SUGAR BOWL LIST

HIRONO MADE IT CLEAR SHE WOULD PAY FOR TRIP

The University of Hawai'i recently released a list of people who attended the Sugar Bowl that included Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and her husband ("UH releases full bowl travel list," June 7).

The congresswoman made it clear at the outset that she would pay for her and her husband's expenses, and would not have gone on this trip without this explicit understanding.

On Dec. 17, the congresswoman's office e-mailed the University of Hawai'i a form that included the congresswoman's personal credit card information and her signature to pay for tickets to the game for the congresswoman and her husband. In that e-mail, the university was also instructed to use the same account for her accommodations and any other trip-related charges.

The congresswoman paid for her hotel bills upon checking out.

On Jan. 4, after the congresswoman returned from watching the game in New Orleans, her office sent another e-mail to the university, asking for a full breakdown of any remaining charges the congresswoman and her husband had accrued on the trip, including payment for the flight.

Unfortunately, the university did not respond until March 12, when it sent an e-mail to the congresswoman's office providing the cost for her and her husband's flight. In its e-mail, the university apologized for the delay in responding to our request made on Jan. 4.

On March 21, the congresswoman sent the university a check to cover the cost of the plane tickets.

As this timeline shows, the congresswoman's actions were appropriate throughout.

ST. TIMOTHY PRESCHOOL

BUILDING CONDITION NOT DISCUSSED AT MEETINGS

I was a St. Timothy's Episcopal Church vestry board member from January 2008 to April 2008. My position on the vestry was the chairman of the buildings and grounds committee.

During the February, March and April vestry meetings, the discussions about the preschool were in regard to problems between the preschool director and both parents and teachers and the functioning of the preschool board.

At none of these vestry meetings were the conditions of the preschool buildings discussed, and no one at any time approached me in regard to this subject.

One of the reasons I resigned from the vestry was the attitude of the priest and fellow vestry members toward the preschool teachers.

Our grandson attends St. Timothy's preschool. His teachers are excellent. I'm a retired teacher with 38 years of teaching experience. I know an excellent teacher when I see one.

THEBUS

BUS FARES SHOULD BE BY DISTANCE TO BE FAIR

On June 5, I read the story regarding the installation of electronic signs at bus stops to update riders with real-time information. Great idea.

However, one simple (and fair) idea is consistently overlooked by nearly everyone.

The fact is that TheBus has an unfair rate structure.

TheBus should practice fair and reasonable rates as they do in any city or town in Japan. When boarding a bus in Japan, you board the door nearest to the middle of the bus and take an automatically dispensed ticket that denotes the number associated with your boarding place.

For this example: You board at stop 4. From stop 4 you travel to stop 9. You look at the electronic chart at the front of the bus to see the fare from stop 4 to stop 9. Upon deboarding (at the front of the bus), you pay only the fare to travel from 4 to 9.

Travelers going further, pay more, going closer pay less. It is very simple and logical.

Conversely, on O'ahu, one must pay the same fare to travel one block as they would pay to circle the entire island.

Now really, does that seem fair?

GOOD BUS SYSTEM, BUT IT NEEDS TO RUN 24/7

This letter is in agreement with Bob Schieve's dated May 3 about running TheBus 24/7. At this time, Makaha is the only 24-hour route.

I know of people who cannot accept a 3-11 p.m. or 11 p.m.-7 a.m. job because TheBus does not run 24/7. So that leaves more congestion on the road during peak time.

Some workers need to take TheBus earlier than needed to get to work on the graveyard shift, losing two hours that could be spent at home, etc.

We have an excellent bus system, we just need more buses and have them run 24/7.

HEALTHCARE

RENEGING ON FUNDS WILL HAVE IMPACT ON NEEDY

I am writing in response to the June 9 article by Curtis Lum, "Isle doctors, hospitals press Lingle for cash."

Act 284 was passed last year to correct a grossly inadequate physician reimbursement system. With money promised and allocated, physicians were able to continue treating the state's most vulnerable citizens despite the physicians' own economic situation.

Department of Human Services Director Lillian Koller now says that the state's budget woes have put Act 284 funds in question.

Since Act 284 was passed by the Legislature last year, physicians across Hawai'i have been providing medical care in advance of payment and in good faith, assuming they would receive reimbursement by our governor. Our doctors relied on payment, as prescribed by law.

To renege on a commitment by the state in reimbursing the physicians for services already provided will undoubtedly have a huge impact on our state's neediest citizens.

It is disheartening now at the 11th hour that the governor is going to allow the first half of the funding of $16 million, of which $8 million is for 2007, to lapse. This will cause the loss of additional federal funding.

If the governor decides not to release all the appropriated funds, our community should worry about every poor, elderly and disabled citizen's access to quality healthcare in Hawai'i.

ROD TAM

PLEASED TO SEE MOST ABLE TO ACCEPT APOLOGY

City Councilman Rod Tam has apologized profusely and — from what I can tell — sincerely for the rather dumb thing he said about immigrant workers. He even voted for the reprimand in the City Council.

In the past, it was customary to graciously accept the apology and move on.

But these days, as we have witnessed frequently in the national media this past year or so, an apology is no longer enough. People who demand the apology, grudgingly accept it and then go on to insist on seeing people fired, removed, embarrassed, burned at the political stake and banished from public view for all eternity.

I am pleased to see from the comments filed by readers in print and online that in Hawai'i, most people are still able to accept an apology and allow Mr. Tam to continue his otherwise stellar service to the O'ahu community.

GOVERNMENT-ENABLED RACISM CONTINUES HERE

How can anyone in Hawai'i be surprised when a government official such as City Councilman Rod Tam uses a racial slur in public?

The state and local governments have institutionalized and funded a culture of overt racism for decades; examples include OHA, Kamehameha Schools, the Akaka bill, Kau Inoa and credence given to various self-appointed royalty.

The only surprise to this New Mexican is that Mr. Tam is being singled out by fellow politicians for censure, while government-enabled racism continues unabated in Hawai'i.

PUBLIC DISPOSAL

DIAPERS SHOULD BE PUT IN TRASH, NOT BE LITTER

I know this is usually where people address political topics, but I had to put this out in a public format.

I have noticed a rise in the public disposal of used baby diapers. In two days, I have seen four discarded on the ground in parking lots and in the middle of the road.

I know from experience — being a mother of two — that they can be very smelly objects, but is it too much to ask that they actually make it into the trash?

People go to great efforts to clean up after their pets, so why can't a child's diaper be given the same treatment?

Do they feel that once run over multiple times it will become biodegradable and become one with the environment?

I guess some will say we need more public trash bins. Well, just take it with you until you get home. All I am asking is to please quit littering up the community with diapers, or all trash for that matter.

SUGAR BOWL LIST

UH COULD HAVE SPENT TRIP FUNDS ON ATHLETICS

There is no excuse for the lack of funds for anything in the University of Hawai'i athletic department.

All that money spent on unnecessary bodies to go to New Orleans would have paid for a multitude of things.