Letters to the Editor
DECENT WAGES
ECONOMIC HEALTH MUST BE HEALTHY FOR LABOR
It sounds like Warren Higa (Letters, Jan. 26) would like all workers to be paid as little as possible in the name of "sustaining the economy."
It seems to me that businesses fail because they do not make enough money. That, according to Mr. Higa, translates into not being able to find cheap labor.
If your business relies on cheap labor and cannot afford to pay a decent wage, then perhaps it should fail.
Please explain how workers will be better off working for lower wages to support your business and guarantee the owner's profits?
In addition, unions do not pay workers, employers pay workers. Unions simply ensure decent wages and conditions.
Paul GuncheonKane'ohe
'LION KING'
TOURING SHOW WON'T BRING PROFIT TO STATE
In your Jan. 18 article about the "Lion King" run at Blaisdell Center next fall, you say that the show will produce a "$30M economic boost." Actually, it will produce a net economic drain.
Where will the revenue that "Lion King" produces come from? Mostly from the pockets of Hawai'i residents. Where will that money go? Much of it will leave the state in the form of profits to the out-of-state producers and wages to the out-of-state performers and crew.
The money that stays here — paid to the city for hall rental, to the state in excise tax and to the visitor industry in food and lodging bought here by the touring cast and crew — will come from the ticket revenue paid by the island residents.
This money does not represent new money in the state, but simply the redistribution of money already here.
Since the hall rental paid to the city comes not from offshore sources but from our own people, it could be thought of as another tax on our resident population.
This is not to say that touring musicals are bad for Hawai'i; they provide a much-needed opportunity for our cultural enrichment. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking that they are good for the economy.
What is good for the local economy is tourists leaving their money here in support of locally-based arts organizations, and local artists touring to other places and bringing their out-of-state earnings home to Hawai'i.
Our economy needs these stimulating home grown activities much more than touring Broadway musicals.
Marsha SchweitzerHonolulu
REGULATION NEEDED
RESTORE OVERSIGHT ON HEALTH INSURANCE RATES
The Legislature is hearing bills to restore the oversight of health insurance premium rates by the insurance commissioner. This should be supported by all Hawai'i citizens and businesses because it allows the insurance commissioner to disapprove rates that are excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory.
Although price regulation is generally something to be avoided, it is needed in this context for three reasons:
In a market with these kinds of distortions, it is vitally important to have the insurance commissioner check health insurance rates so that consumers are not taken advantage of by health insurers.
I urge voters to contact their legislators, particularly in the House, to let them know that this regulation is important to them and that the shenanigans that occurred last session should not be repeated. Inform your legislators about the market conditions here in Hawai'i that make health insurance rate oversight necessary.
Lily LimHonolulu
ALTERNATIVES?
PEOPLE WANT CHEAP GAS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES
People are still complaining about the backed-up traffic on the H-1 Freeway because of road maintenance and accidents, then complain about the approved alternative rail system.
Then they complain that the gas cap law raised the price of gas. Did the price of gas come down after the gas cap law was canceled? Isn't our price of gas still the highest in the nation?
People want cheap gas so they can drive as much as they want to, without thinking that global warming is real and actually applies to Hawai'i. In a state where we have all the alternative sources of energy (wind, solar, biofuel, wave, geothermal), we still want cheap gas to pollute the environment.
Can we please connect the dots?
Vernon WongWaipahu
PLAYING POLITICS
DEMOCRATS' AGENDA FOR GOVERNOR LINGLE CLEAR
The 2007 legislative session is under way, and we are already seeing new bills to reduce the governor's powers. Once again, the people of Hawai'i are seeing the disadvantages of a Legislature dominated by one political party.
The landmark election of Gov. Linda Lingle in 2002 brought a welcome end to one-party rule, given that Democrats had controlled the House, the Senate and the governor's office for 40 years. But that election, and Governor Lingle's landslide re-election this past November, has not stopped certain legislators from introducing laws to diminish the governor's authority.
