RAIL SYSTEM

TOLL ROADS THE ANSWER TO TRAFFIC WOES, NOT RAIL

So now Mayor Mufi has convinced the City Council to go along with his $5 billion white elephant rail system.

As a psychiatrist, I view a lot of things through the lens of human nature. For most on the island, life is too complicated to give up their cars. They pick up the kids from school, maybe meet friends for pau hana; shop for tonight's dinner, etc. Instead of looking for a solution on the supply side, we should look at the demand side. Toll roads seem to be a taboo subject here, but are common on the Mainland. A private company constructing an elevated toll road could save us a whole bunch of money and result in real traffic relief.

Let's call this for what it is: a vanity project for Mr. Hannemann and a lot of work for the construction unions that still run this state.

POLL LICENSED DRIVERS BEFORE BUILDING RAIL

"A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you are talking about real money." Sen. Everett Dirksen's comment certainly applies to the Honolulu High Capacity Transit Corridor Project.

A $10 million study has put forth several alternative solutions for Honolulu's future traffic problems. Of these, it seems politically correct to favor the 20-mile fixed rail alternative, but no one knows for sure who is going to use it.

This is a huge decision that affects all of us. It should not be left to educated guessing when there is a better solution. Take a census of the people who drive in the traffic — Honolulu's licensed drivers. After all, the rail system will only succeed in reducing traffic if a large number of these drivers are willing to forgo driving their cars in favor of the rail transit.

We have all licensed drivers' names and addresses already computerized. Prepare and mail a brief factual presentation to these drivers and ask whether they would be willing to change to rail on a regular basis. Since a driver's license is a privilege, not a right, a response could be made mandatory as a requirement for future license renewal.

Before all of us get committed to a multibillion-dollar expense taking eight years of construction, we need to really ask the people.

GRIDLOCK MAY CHANGE MINDS OF NAYSAYERS

I am waiting to hear of the day when Cliff Slater, Councilman Charles Djou and Sen. Fred Hemmings and other naysaysers are stuck in gridlock traffic on the H-1 Freeway.

Getting out from their cars to stretch their legs, they will look up to the heavens, with arms stretched overhead and waving, asking "Where is the rapid transit system?"

EDUCATION

STUDENTS' BASIC NEEDS SHOULD BE PRIORITY

As I read Pat Hamamoto's recent "Voices of Educators" column, I couldn't help but think that she has never heard of the concept of triage.

In an emergency situation, you concentrate on dealing with the most critical problems first, then deal with the other situations as resources allow. She mentions "creating citizens," but the reality is that our public schools are in a crisis situation, and we need to focus primarily on creating literate graduates.

She should first make sure that every student can read and write and master basic mathematics at an appropriate level. After that, if she wants to complain about the narrow focus on "reading and math indicators," I will strongly support any efforts the Depart-ment of Education wants to pursue to create more civic-minded students.

HOMELESS

NEW LAW ADDS TO PROBLEM, NOT SOLUTION

The new law making it much easier and quicker for the state to evict public housing tenants is a disgrace when Hawai'i is facing a homeless crisis.

The Hawai'i Public Housing Authority leaves public housing units empty for weeks or months while thousands of eligible people are forced to live on the street. HPHA should be speeding up the bureaucratic process of getting the homeless housed, not making the homeless problem even worse.

The eviction law should be repealed and replaced with one that is part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

LONGTIME TOURISTS WON'T BE RETURNING

We have been visitors, twice yearly, to Honolulu for 35 years and residents for four. In all these years we have never seen such an influx of homeless in the Waikiki area. From the police station to the aquarium, 80 percent of the benches are occupied by these people and the pigeons they feed. Some have made their permanent residence on a bench.

The new Royal Hawaiian Center and Beach Walk will not bring us back.

Waikiki used to be a pleasant place to stroll and bench-sit. It has now become a blight to a once-famous beach.

ANIMAL CRUELTY

PET BOAR'S DEATH SHOWS NEED FOR TOUGHER LAWS

Having been born and raised on O'ahu, I was shocked to hear about Porky, the beloved family pet that was slain by two men who broke onto a Mililani property and killed him as he slept. Although The Honolulu Advertiser failed to cover this story, Hawai'i residents need to know about it.

Equally appalling as Porky's killing is the fact that under the law, this act of animal cruelty ranks as a mere misdemeanor. Hawai'i is one of just six states in which any act of animal cruelty — no matter how twisted and violent — can only be punished with a slap on the wrist.

Under Hawai'i's antiquated laws, the violence committed by Porky's killers will be treated even less seriously than a home burglary. Had the target been stereo equipment or money rather than the family pet, the crime likely would have been treated as a felony right away.

All Hawai'i residents should be outraged and moved to action by this brazen act of cruelty and its weak penalties. They should call upon their legislators to finally pass a law bringing Hawai'i up to speed with the rest of the country by making animal cruelty a felony.

ELECTIONS

ENDORSEMENTS FOR AMENDMENTS IGNORED

All I can say is I am so glad to see that The Advertiser readers and voters of O'ahu were able to see through the muck and ignore your election endorsements for Charter amendments 3, 4 and 8.

Sarcasm notwithstanding, I can't see where the people of this state can appreciate the value of money for affordable housing, land conservation, curbside recycling and a pedestrian-friendly city and "their" paper cannot. Glad I left your recommendations at home and not my brain.

PRESCRIPTIONS

DRUG PROGRAM MUST BE IMPLEMENTED

Regarding the Hawai'i Rx Plus Program, the intent of the legislators and the spirit of the law is that the state of Hawai'i would enter into negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers, creating a competitive environment wherein the lowest price for drugs could be achieved and, consequently, maximizing the discounts that would be extended to the Rx Plus enrollees.

In Hawai'i Department of Human Services Director Lillian B. Koller's letter (Sept. 26), she disputes the assertion by another letter writer that DHS refuses to negotiate with drug companies, but she fails to name any of the drug companies with which DHS is negotiating, either unilaterally or in collaboration with other states.

Rx Plus is a good program (assistance at low operational cost to those of low-to-moderate income with no drug coverage) based on good policy (protecting and enhancing the welfare of the people). We wish to see the program implemented and operated with maximum benefit to the public.

We would be pleased if Director Koller could demonstrate by naming the pharmaceutical companies with which DHS is negotiating and that the state is utilizing this crucial avenue in order to achieve the lowest possible drug costs for Rx Plus enrollees.

SEWER LINE WOES

CITY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD OF INSURANCE ISSUE

As a resident along the Kalaniana'ole Highway who has lived with the ugly above-ground sewer across from my house, I am upset with King Cathedral for impeding the sewer work along the highway. This highway is a main transportation artery for tourists and residents. It is a real danger for the community. The city assured us the highway would not be torn up, all work would be driven underground. I think the property owner of Niu Valley Shopping center is not being a good neighbor and is not negotiating in good faith in this matter.

The island needs that sewer line repaired now, not when the next disaster occurs and we have raw sewage on the highway and in Maunalua Bay. Why was this insurance problem not discussed with the city earlier? Why did the work have to stop in the middle of the project for this?