RAIL DEBATE

WHY DOES HANNEMANN FEAR A CITIZEN VOTE?

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano underscores the true lack of principle in the mayor's drive for rail (Island Voices, July 1).

The mayor hopes name-calling and sleazy tactics will prevent a citizen vote. What a sad picture of Hawai'i government that a public servant has so little commitment to democracy.

This mayor stands to be reelected unless we choose someone who understands how to get things done and whose commitment to principle is bigger than this mayor's money, private (secret) interests, and sleazy ways of operating.

And objective research supports reasonable debate and a public vote by Hawai'i citizens. Why do the mayor and some City Council members fear democracy? Why do they want to stop a citizen vote? Citizens have not had rights to speak, only one minute in citizen-unfriendly meetings.

If we do not stop this billion-dollar railroad, then when the dust clears, homes are taken by eminent domain, sweet deals revealed and cost overruns have choked our ability to deal with any other city challenges, this mayor will be accorded the infamy he so richly deserves.

RAIL NOT EXPENSIVE, BUT OWNING A CAR SURE IS

I can't believe that Stop Rail Now is still insisting rail is not economical. Have they taken a good look at gas prices and parking lately? They must all be so wealthy they can ignore the current trends and where they are leading.

Gas prices have increased more than 10 percent this year. At my work place, the parking fees have increased twice in three years. To stop an alternative to cars now would be economic suicide.

It's not rail that is expensive. It's owning a car that is expensive. Those below the median income need an alternative to the car.

Insurance, gas and parking for those working Downtown and living in Kapolei must cost more than $300 per month, a sizable amount of cash for those under the median income.

They say rail will not work, but why does it work everywhere else in the world?

Millions of people in Japan, Hong Kong, London, New York, all across Europe, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Chicago use rail every day.

Buses work well for short distances, but from Kapolei to Downtown, rail would be considerably better.

NO LONGER TIME TO WASTE IN GETTING RAIL

In response to Tom McAuliffe and the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii questioning why it is "so threatening to some people" to fully explore all rail initiatives, I simply say, "time."

Time wasted on planning that never goes anywhere.

Time wasted in debates and finger pointing and hand wringing with no resolution.

Time that we will never get back, and that while spent to "fully explore" and debate issues that have already been explored and debated, turns into opportunities and money lost — forever lost!

We have been down this road before, or have you conveniently forgotten the City Council's transit fiasco of the '90's?

We have spent millions on studies and proposals, with nothing to show for the efforts but increased traffic congestion, wider highways, and lost time.

There is no easy solution here, but the continued inaction your group proposes is something that we simply no longer have the time for.

POLITICS

SWITCHING PARTIES MIDTERM IS HYPOCRISY

Here's a potential issue that could be considered by the ConCon — politicians who switch parties midterm, something I consider to be at worst fraud and at best hypocrisy.

The politician should have to resign and run again under the new party banners with the special election paid for, in total, by the politician or the receiving party.

I bet the majority party here wouldn't agree with that one.

HEIGHT LIMITS

ACT NOW TO END URBAN SPRAWL IN HONOLULU

The debate over high-rise height limits continues, and our politicians fiddle while Honolulu burns.

On the one hand, you have the builders counting their profits and the politicians counting their contributions from the builders versus the people from the neighborhoods who at the end are left with the additional traffic and noise.

Anybody who has driven in Makiki knows or can figure out that it is the most densely populated area of the island. To give a height exemption there just makes things worse. Councilman Charles Djou states that going up in height limits urban sprawl. That might be true if the city's goal was not to also build a rapid-transit system, which will create much more urban sprawl than we have now.

Having lived in San Francisco for 50 years, I can tell you that the sprawl there came after the rapid transit system was built and not before.

Those of you who care about Honolulu have a choice. Go like sheep and allow for the Manhattanization of the Honolulu skyline, or if you care what kind of an island you will leave your children call or write your representatives.

Here's the question: Is it your island, or does it belong to the developers and are your political representives really looking out for you?

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

SECURITY OF DATA ON FORMS IS OF CONCERN

I just got an absentee ballot application in the mail.

I am concerned that the application can be incorrectly used by an applicant, especially seniors like me, or misappropriated en route to the Elections Office.

The applicant is responsible for putting the completed form in their own envelope addressed by themselves (no addressed envelope was included in the mailout).

I can see how many completed applications could be accidentally put into mailboxes without an envelope of any sort. Also, knowledgeable thieves will know that thousands of these applications are on their way to the Elections Office.

The risk may be low, but the damage could be catastrophic to many individuals since the form contains Social Security number, date of birth, gender, telephone, name and signature.

Do we have any assurances from the Elections Office that no harm will come to us seniors because of this "convenience" for voters?

RENOVATIONS

ALOHA STADIUM NEEDS PARKING STRUCTURE, TOO

The $185 million renovation of Aloha Stadium to make our stadium safe and add amenities and additional seating is great.

This will certainly allow many more people to attend stadium events.

Did the comptroller and Stadium Authority ever think of adding a parking structure so that the people who wish to attend events would have a place to park? Many stadiums on the Mainland have parking structures to ease parking situations, why can't we?

The idea of making the planned improvements "to enhance the spectator experience" is useless if there is no place for spectator parking.

The goals of this project should be to make the stadium safer, and to provide additional parking.

Other enhancements can come later.