RIMPAC

MILITARY HAS BEEN GOOD STEWARD

I would respectfully beg to differ with Nancie Caraway's Aug. 1 letter critical of the Rim-pac exercises at Bellows AFS beach.

I am a lifelong environmentalist, and have lived in Waimanalo for the past 18 years, immediately next to Bellows Beach, which is open to the public virtually every weekend.

I have found the Air Force and Marine Corps to be good neighbors and excellent stewards of the land. I have met federal conservation officers assigned to Kane'ohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Bellows Air Force Station. I have seen firsthand that they take pains to preserve fragile wetlands and sea bird nesting sites, and go to extreme lengths to ensure that training activities stay clear of environmentally sensitive areas.

Frankly, in recent years the military has demonstrated far better management of their bases and training areas than the general public and local government. Kalaeloa (Barbers Point) is a prime example. A protected military area was turned over to the public and quickly became a neglected, lawless dump.

If this is how we malama o ka 'aina, then I wish more of our environmentally fragile areas were under military control.

DON'T LET BELLOWS BECOME LIKE KALAELOA

Please inform Nancie Caraway that I would rather have "tanks, rifles, soldiers" on our beaches than the local residents who trash them continuously.

At least the military keeps beaches pristine. After an exercise you cannot tell the military was even there, unlike what I see daily by the local population who completely trash the beaches. Don't think so? Look at Barbers Point now. I would give anything to have the Navy back.

Be careful what you wish for, Bellows could be another Barbers Point in the future.

By the way, if it wasn't for those young people practicing military maneuvers, you wouldn't be enjoying those free beaches anyway.

ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR EDUCATION BUDGET CUTS

It was disappointing to learn that the Board of Education and the Department of Education are considering cuts to athletic programs as a result of Gov. Linda Lingle's mandated budget cuts.

Over the years, thousands of students have benefited from high school athletic programs. To consider cutting coaching positions for athletic programs in our schools is unthinkable.

Most of these coaches make many sacrifices and put countless hours into their programs far beyond their compensation. They do it because they have a passion for their sport and the youth they mentor and inspire.

If we cut programs for even a short period of time, it would have a negative impact on athletic programs for years to come.

We need to challenge the leadership of the BOE and DOE to look elsewhere in the $2.4 billion budget to cut the $1 million needed to pay our dedicated coaches.

Call the BOE to voice your opinion before Thursday, when this issue will be brought before the board.

LIFE, SPORTS SKILLS

'IN THE PAINT' CAMP A REWARDING EXPERIENCE

I recently attended the First Annual Mayor Mufi Hannemann "In The Paint" skills camp.

The basketball camp focused on developing the fundamentals specifically for the strong post, center and wing positions. Footwork and post-play technique were also addressed. Many high school players of both genders attended "In The Paint," which was held at the Manoa Valley District Park gymnasium on three Fridays during July.

I would like to thank Mayor Hannemann and his staff for taking the time out of their busy schedules to provide us with the opportunity to learn from great coaches such as Merv Lopes, Wendy Anae, Bob Nash and Tony Selitto, to name a few. Mayor Hannemann really cares about Hawai'i athletes and taking them to the next level. He truly believes in us and I thank him for that.

I not only had a lot of fun, but feel it was a great experience. The coaches taught us life lessons as well, such as getting our school work done and how basketball is a privilege.

I learned many things over the three days. I would recommend this clinic to all high-school student-athletes.

IRAQ

WAR EXPENDITURES COULD GO TO BETTER USE

I am encouraged that there have been numerous letters to the editor on the need, potential effectiveness and cost of rail. The roughly $4 billion the rail system is predicted to cost us may be a money pit if not properly managed.

I am surprised, however, that there is not more public outcry from your readers on the cost of the tragically mismanaged Iraq war. While $4 billion is a tremendous amount of money, it is a mere one-tenth of 1 percent of the roughly $4 trillion Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz predicts the Iraq war will cost us.

If we assume the U.S. population is 300 million and apportion Hawai'i's share among its roughly 1.3 million residents, our share will be $17.3 billion or nearly 10 times our city's annual operating budget. In other words, $17.3 billion that we could use for our schools, infrastructure, public parks, libraries, firefighters, police and other necessities is being used for Iraq instead, and on borrowed funds.

If any of our elected federal officials are reading this, please get our money back. We need it here.

RAIL DEBATE

COMPREHENSIVE RAIL SYSTEM NEEDED HERE

The proposed rail system for Honolulu is too small to be effective at reducing traffic.

Anyone who has visited New York City or Switzerland knows that a comprehensive rail system can be a great way to get around.

But those places lend themselves to a comprehensive rail system. New York City is compact with a high population density. Switzerland is a country of small towns of high population density that can be logically connected by rail.

Honolulu is a sprawling place with population and commercial businesses scattered all over. I would like to see rail, but I would also like to be told honestly what it would cost to have a comprehensive system that would really reduce traffic. If that is where we are headed over the long term, we should be told that up front.

ARE TAXPAYERS WILLING TO PAY PRICE FOR RAIL?

Other cities' light-rail systems are being held up as models for Honolulu. Portland, Ore., is often included.

In order for Honolulu to duplicate the Portland system, it will need to eventually extend up the Leeward Coast, extend to Hawai'i Kai and serve Kailua and Kane'ohe, in addition to the airport.

Portland's system is 80 percent subsidized (80 cents of every fare is paid by the taxpayers), so Honolulu taxpayers need to be prepared for the same.

Portland's system is electrically powered, as will be the Honolulu system. Portland's primary source of electrical power is hydroelectric, whereas Honolulu's source is primarily petroleum-based at several times the cost of Portland's power.

Honolulu's system will not be nearly as energy efficient as Portland's until alternative power sources are in place.

Portland's rail system has had some impact on reducing traffic, but it has not been significant.

Traffic congestion is still a major problem, just as it will continue to be in Honolulu. Light rail has some appeal, but are the residents and taxpayers of Honolulu willing to pay the price?

PORTLAND, VANCOUVER RAIL SYSTEMS WORK

On July 26, you published two letters addressing the horrible, crime-ridden rail transit systems in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Portland, Ore. Both letters urged Honolulu not to make the same mistake.

Not all the residents in Vancouver and Portland have such ill feelings toward their public transit systems. It is hard to imagine, based on those letters, that any city making such a horrible mistake would do it again and continue to inflict such terrible damage to their community. The truth is something quite different.

Vancouver's original line was opened in 1985. New rail projects in that city opened in 1989, 1994, 2002 and the next one will open in 2009. They have a further project in the planning phase that they expect to open in 2014.

Portland's original rail line was opened in 1986. New projects expanded service in 1997, 2001 and 2004. As in Vancouver, Portland has other major projects on the drawing boards.

These letter writers only wish to tell a negative part of the story. Four expansion projects in Vancouver and three in Portland give an elegant rebuttal to their claims.