THERE IS STILL TIME TO STOP DEVELOPMENT

To the State Land Use Commission, in whose hands and hearts this decision rests, and to all those who believe that the proposed Koa Ridge development is necessary and inevitable, be informed: More than 33,000 new homes have already been zoned but not yet built on the 'Ewa Plain and 12,000 more in Waiawa.

The danger of our almost complete dependence on cheap oil and outside sources for food, and our need to focus our efforts on self-sufficiency, grow increasingly clear.

The proposed development would be another hole drilled in our precious canoe. To call this project inevitable, necessary, or "green" is to slap a flimsy bandage over the hole and look the other way as the water rises.

The land at Koa Ridge — which is actively being farmed and providing food — must be protected.

Political leaders and landowners, listen up! Citizens, speak up! A new day must dawn over Hawai'i, where we stop to listen, look and act upon the needs of the whole, and recognize ourselves as one people, one crew in this precious boat. Let's stop drilling while others frantically bail.

Citizens have one more chance to provide testimony to the Land Use Commission on the Koa Ridge case. Please e-mail luc@dbedt.hawaii.gov by May 20 and show up to testify that day at 235 S. Beretania St., on the fourth floor at 9:30 a.m. Let your voice be heard.

FIRST AMENDMENT

The First Amendment of the Constitution says with majestic simplicity, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Elena Kagan, President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, begs to differ.

In a brief to the Supreme Court, Kagan, as solicitor general of the United States, she maintained that "whether a given category of speech enjoys First Amendment protection depends upon a categorical balancing of the value of the speech against its societal costs."

So you can say anything that you want unless, that is, a court or government panel thinks that your opinions fail some sort of cost/benefit analysis. I don't think that is what the Founding Fathers had in mind.

CHINATOWN

PROJECT WOULD ALLOW FELON TO HAVE ROOM

If the River Street Project in Chinatown is approved and built, people like accused rapist Joseph K. Navas will be given a room there. According to an article in The Advertiser on May 12, "when Navas was discharged from the state hospital in March 2006, he refused to accept services from an outpatient program." Navas has been convicted of six felonies and 25 misdemeanor crimes in the past few years.

Do you see why the presence of people like Navas would cause fear in the residents and businesses in the Chinatown area? The people in that area have put up with enough bad characters for decades. They don't need any more. They deserve respect and understanding from the city.

ROAD PAVING

MāPUNAPUNA WORKWAS DONE SLOPPILY

Recently a city crew paved selected roads in the Māpunapuna area.

On one street that allows parking, the area adjacent to the gutter was not paved. This is not a major problem since there is no active traffic on that street.

However, Pūkōloa Street, which has no on-street parking between Māpunapuna Street and Pu'uloa Road, was also left with a one-foot gap between the gutter and new pavement overlay.

Unlike other streets, there is active traffic on the area of road that was not paved.

Driving a car with one half on new pavement and the other half on a rough surface makes no sense.

City officials should review the traffic pattern before paving roads.

Also, many intersections are incomplete, creating bumps while crossing the intersections.

Citizens deserve better driving conditions.

ALA WAI HARBOR

BOAT TENANT MISSES DEADLINE, IS EVICTED

I have been a live-aboard tenant at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor for the past eight years.

I have paid my slip and live-aboard fees on time every month, never once late — that's more than $27,000 to date.

Recently it was decided to double the slip fees and triple the live-aboard fees.

I was so consumed by this upcoming financial dilemma that I forgot about my annual state boat inspection, due April 17, a minor formality.

When I went in to the marina office to pay my monthly fees on April 27, I was notified that because I was then 10 days late on my boat inspection, that my entire marina residency had been canceled and that I had to vacate my boat slip immediately. I was in shock.

No warning, no grace period, no notice, no compassion. Bottom line: DLNR can charge the next tenant much more.

I am a handicapped senior citizen who is being abused by a state agency. Can anyone help? Do I need an attorney? If I've got a few more years to live, let them be at home, not homeless,

SPECIAL ELECTION

DJOU WOULD PARROT OTHER REPUBLICANS

At a recent debate, I posed a question to candidate Charles Djou, and his answer was shocking.

Considering Hawai'i's failed public education system and the loss of millions of dollars from Washington, I asked whether Djou thought President Obama's "Race to the Top" educational improvement program was an example of federal interference in state matters.

His answer pandered to Democrats. He expressed pride in being a dad, called the Secretary of Education a "bright light," and said he accepts only a limited federal role in public education, even in a failing system.

He did not say he supports federal education money for Hawai'i.

As a rookie, Djou will vote the way he is told to vote. That's how Republicans in Washington work. Members' votes belong to the Republican leadership, period. That's how they are unanimous in opposition to our president.

A vote for Djou is a vote against the president. There is no reason to reward this shameless politician.

I like Colleen Hanabusa. She is not the least bit deceptive, and she supports our president.