FINANCES

PRESSURE LEGISLATORS FOR ELECTIONS REFORM

This letter is to raise public awareness about Voter-Owned Elections, which is a campaign finance reform that takes big special-interest money out of elections and gives more power back to the public.

Similar legislation in Maine and Arizona has already been successful, leveling the monetary playing field of campaign financing, significantly increasing the percentage of voter participation, and enabling more minorities and women to get elected to office.

Hawai'i, Oregon, New Mexico, North Carolina and New Jersey are trying to adopt this type of progressive legislation.

As part of a "Community Development" class at Hawai'i Community College, I was fortunate to recently visit legislators at our state Capitol. I and fellow students tried to bring up Voter-Owned Elections as often as we could. A few legislators supported the movement, but unfortunately, a majority of those we met with were either against it or avoided the issue.

Supporting, or not supporting, Voter-Owned Elections gives us a good idea of whom our elected lawmakers really represent. So if you want your representatives to serve you instead of rich special interests, let them know you support Voter-Owned Elections.

BAD COPS

START FOCUSING LIGHT ON THE GOOD OFFICERS

The stories in the newspaper and on TV that have been appearing about the Honolulu Police Department and its officers are very discouraging. Every time you open a newspaper or watch the news, it's all about our "crooked" cops.

In every city there will always be those police officers driven by whatever motivates them to use their position and power for their own gain.

What you don't read about are the good guys. Do you see headlines where a police officer saved someone, or averted a crisis? No. Do people in today's society just care about the bad? Is this the way Police Chief Boisse Correa wants to portray the Police Department?

I am tired of reading about murder, corruption and politics. Where's the good news? Where's the story of how an officer saved the life of a young man who thought his life wasn't worth living any more? Or what about the officer who helped someone's daughter find her mommy because she was lost? Where are the stories that tell how much our officers devote their time and energies in volunteering their services to their communities?

Our officers put their lives on the line every day never knowing if today will be their last.

I am not saying that stories shouldn't be told or printed about the corrupt officers. I am just pointing out that in reality, less than 2 percent of our officers violate department policies, procedures or standards of conduct.

SAND ISLAND

WORKING HOMELESS SHOULD BE SHIFTED

I have just finished reading the April 9 Island Voices by Leinati Matautia and had a great idea to solve the problem of homeless people living in Ala Moana Beach Park.

The first thing to do is find an alternate site to let the people camp. Ala Moana is a popular spot with taxpaying beachgoers and tourists who probably contribute more to the state in the short time they are here than the homeless do all year. A possible site could be Sand Island Beach Park.

Second, to be allowed to camp in the park, an individual would have to show a paycheck stub stating he or she worked 40 hours that previous week. With unemployment low and public transportation in place, there should not be a problem with anyone finding a job or getting to work.

The individuals who are not employable should seek treatment or live with relatives.

With everyone working 40 hours a week and not paying rent, it can't be that long until someone has the money for a safety deposit and the first month's rent in an apartment.

The working class of Hawai'i manages to live and work with the high cost of living in paradise; why can't everyone?

PEDESTRIANS

WATCH OUT FOR PUDDLES WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING

I've been walking to work in Honolulu for years. It just makes more sense given the parking situation (and it starts the day off right, as well). Lately, with all the rain, it has not been as pleasant as it might be. The worst is some careless driver plowing through a deep puddle at full speed and drenching everyone nearby.

An exception to this is TheBus drivers. So far, every bus I've seen has remained conscious of the water hazards and avoids them or goes very gingerly to avoid too big a splash. Much appreciated by us pedestrians.

ROUTE ALTERNATIVE

USE ALA WAI CANAL AS A SEWAGE BYPASS

More than 45 years ago, the Standard Oil Refinery at Campbell Industrial Park built a mile-long, 40-inch underwater steel pipeline to accept crude oil pumped in from moored oil tankers. To my knowledge, this pipeline is still in operation today without any failures.

Why can't the city use the same technology to build a bypass using the Ala Wai Canal as part of the route instead of it going entirely through city streets?

I don't know if city engineers have explored this as an alternative. If not, perhaps they should seek advice from petroleum pipeline engineers who have vast experience building lines from thousands of ocean oil rigs around the world.

O'AHU SUFFERING

TOO MUCH EMPHASIS BEING PUT ON TOURISM

Millions of dollars have been spent on aesthetic improvements such as fixing up Waikiki while critical infrastructure has been ignored.

Tens of millions in tax credits are being dished out to developers for unnecessary projects such as an aquarium at Ko Olina that will benefit primarily vacationers.

Bed and breakfast establishments are multiplying all over Kailua, and developers now want to transform the face of the North Shore with the construction of 3,500 hotel rooms and condos at Turtle Bay.

Enough is enough!

The state has sold its soul to the tourism industry and needs to seriously rethink its priorities.

Like a drug addict, the state can't get enough of the tourist dollars. This "addiction," if not treated properly, will surely result in an overdose that will change everything we know and love about Hawai'i.