TRANSIT TAX

STATE DOESN'T HAVE TO CHARGE FOR SURCHARGE

It is hard to imagine how there would be any extra cost involved in collecting the 0.5 percent transit tax added to the state's general excise tax. The amount of work for the state in collecting the 4.5 percent tax is exactly the same as in collecting the present 4 percent tax.

Then each month or so, the state transfers one-ninth of this amount to the city. The law passed by the Legislature gives the state 10 percent of the transit surcharge for "administrative costs." What administrative costs? There are none.

This seems crazy, but it is not as crazy as Gov. Lingle's position that would have required the city to set up machinery of its own to collect the 0.5 percent surcharge. That would significantly reduce the take from the tax. Now that's crazy!

NO CHOICE

MAYOR MADE RIGHT DECISION ON LANDFILL

As a resident of Leeward O'ahu, I want to congratulate Mayor Hannemann for making the only decision that makes sense regarding the Waimanalo Gulch landfill.

Sure, we don't really like having the island's 'opala coming here, but where else are you going to put it?

Conditions have improved over the past several months since the mayor took office, and as long as there are no more new landfills added here and the mayor holds waste management responsible for running the landfill right, he's doing the responsible thing for everyone on O'ahu.

AIR CRASHES

PROGRAM CAN ENHANCE MEDICAL RESCUE SERVICE

The recent tragic crash on Maui of a Hawai'i air ambulance is a devastating blow to the state's emergency rescue resources.

It is particularly serious in light of pending termination of Hawai'i's helicopter medevac services previously provided by the Army's Black Hawk helicopters.

Hawai'i legislators are considering emergency funds for a new program and now is the time to make our voices heard.

Pacific Medical Assets has developed a program for world-class helicopter medical rescue without putting an undue burden on the taxpayer. Key features include using personnel and equipment with the highest training and safety standards, rapid implementation capability and a cost sharing program that reduces the government's subsidy.

We will discuss these issues at 7 a.m. tomorrow on "Equal Time" with Fred Hemmings (97.5 FM-KHNR), and I encourage everyone to call in with your views.

Our legislators would also appreciate a phone call or e-mail to express your support of funding for a rapid implementation of comprehensive helicopter and airplane medical evacuation services. This program saves lives and to be without it for even a short time may cost us dearly.

DRIVE WITH ALOHA

WHAT HAPPENED TO SHAKA WHILE DRIVING?

Upon returning to beautiful Hawai'i from going to school on the Mainland for four years, I looked forward to the beach, the food and being able to see people say "mahalo" when driving on our roads.

I got the beach, the food is as always the best, but what happened to people waving or showing the shaka when someone lets you in his lane?

I might as well be driving in the Mainland (and that's pretty bad!).

With all the talk of what should be on our state quarter, how about we show someone driving in a car and showing the shaka? It seems to be "endangered" and something of "Hawai'i's history."

Let's bring it back, everyone. Please show aloha on our roads.

TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES

HAWAIIAN, ALOHA AIRLINES DESERVE RESIDENTS' SUPPORT

Both of Hawai'i's interisland jet operators have gone through very difficult times in the past three years. Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines have recently emerged from bankruptcy with new investors and cleaner balance sheets.

But running an airline remains a perilous business. A perfect example of this is the arrival of Mesa Airlines as a new competitor in Hawai'i's interisland market. This will no doubt ignite a "turf war" with Hawaiian and Aloha that will likely result in lower fares between the islands.

If so, enjoy it while you can, because three jet carriers flying between the islands is a tight squeeze for this market. Almost certainly, over time, we will be back to two. The question is, which two?

You can bet that both local airlines will protect their business with determination. Hawaiian is a public company and, along with Aloha, has new investors who expect a return on their investment.

In past years, Hawaiian and Aloha outlasted Mahalo, Discovery and Mid-Pacific airlines, each of which failed to catch on during times when travel between the islands was relatively robust. It's going to be a tougher fight for survival today because the market has gotten a lot smaller.

Interisland air travel, which relies heavily on visitors, has declined sharply in recent years due to the proliferation of direct flights between mainland cities and the neighbor islands. In addition, there's been a slowdown in travel by local residents due to fare increases driven by fuel costs.

Contrary to what some people choose to believe, Hawaiian and Aloha's interisland profit margins are thin. Investments in cost-saving technology and, in Hawaiian's case, new, more efficient aircraft, have not managed to overcome the changing market dynamic, or the rising cost of jet fuel. As always, the two airlines compete fiercely with each other. Nobody is hauling cash to the bank.

Mesa, which is based in Phoenix, is accurately described as a low-cost, discount carrier. It started with a clean sheet of paper and has relatively low overhead, using non-union employees with pay and benefits below most other airlines.

