GRAFFITI MAKES READER ASHAMED

My heart hurts for the Honolulu Zoo. Not just because I am a member of the zoo but because I am a member of the human race and ashamed. What sort of people think to spread graffiti in the first place? I take my children in our neighborhood to "graffiti bust" as I want them to know what community pride is. I feel sad for the vandals parents as I wonder if they know what their children are doing. If only those animals could talk. But, come to think of it, the vandals are not even as civilized as animals.

After spending three weeks on the Mainland in inner cities and suburbs what was noticeable was the lack of graffiti and vandalism. Children can slide on slides that are not marked with profanity or swing on swings that are not broken. Buildings were left clean and unmarred and parks had very little trash. How is that Hawai'i, the land of "aina" is so destroyed by our own people? How can we as a community stop all this? Report what you see and help to clean up, but most of all, don't destroy things in the first place.

HINDA DIAMOND | Honolulu

STATE LEGISLATORS

CONFERENCES SERVE VALUABLE PURPOSE

I understand the concern about our legislators spending taxpayer money to attend a large Mainland conference at a time when budget cutting is needed, but I think there are two points to consider...the cost vs. the benefit, and the message we send by criticizing conference travel.

I have attended several Mainland conferences and each time came home highly motivated by what I learned and experienced. I also have made many valuable contacts with others in my field which greatly helped in my work. If our legislators come home similarly motivated to better serve us and we benefit from their new ideas and contacts, then the cost may well be worth it.

The other point may be even more important for our struggling visitor industry. We are cutting our own economic throats by sending the message that such travel should be avoided. Hopefully, these legislators spent our tax dollars wisely, and strongly encouraged Mainland legislators to attend conferences in Hawai'i.

TOM SHEERAN | Honolulu

GOV. LINGLE

UNFAIRLY TARGETING PUBLIC WORKERS

How many gaffes can Linda Lingle be allowed to make? She first tried to impose furlough days by fiat on state employees. Then, rebuffed by the court, she had her representative walk out of negotiations. She is clearly targeting state workers for the economic ills caused by disastrous national policies that Lingle supported. She staunchly backed Bush and the Iraq war with its huge costs in lives and resources. She has said and done nothing about rising gas prices which threaten our economic recovery.

Rather than raise the excise tax a smidgeon or dip into the rainy day fund, Lingle has had her departments begin notifying more than 1,100 state workers that they would be axed — a notification crudely and callously done by voice mail and email. These lay-offs, if implemented, will do great harm to workers and their families and undermine private sector jobs. The state should be hiring people in these bad times, not laying off its own workers! Lingle is using fear, pitting private sector against public sector, and claiming dire emergency to seek support for her misguided actions. Lingle should be strongly opposed. A special legislative session should be convened to restore sanity and enact solutions.

JOHN WITECK | Honolulu

CELL PHONES

HANDS-FREE DRIVING A LIBERATING MOVE

I am so pleased with the new cell phone law. I am a cell phone user who rarely used it while driving. I purchased a Bluetooth earpiece and I must say how freeing it is. I can now answer a call while driving and feel safe being hands free. I even find myself wearing it when I am not driving because it is so convenient. I still see some folks using cell phones on the road and I say to them please be safe and go hands free.

JANE S. ANDERSON | Kailua

CALIFORNIA BUDGET

TAXPAYERS PAYING FOR POLITICAL ERRORS

The dilemma of California's budget crisis has been worsened by their politicians living in a fantasy of care for the penniless. Recently Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger initiated a rescue plan promising no new taxes, yet offered deep cuts in education and social services.

While taxpayers are expected to sacrifice, depriving themselves of benefits, their generous support of and stipends for illegal aliens remain unaddressed.

RAY PEZZOLI JR. | Avila Beach, Calif., and Kihei, Maui