CITY NEEDS TO STUDY LONG-RANGE IMPACTS

I live, work and shop Downtown/Chinatown. I have two questions I would like answered before the city proceeds with developing the homeless project on River Street at Vineyard:

1) When the mayor had the city parks cleaned and closed at night, didn't he say providing services to the homeless is not the city's but the state's responsibility?

2) Is the city continuing with its plan to sell off its inventory of low- to-moderate-income housing units to get out of the housing rental business? If that is so, why is the homeless project as proposed being built on a valuable piece of property in the center of the urban core?

I urge the city to provide a long-range comprehensive plan for the entire River Street (Nimitz to upper Foster Gardens) corridor that includes the above issues and the impact this project will have on the River Street, Chinatown and Downtown residential and business communities. We need to think long-range for the good of the entire county, or we will lose the opportunity to develop Honolulu as the most beautiful mid-sized city in the nation and lose any number of economic prospects.

Sandra Pohl | Louis Pohl Gallery

TOM GILL

HEADLINE DEMEANS LEADER OF INTEGRITY

I take exception to the headline "Tom Gill, 87, was wild card of politics."

This demeans the many contributions made by Tom Gill. Tom Gill was a man of great personal integrity who sacrificed much in his personal life in the interest of a better society for all the people of Hawai'i. Because of his deep belief in his principles he was often at odds with other politicians.

He should not be thought less of because he aspired for more than many in Hawai'i were prepared to give.

Mike Markrich | Kailua

NEW DRIVING LAW

SEND TEXT ABOUT BAN TO EVERY CELL PHONE

The Honolulu Police Department and Department of Transportation want to get the word out about the ban starting July 1 on use of handheld electronic devices while driving (Advertiser, June 5).

Suggestion: Send a text message to every cell phone in Hawai'i. Also arrange for a message to be sent automatically from now on to any phone from out of state that newly joins a local network.

For those quoted in the article who acknowledge that texting while driving is "super dangerous," but intend to keep on doing it anyway, and for all who think like them, since The Advertiser wants to keep commentary civil, I'll withdraw the text message I intended to offer and simply note that they needlessly risk killing or maiming not only themselves, but any unfortunate stranger who crosses their path.

David Monk | Honolulu

ABORTION

CARTOON UNFAIRLY PORTRAYED PRO-LIFERS

The Bennett cartoon (June 5) showing a target around the late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller insinuating that all pro-life people are responsible for murdering abortion pro-viders was over the top. If I were to send in a cartoon showing an innocent baby with a target around it and insinuating that all pro-choice people were out to kill babies, would you print it? I doubt it. Please show common decency and constraint when publishing such incendiary commentary.

There are good people on both sides of this contentious issue. Don't allow only one side to have their say, especially when you haven't allowed the unborn to be fairly represented at all. Remember, there have been more than 55 million abortions in this country since Roe v. Wade was imposed on the country by the courts.

Don't equate the small number of anti-abortion fanatics who have murdered fewer than 10 abortion providers with the millions of Americans who find most abortions morally indefensible and unworthy of a great nation and people.

Michael Sudlow | Hau'ula

UH PRESIDENT

GREENWOOD A FINE CHOICE FOR JOB

As a part-time resident of Hawai'i, I read with pleasure the announcement that M.R.C. Greenwood is a finalist for the presidency of the University of Hawai'i.

I worked closely with Greenwood when she was chancellor at UC Santa Cruz. She did a tremendous job as chancellor. She is open, a talented leader and experienced in difficult budget situations. Two of my children graduated from UC Santa Cruz, and I followed its progress while I was a UC regent. UC Santa Cruz was fortunate to have had her for eight years.

Congratulations to the search committee for finding and interesting one of the nation's most accomplished academic leaders as a serious candidate for this critical position. I support her fully.

David S. Lee | Regent emeritus, University of California

UNIVERSITY DESERVES MORE THAN 'LEFTOVERS'

No major public institution, such as the University of Hawai'i, should be headed by a candidate who wins the position by default. We have already had some miserable, fast-talking presidents-in-residence who were spending time here in paradise until a better assignment surfaced.

Our next UH president should be a qualified, enthusiastic, innovative, goal-focused leader with no allegations of misconduct or moral/ethical baggage.

The easy route is to just appoint the only candidate left, but this position is too important and our citizens deserve more than just leftovers.

Regents, go back to the drawing board; we'll patiently wait for the right one.

S. Lau | Honolulu

ELDER CARE

LONG-TERM CARE MUST BE A PRIORITY

Your May 4 editorial brought attention to the critical need for better planning to address long-term-care issues in Hawai'i. Yes, we have developed a good system of services to assist our kupuna and their caregivers, but that system is underfunded, fragmented and confusing.

Institutional care is now beyond the means of most residents. For those who can afford it, we have a shortage of long-term-care beds, and the cost to the state for Medicaid eligible individuals in long-term-care institutions continues to rise. Expansion of community-based services would go a long way to support struggling non-profits and private businesses that provide these services, stimulate the economy, and save the state millions of dollars in long-term-care costs.

Unfortunately, the burden of care for our residents in need of support is borne almost entirely — 80 percent nationwide — by unpaid family caregivers.

The newly opened Aging and Disability Resource Center in Hilo, a successful collaboration involving state, county and private partners statewide, was established to address these issues through improved support of family caregivers. But until long-term care becomes a state priority, costs will continue to rise, and the economic and physical toll on caregivers will continue to grow.

Alan R. Parker | Executive on Aging, County of Hawai'i