In contrast, Hawaiian and Aloha cope with costlier overheads in part because of higher wage and benefit packages that have been negotiated over the years between labor unions and management. The result has been long careers, a dedicated workforce, and economic stability for thousands of local families.

The recent bankruptcies of these two airlines forced some painful belt-tightening on employee compensation that has brought their costs more in line with today's realities.

But it might not be enough. If Mesa's low fares take customers away from Hawaiian and Aloha, or the two local carriers suffer financial losses from having to underprice their services, it's almost certain they will feel pressure to seek additional pay and benefit cuts from employees. No one will enjoy doing this again.

It's also possible that one of our local carriers could fall casualty to this low-fare game of chicken. If so, we may be worse off as a community. For the gain of a few dollars saved flying interisland we risk the loss of several thousand local jobs and the failure of a carrier headquartered in Hawai'i that also provides vital air service to the Mainland.

Let's not forget that Hawaiian and Aloha have faithfully served Hawai'i's needs for many decades. These kama'aina companies are upstanding members of our community with a generous history of philanthropy.

In the long run, we will enjoy greater control of our destiny as an island state by supporting Hawaiian and Aloha in their efforts to become stronger and more stable mainstays of our local air transportation system.

SUNSHINE LAWS

LEADERS OWE US OPENNESS

Sunshine laws.

The average person might think, "Why not? It would be good to know what our legislators are discussing."

However, I understand that several bills to strengthen the present law will probably not survive. Sometimes we lose sight of the obvious. If legislators are elected to do the will of the people, why would we need these laws?

Wouldn't they be needed only if there are consistent attempts to prevent that level of openness, thereby effectively blocking the voice of the people?

Let's look at our present system. Sunshine laws are proposed because it can be a real struggle for interested parties to be involved citizens. But can we really blame legislators when the opportunities to avoid disclosure are so available?

What's more, can we really expect legislators to create rules for themselves that are so far out of their comfort zone?

After all, legislators are human.

The Office of Information Practices, which has the job to foster openness, could play a key role and perhaps do it without more legislation. One suggestion is to attach to every bill an appendix of sorts that would be a record of any discussion regarding its merits by legislators or the public.

This appendix would capture the major points of any pro or con argument and their authors, the rationale for its disposition in committee and the results of any vote.

The OIP would monitor the meetings and do the note taking, making the notes and future meeting schedules available online. They could also sponsor a forum online so that the community could offer testimony and comments. This could create a level of openness that would foster understanding of the issues and the public's right to know.

It would also introduce something that is sorely needed in government: accountability.

GOVERNMENT IS DOING NOTHING

WAI'ANAE: HOME TO HOMELESS

I have been moved to write this letter in an effort to strike up awareness toward the homeless problem here on the Wai'anae coast.

Every time my family took a leisurely drive along the Wai'anae Coast, we have seen the homeless population grow by leaps and bounds.

Right now homelessness on our coastline is at an all time high.

There was once a time when the homeless tents were planted behind brush or below a slope to blend into the scenery, but now there is just nowhere for them to go.

Tracks beach, Nanakuli Beach Park, Ma'ili Beach Park, Kea'au Beach Park and many in between have become "homeless only" parks where tents are littered over the lawn because there is nowhere to hide.

I have mixed emotions where homelessness is concerned, I feel for these people and I understand that they need somewhere to live, but at the same time, I have been witness to some disturbing offenses committed by some of them.

I see drug use, drug dealings, domestic violence, drinking in public, illegal parking on the beach and many other offenses being committed as my children and I crawl through Nanakuli during morning traffic.

Not only are there no police in sight, (because there are only five at any given time assigned to the Wai'anae coast) if you do see one occasionally, most of them just drive by without turning a head.

Some of the homeless have begun to create property lines by using moss rock or even yellow tape to claim their piece.

I have even seen large above-ground pools put up using county water.

If I put up a tent in Lanikai, Waikiki, or Hawai'i Kai, and staked my claim, I would be pounced upon by law enforcement in minutes.

As a resident, I have called the police many times. Most times the police never come.

Why is the well-being of humans and public safety not as important for people living on the west side of the island?

I have been an O'ahu resident for my entire life, and a resident of Ma'ili for a little over a year and I am frustrated that our government is doing nothing about the situation here in Wai'anae.

I feel that our leaders of this state are simply turning their cheeks by not making the homeless situation a priority.

I would like to challenge all residents of O'ahu to take a weekend drive down the entire Wai'anae coast to Yokohama beach to witness the inhumane conditions that the homeless have to live in, and the residents have been forced to live with.