A SOLUTION

LINK RESORT COMPLEX WITH BEACHES, MALLS

Rex Johnson, CEO of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, wants the citizens of Hawai'i to support those five new hotels planned for the Turtle Bay area on O'ahu.

About 3,500 rooms, 10,500 visitors, 1,500 rental cars, 1,500 service workers and their vehicles and all manner of tourist busses, vans, service and vendor trucks to be dumped onto narrow, clogged Kamehameha Highway.

They will compete with us citizens going to work, carting the kids, TheBus, school buses, garbage trucks and the daily emergency vehicles.

But I'm not really worried because Mr. Johnson and the perspicacious people over at City and County Planning have already devised a solution.

The developer, with funding from us taxpayers, will build an exclusive highway from Turtle Bay right to the airport, Ala Moana mall and Waikiki and its beaches — because these are the venues where most of those 10,500 visitors will end up.

DEVELOPER DUTY

TURTLE BAY MUST PAY FOR ROAD WIDENING JOB

The March 11 article in the Advertiser, "$8M road widening planned at Turtle Bay; who will pay?" piqued my interest as a taxpayer.

There should be no problem — Turtle Bay developers should foot the bill.

Let's make a comparison in the 'Ewa plains and Wai'anae area. Who built the big interchange for Ko Olina? I would venture that Ko Olina paid for this.

In the 'Ewa area, Kapolei Parkway is being built mainly by the developers of housing in the area.

In fact, at the intersection of Kapolei Parkway and Geiger Road, Gentry Homes is putting in stop lights for safety and at the intersection of Iroquois Point Road and Keaunui Drive Gentry Homes is putting in a stoplight for safety.

Again, in the future, Gentry Homes and the city will be sharing costs for the widening of Geiger Road between Kapolei Parkway and Kalaeloa, each paying for the part next to their property.

So who pays for Turtle Bay roadway improvement? Simple: Turtle Bay. That's the way it has been.

COST OF LIVING

TAX REBATE NECESSARY FOR FAMILIES, SENIORS

Every day, thousands of Hawai'i residents are scraping by only having enough money to pay for the essential necessities in life.

Gov. Lingle proposed the tax rebate for the people. So why are the legislators not paying attention to it? The House lawmakers decide to propose a supplemental budget that supports schools, but doesn't include anything about the governor's tax rebate.

The elderly pay hundreds of dollars for medicine, barely having enough to buy groceries; middle-class families are beginning to question the cost of living in Hawai'i; and many young professionals have decided to seek residency in another state.

Hawai'i residents need to remember that Gov. Lingle created the tax rebate because she knows that the people need the help now. She knows that the cost of housing is high and that we all face the struggle just to pay for basic necessities in life.

The governor poured her heart into the tax rebate to help Hawai'i residents; now it's our turn to start voicing support for her tax rebate to our state legislators.

NEXT LOGICAL STEP

GAS CAP AMENDMENTS MAKE SENSE FOR HAWAI'I

Far from being a sudden move by Sen. Ron Menor, the proposed gas cap amendments adopted by the state Senate this week are the next logical step.

The Legislature adopted gasoline price legislation in 2002 due to the lack of vigorous competition in Hawai'i's oligopolistic wholesale market. Recognizing that laws alone cannot guarantee lower gasoline prices, the state Public Utilities Commission was authorized in 2004 to make necessary price adjustments.

The Legislature promised to keep a "watchful eye" on the tendency of actual wholesale prices to equal the maximum prices.

The Senate has now found that the PUC has not fully utilized its authority to implement gasoline price regulation. Although Hawai'i has for the first time experienced periods of lower gasoline prices in the last six months, further amendments are necessary.

TV CONFLICT

KAMEHAMEHA NEEDS NO MORE RESENTMENT

Marshall G. Reith's March 13 letter asking Kamehameha Schools to refrain from airing "Imua TV" during his time that he enjoys "Scrubs" should be seriously considered by the powers that be at Kamehameha.

Kamehameha should be sensitive to keiki who don't benefit from their wonderful campuses and services. Keep "Imua TV" on Channel 16 where the rates are lower and time slots are less competitive.

Mr. Reith wisely stated, "When it comes to excluding all but those with Hawaiian roots to be accepted into Kamehameha Schools, I totally get it. Neither the school nor the foundation's money was ever intended to benefit non-Hawaiians, and that end should be eternally respected."

It would benefit the school greatly to exercise a little humility by placing the program back on Channel 16. The last thing the school needs is more resentment and alienation.

MASS TRANSIT

LET'S CUT THE TRAFFIC

Me, my mom and sister sit in traffic two times a day to get to school. We start at Fort Shafter and end at Saint Louis School and Sacred Hearts Academy; it takes us from a half-hour to a full hour to get to school.

There is no way to not sit through traffic. I hate the traffic, and the reason I say this is that there is no mass transit system.

I used to live in Washington, D.C., and they had a mass transit system that could get you place to place. When I think of the traffic here in Honolulu I think, why doesn't anyone try to cut down the amount of cars?

HANAUMA RESCUE

'ANGEL' OFFERS SAFETY ADVICE

I was very touched by the March 7 letter from Raymond Lottie recounting our encounter at Hanauma Bay ("guardian angel").

Mr. Lottie brought up several issues that everyone should remember to enjoy their visit to Hanauma Bay.

Good snorkeling equipment is essential for a safe and satisfying experience. Check that your mask fit and seal well.

Apply a small amount of commercial antifog liquid to your mask before snorkeling and rinse the mask briefly in seawater before putting it on. Seadrops or baby shampoo work much better than spit.

Make sure hair is wiped away from the edge of the mask to improve the seal. Use snorkels that do not collapse and good swim fins. Do not wear tennis shoes while swimming.

Hanauma Bay can appear calm, yet strong currents may be present in several places. Mr. Lottie was unfortunately caught in one of those.

It is natural to panic when one's mask fogs up, a snorkel or mask fills with water, or one runs out of strength to swim against the current. Many people have drowned in shallow water in Hanauma Bay.

If you find yourself in trouble and/or panicked, take your head out of the water, put your feet on the ground or tread water, or go with the current until you find a calm place and wave to a lifeguard or call for help. As difficult as it is, try to remain relaxed and think about your options.

Check with the lifeguard if in doubt about conditions. Be prepared when you go into the ocean and you will be safer and have more fun.