IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC WORKERS TO PITCH IN

The Advertiser has published letters from several government employees in opposition to pay cuts, lay-offs or furloughs to help all of Hawai'i's residents weather the current economic crisis. The decline in tourism and the stock market is not their fault — the logic goes — so why should they suffer? Well, the many recently unemployed hotel, restaurant and other private industry workers did not cause the crisis, either.

Those of us who were laid off after 9/11 (none of us had anything to do with the attack, as far as I know) would have traded a couple of unpaid days every month to keep a paycheck coming in and help our companies stay afloat. It's time for our government-employed brothers and sisters to pitch in.

Our legislators should focus on reducing labor costs, which account for the lion's share of the state budget, and back off from raising taxes.

An increase in hotel room taxes will only serve to depress tourism further. Raising taxes on small business owners (aka "high-income earners") will cause more pain as they are forced to further reduce costs, including laying off workers.

SENATE BILL 292

FUND CUT WOULD HALT LIFESAVING PROGRAMS

Having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — a progressive condition that can be prevented — is like breathing through a coffee stirrer all the time. COPD includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In 2008, it was estimated that 30,794 Hawai'i adults are diagnosed with COPD and that between 30,794 and 74,762 more people in Hawai'i have COPD and do not know it.

Preventing and stopping smoking are the best ways to reduce the number of people afflicted with COPD.

The COPD Coalition provides lifesaving services to our communities, as we increase awareness and improve treatment for those with COPD, as well as collaborate with Longs Drugs and other partners to offer free lung testing clinics across the state. We are funded by the Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund, which in turn is funded by tobacco taxes.

With SB 292, lawmakers want to severely reduce funding for the Trust Fund from 12.5 percent to 2 percent. This cut of $5.5 million will do little to fix the state's deficit issues, but it would mean lifesaving programs, such as the COPD Coalition, would stop entirely. The trust needs to remain intact so it can continue to provide tobacco control programs for the community and save lives.

HOMELESS

TIME FOR NEW IDEAS, ADDRESSING CAUSES

Out of sight and out of mind: solution for our homeless problem?

We need a "deeper cleaning" of our homeless situation than just sweeping away the homeless from our parks to appease the residents and the tourists. There will be more and more people caught in this predicament to come, not fewer.

The problem is more than just an "eyesore" or an inconvenience. Until we begin to address the social problems that "infect" the island, we will never be done with the problem.

Also, where will these people go? If enclosed shelters are not working, perhaps designating a beach or an old plantation in the jungle for campers would be a better solution. It's time for new ideas on this growing problem.

We pay our politicians for solutions, not just sweeping our homeless problems "under the rug" — out of sight, out of mind.

HEALTH INSURANCE

COVERAGE CAN BE HARD FOR OLDER ADULTS

I am struck by the news that 27 percent of Hawai'i residents under the age of 65 are without health insurance (April 8). This is particularly sobering for adults age 50 to 64 — those old enough to be considered "seniors" but too young to qualify for Medicare.

Despite Hawai'i's employer-mandated health insurance law, many barriers stand between older residents and affordable healthcare coverage — including those who work.

People who are either self-employed or working part-time are under pressure to find affordable coverage in the individual market. In this economy, if you're over 50 and lose your job, you'll have a harder time finding and keeping full-time employment. Older adults who try to get individual insurance face unaffordable premiums or may be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition.

People between the ages of 50 and 64 represent more than 18 percent of Hawai'i's population.

Thousands of family caregivers fall in this age group, and that raises the importance of their health for those who depend on them for assistance.

It's time for a common-sense, national solution that provides access to affordable coverage for people who are not covered through an employer.

WORKPLACE SAFETY

WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY HONORED TODAY

According to a report prepared by the AFL-CIO, Hawai'i has suffered 23 workplace fatalities and 18,000 cases of workplace injuries and illnesses since 2007. Today the Hawai'i Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers, in partnership with the Pacific Resource Partnership, will celebrate Workers Memorial Day, a national day of tribute to these injured and fallen workers.

We're not alone in this effort. U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis has made worker safety and health a priority. Today, she will join workers and union leaders to break ground for a national workers memorial at the National Labor College campus near Washington, D.C.

Locally, we call on employers and workers to renew their commitment to workplace safety. The Hawai'i Occupational Safety and Health Division is understaffed and can't do the job alone. With just 21 inspectors enforcing the safety and health laws in the entire state, HIOSH would need nearly 74 years to inspect each workplace once.

Improved safety must begin with a personal pledge of accountability for preventing accidents and to working together, employees and employers, to create safer workplaces. Workers Memorial Day presents an excellent opportunity to make that pledge.