay more to the government in taxes, but not for health insurance, a net gain to say the least. It also means freedom to work wherever you wish because your insurance plan is not tied to your job. True freedom!

I want change for the better, not a bipartisan compromise.

Elaine Hornal | Waialua