GOP CHAIRMAN CLEARLY OUT OF TOUCH

It's incredibly arrogant that Hawaii Republican Party Chairman Jonah Kaauwai would presume to know more about recent collective bargaining with HGEA than those who were directly involved (Letters, Oct. 26).

Instead of offering meaningful input from someone on the state's bargaining team, the governor's office apparently chose to blatantly politicize the discussion by instructing a partisan messenger to distort the facts and muddy the waters.

At no time was Kaauwai ever involved in any of the discussions or negotiations between the state, counties and HGEA. And Kaauwai is flat wrong to claim that Mayor Hannemann was out of town when the final settlement was reached. He and his staff were actively involved at every step while he was promoting Hawaii tourism in Japan to benefit the entire state's economy. The settlement was achieved after his return, continued negotiations, and the subsequent approval of all four county mayors.

It's very clear who's out of touch here, and it sure isn't Hannemann.

Noel ono | Assistant director, Honolulu Department of Human Resources

HEALTH CARE

TORT, DRUG PRICES MUST BE ADDRESSED

Recent letters to the editor from Drs. Corboy (Oct. 21) and Ropert (Oct. 20) point out the flaws and inefficiency inherent in an extreme makeover of the present U.S. health care delivery system in favor of a government- dominated program. The doctors also point out that there should be a health insurance competition stimulus by allowing patients to purchase policies across state borders.

Nevertheless, health care costs will continue to rise unless two additional factors in those costs are included in the legislation, namely, the medical malpractice lawsuit (tort) abuse, and the continuing escalation of the price of modern medications. There is an absence in the current congressional proposals of any inclusion of tort reform and any meaningful bidding and purchase of drugs by the government to lower costs for patients.

Unless these two measures are included by Congress, any effort to lower costs is bound to fail, because these underlying factors that contribute to health costs will have to be passed on to the patients via hospital and health insurance fees.

MALCOLM R. ING, M.D. | Honolulu

PARKING

THANKS TO HPDFOR ENFORCING RULES

Thank you to the city and especially to the HPD officers who have been braving the heat every morning at Ala Moana Beach Park to enforce "the parking for park users only" policy. As a daily park user, I can now easily find a parking spot for my morning run.

I have noticed a significant difference now that the HPD and the city have begun ticketing the many trucks and cars parked at the beach park while the driver leaves the beach park to go to work.

I have seen these drivers park their vehicles and walk over to the harbor, get picked up by their construction buddies or walk over to Ala Moana Center, only to leave their cars for the whole day depriving a park user of this space. Please continue to enforce this policy; it is greatly appreciated.

sheri rand | Honolulu

GAMBLING

USE STATE LOTTERY TO FINANCE EDUCATION

It is sad that education is being compromised to offset our state financial downfalls. Who would have thought that it would come down to taking away from our youth of Hawaii to help fix the economic woes that elected adult officials have led the state to.

It's time to seriously look at legalizing some form of gambling in the state. The state worries so much about the moral issue and the ills associated with gaming. It's a known fact the people of Hawaii spend millions of dollars each year to go to Las Vegas. There's no need for casinos here, but a state lottery with language that appropriates most/all of its monies to education would allow students the same opportunity that all of us have been allowed in the past, a full, uncompromised education.

If anything is immoral, it's not giving the youth of Hawaii what they deserve.

Dawn hayashi | Honolulu

EDUCATION

MONEY FOR SPORTS, BUT NOT FOR CLASSES

In response to Arne Duncan's commentary (Oct. 23) I must say that my blood boils just thinking about the whole educational situation here in Hawaii. I have a question: Why isn't anyone who actually can do something trying to stop these Furlough Fridays? There was a lot of money raised by private groups to keep the sports programs for our schools, (which I think is fantastic) but no one is even mentioning trying to raise money for education. Pretty amazing.

It boils down to: Parents of public school children have no power and the children have even less clout. The legislators are not speaking up for these children: that is a disgrace. I am a retired teacher and I know the children deserve better.

jan olson | Sunset Beach

WAIKIKI

STREET VENDORS ADD TO UNIQUE AMBIANCE

The letter regarding getting rid of the street vendors on Waikiki streets does not represent the view of everyone. As a resident of Waikiki, spending many months of the year here, I find they add to the ambiance that is Waikiki. They do sometimes crowd the streets a bit, but they, along with the International Market Place and art on the fence at the zoo are all things that my family and friends enjoy, just as much as the beach, when they come to visit me every year. Discussions that have been going on over the years about eliminating these things have always distressed them. They are, after all, a part of what Waikíkí is, and people expect them when they return.

An additional point: My visitors also spend money at all those shops along the way. Vendors help draw them there and visiting the shops is a part of the overall holiday atmosphere that makes Waikíkí such an exciting, unique place for everyone to visit.

GORDON WOLFE | Honolulu