It's important to see these actions for what they are — a demonstration of politics at its most cynical. Democrats should view the re-election of Governor Lingle —who won by the largest margin in state history — as a mandate from the people, and act accordingly.
Clearly, her common-sense approach to leading resonates with the vast majority of voters, who deserve bipartisan cooperation in addressing issues such as innovation, education, homelessness, affordable housing, tax relief, healthcare, transportation, renewable energy, environmental protection and, most importantly, planning for the future.
Corrie HeckNu'uanu
DRUGS
FOCUS SHOULD BE ON FACULTY, NOT STUDENTS
I read your article concerning the use of drug detection dogs being used on Maui as a pilot program for the DOE. It was interesting to read that the dogs will be used to detect illegal drugs held by students.
In light of the recent drug arrest of three O'ahu public school teachers, it seems that the program should be aimed at the entire population of the school, to include teachers, food service, clerical and maintenance workers. The majority of students and workers are not drug users; however, the DOE and the teachers union refuse to believe that a drug problem exists among their staff.
The teachers union is on record opposing any form of drug testing; the DOE is hiding its head in the sand. I once again call upon our lawmakers to make it mandatory that all DOE employees working at any public school be drug-tested.
Eric R. DaidoMililani
TROOP SURGE
BUSH SEEKS TO SPREAD BLAME FOR IRAQ WAR
President Bush's troop surge decision is more of a political strategy than a military tactic. It's an attempt to get the Democrats either to support the surge and thereby take part ownership in the war or to block the surge and get blamed for future problems.
Bush will be in a position to say the surge helped or to blame others if it's blocked. It's another Karl Rove type of political trick.
Gordon GreenHonolulu
HEROES
THOSE WHO SERVE DUTY SHOULD GET THE PRAISE
What's wrong with this picture?
Fifty-eight men from Hawai'i — heroes all — volunteer to go back to Afghanistan and/or Iraq. All have been there before, serving in combat zones and danger that most Americans cannot even fathom. Some have been there two times.
These men asked to go back because it was their duty, their honor, their pride.
Meanwhile, a guy 3,000 miles away — also from Hawai'i — has changed his mind on priorities and now garners more media attention than all of the heroes combined. He changed his mind when his orders came through.
Many people say that life is not fair. But this picture is definitely wrong.
Our heroes deserve better.
Chip DaveyHonolulu
ROAD SAFETY
PEDESTRIANS NEED TO LOOK DRIVERS IN THE EYE
As long as a "samurai attitude" exists that the less powerful pedestrian should not look the more powerful driver in the eye and expect the driver to stop, there can be no safety for elderly pedestrians at un-signalized crosswalks.
Slow walkers (mostly elderly) often cannot get all the way across the road "between breaks in traffic" to avoid bothering drivers.
Slow walkers should be empowered by law enforcement (sting operations) to be responsible for their own safety (be their own crossing guards) by looking drivers in the eye and waiting until they come to a complete stop before crossing in front of them, one lane at a time if necessary, never trusting to be in front of a moving vehicle with its likely preoccupied driver.
Kent BennettHonolulu
TAX REFUND
$100 NEEDED TO OFFSET THE STATE'S HIGH TAXES
I disagree with Mr. Campbell's letter regarding the proposed tax refund: $100 is still $100. To a family living on the beach, it is two weeks' worth of groceries. To me, it is a student loan payment. I trust in our ability to stretch $100 more than the Legislature's.
Prices of essentials like food, gas and insurance are sky-rocketing — where is the Legislature's political will to make Hawai'i a financially livable place for us?
With county and state taxes increasing, government continues to charge more. But how have we benefited? Only more schools, roads in disrepair and a library system that can't afford to buy new books.
How much do we have to contribute to a campaign to get real reform? Blame it on special interest legislative prioritization, helping out a golf buddy at the cost of the majority.
How much longer must we wait for the legislative priorities to align with the realities (the costs) of living in Hawai'i? We deserve a Legislature that spends tax dollars as frugally as we do at home.
So, Governor, please send it our way. Come April we'll have more taxes to pay.
Mahalo!
Minoo ElisonKailua
