TEEN ATHLETICS

GOLF PRO HAS NURTURED LOCAL YOUNG TALENT

Congratulations, Tadd.

And congratulations, Kevin Ralbovsky. Kevin is the local pro who left Waialae Country Club in 2002 to start the KMR School of Golf, a golf school for kids at the Ko'olau Golf Club.

The kids make a serious commitment to attend lessons five days a week after school and to practice/play on the weekends.

They agree to not participate in any other sports. There is no cost to the families. Some of Kevin's former students include Mari Chun (on the Stanford golf team), Ryan Perez (won the Manoa Cup), Stephanie Kono and Tadd Fujikawa (a student of Kevin's from age 10 to 15).

In fact, Kevin is the only coach to have two of his students play in the men's and women's U.S. Open in the same year. That would be Stephanie Kono and Tadd Fujikawa in June 2006. Way to go, Kevin.

TADD'S LESSON TO ALL IS TO LIVE ONE'S DREAMS

Like a giant tsunami, Hawai'i and the nation were swept away by a little giant of a teenager, who made his dream come true with his incredible performance at the Sony Open.

And only recently we were swept away with the Wahine volleyball resurgence in the finals, the incredible Warriors football season, the Sheraton Hawai'i bowl victory and Colt Brennan's record-breaking performance.

But Tadd Fujikawa's story took us to the moon. In a world replete with mostly negative news — the Iraq war, corruption, genocide, racism — it was a treat to escape from all that, even for a little while. It reminded me of the story of the little tugboat called "Little Toot" that would not accept "can't" for an answer.

Perhaps Tadd's most inspiring contribution in all this to us is to not be afraid to live your dreams, no matter the odds. Thank you, Tadd.

STATE HOUSE

HISTORY IS BEING MADE IN REPUBLICAN CAUCUS

Reporter Treena Shapiro's Jan. 18 story on women leadership in the Senate brought positive light to the incredible shift in society's standards and expectations of the role women play in highly trusted and respected elected official positions.

State Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Gov. Linda Lingle were mentioned.

I am pleased to inform The Advertiser that history is also being made in Hawai'i's House Republican caucus. The caucus is composed of all women and one gentleman, making it the highest percentage of women serving within one legislative group nationally.

Any female in private or public leadership would be pleased to know this turning point in political history. It is a revolutionary time for women.

REAL ESTATE

PROPERTY SHOULD BE ASSESSED REALISTICALLY

Referring to the fewer number of appeals for property assessments, City Councilman Todd Apo was quoted as saying: "There's less sticker shock and a little more understanding."

I suggest this is because the only understanding is that the Assessment Division process is so flawed that there is little point to spending $25 to have the same supposedly overworked staff attempt to determine a realistic evaluation.

What is the status of last year's appeals? How many have been resolved? How many were adjusted downward?

The sentiment expressed by a Waikele Realtor in the same article has been repeated in numerous other letters to the editor, namely that no property in a neighborhood has ever sold for the assessed value.

Rather than offering one-time credits or adjusting the rates, the reasonable approach would be to assess properties at realistic prices.

I offer Gary Kurakawa, administrator of the Real Property Assessment Division, the opportunity to buy my house at its assessed valuation.

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS

LEASE OFFER MAKING LIFE HERE A PRICEY PARADISE

I have been reading with interest the letters about the increase of taxes this year.

My husband and I are senior citizens, and have been feeling all the extra costs of running a household.

We have an added worry — in 2005, Kamehameha Schools offered the leasehold fee to owners in my project. As we could not afford to buy, we, naively enough, thought that we would have a chance to buy the lease fee at a later date. But in early 2006 we were told that the price had doubled. I was told this is the cost of living in "paradise."

Three months later we received another offer — now the original price has tripled. We are now waiting, in trepidation, for another letter, which will probably ruin any chance of our ever owning the land beneath our home, or of even being able to leave something tangible to our son and granddaughter when we pass on. Kamehameha Schools has stated that they will offer the lease fee to an outside investor, and that we will not get any reasonable offer again.

In the current market, we cannot even get the price we bought our house for, as we bought in 1991 when prices were really high.

"Lucky to live Hawai'i?" I don't think so!

EXODUS

TEACHERS LEAVING SOME AREA SCHOOLS IN DROVES

On the Hot Seat, both the Senate president and the House speaker referred to incentives (at taxpayer expense) to address the high "turnover" of teachers in disadvantaged area schools.

Folks, it's not a "turnover," it's an "exodus."

This situation was created through collective bargaining more than 35 years ago when the Hawai'i State Teachers Association included a provision that would give tenured teachers the privileged benefit of filling vacancies.

As a consequence, schools in choice areas get their teachers from ours, taking only our best.

It was wrong for the state to agree to this provision. By doing so, it is responsible for the unacceptably high numbers of our children failing to finish high school and in special education classes.

Legislative action to correct this is long overdue.

UH WARRIORS

BRENNAN SHOWS HE IS A CLASS ACT, ROLE MODEL

I hate to sound like a teenager with a crush, but I am so excited, relieved and thankful that Colt Brennan has decided to stay with his Warrior family. His decision has proved his level of maturity.

His growth in his senior year will undoubtedly make him even more valuable to all. Let's not forget what his decision has done to prove to the doubters that the University of Hawai'i is a place to learn and grow.

Colt truly has demonstrated what a gentleman and class act he is time and again.

What a great example he is to so many kids out there. Colt has made this avid fan very, very happy.

Congratulations to his family at home and on the field.

PROPERTY TAX

ABSENT HOMEOWNERS MAY WANT TO RETURN

Of late, there have been some assumptions that people who don't live in their homes in Hawai'i are visitors or people who own two or more homes and rent them out and thus should pay higher taxes.

Have you considered that some of these people had to relocate because of job situations, but hold on to their Hawai'i homes because they want to return one day?

Just because they don't live in their home does not mean they own another home.

In fact, they could be paying higher rent than what they are renting their home for.

Let us be more forbearing unto each other.

ALA WAI

ROAD TO CLUBHOUSE ONE OF WORST PUBLIC STREETS

The frontage road leading from Kapahulu Avenue to the Ala Wai Golf Course (and the state's finest public ballrooms) is an embarrassment to Honolulu citizens.

Potholes and ruts have been patched unsuccessfully for years, and the road is becoming nearly impassable. The curbs and sidewalks (or lack thereof) adjacent to the library are frequently under water during heavy rain showers, which prohibits visitors walking to the facilities.

This simple "driveway" should be near the top of the list of O'ahu's worst public roads.

Who is responsible for maintaining the road to our nation's No. 1 public golf course?

O'ahu citizens should be ashamed to host our upcoming International Dance Festivals in the clubhouse ballrooms this year.

Please get the appropriate state and city representatives together to solve the problem permanently. It is unacceptable to continue to ignore the problem.