ALA WAI

PUPPIES AND THEIR HUMANS WANT TO ENJOY PARK, TOO

My puppies, Sissy and Tootsie, tell me exactly at 5 p.m. that it is time to go to the park. We come together to be in our beautiful Ala Wai Park.

This is the first time I feel that I am living in a community. People talk with each other and it does not matter what your social or economic standing is, the common thread is the love of our pups and sharing time with our neighbors.

What is wrong with this picture? It is illegal! Please know that we do not want to break the law. We are asking that our officials help us get our temporary site and permit so we can enjoy our evening without affecting the other community activities.

ELECTION

PUBLIC FUNDING BACKS CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

The Advertiser reported throughout the legislative session on the progress of legislation that would provide full public funding for Big Island County Council elections. To the delight of supporters, this bill was approved by both houses of the Legislature and now sits on Gov. Linda Lingle's desk. Why are bipartisan advocacy groups like the League of Women Voters hoping the governor allows the Big Island County Council to try full public funding?

First of all, because the council requested this opportunity and the state should honor its request (since there is no downside to the state).

Second, because full public funding supports citizen participation in elections. A wider field of popular candidates can run for office, and sitting council members as well as new candidates can spend their days meeting with citizens in their districts, rather than "dialing for dollars." Citizens thus have more choice in who represents them, and more dialogue with candidates and office holders.

Third, because decisions by council members who use the option will not be influenced by major donors who may benefit from a decision, potentially at a cost to the public. Public trust in governmental process will be enhanced.

The League of Women Voters respectfully requests that the governor allow this pilot program to proceed so Big Island candidates and voters can see for themselves its results.

GOVERNMENT

WANT TAX BOOKLET? BE READY TO KEEP DIALING

"Mailing of tax booklets discontinued," said a postcard from the tax director. The card said to call before Aug. 18 if I wanted one mailed to me.

I did, and found out that my call was important to them (but not enough to take my message) and I should call back later.

I did — 16 times, same response.

It appears that our state is trying to kill the goose that lays the golden egg — the taxpayers, the folks who make all this government possible.

WATER HEATING

MISLEADING PHOTO WITH STORY ON SOLAR SYSTEMS

The picture accompanying the article (Hawai'i section, June 18) on the proposed bill mandating that all new houses have solar water heaters beginning in 2010 is very misleading to those concerned about aesthetics.

The photo depicts a roof that appears to be fully covered with 12 photovoltaic solar cells that are used to generate electricity. The typical solar water heater installation requires only two solar panels and would be far less obtrusive.

ENERGY

SOLAR ROOFS MEASURE SMART MOVE FOR ISLES

Hawai'i should be leading the nation and the world in sustainability and in reducing greenhouse gases.

Gov. Linda Lingle has a great opportunity to keep Hawai'i on the path by signing the solar roofs bill, SB 644.

All of us, especially those of us who already have solar water heaters, should be writing to her to convince her that it would be a smart move to sign this bill.

For those who do not yet have a solar water heater, now is the time to get one and to convince her to sign this bill so that Hawai'i can be reducing greenhouse gases and becoming more energy efficient.

HOMELESSNESS

BANNING SLEEPING AT BUS STOPS NOT ANSWER

I've noted elderly people standing while waiting for the bus because a homeless individual has turned the bus stop into a shelter.

However, a ban on sleeping at bus stops is impractical, unenforceable and does nothing but make residents of Waikiki/Chinatown/Downtown feel better.

The city and state must develop solutions to the problems that cause individuals to use bus stops for beds.

How about examining ways to cap rising rents? Better services for homeless people? Real solutions, please, not pandering.

EXPENSES

NO INCREASE MADE TO COUNCIL 'ALLOWANCES'

In response to Steve Yetter's June 20 letter, please allow me to clear up some unfortunate misconceptions about the councilmember "allowances" allocated annually to each district.

These funds are used for everything from printing costs to office supplies and myriad incidental expenses used to run the City Council offices.

One councilmember has made statements that we have "increased" that allowance from $12,000 to $18,000 a year. That is simply not true. The truth is that while $12,000 in "allowances" were in the past allocated and reported online for all to read (you can check to see how any councilmember spends this discretionary money at www.honolulu.gov/council/ccl.htm) there was also $6,000 per councilmember reserved for phone, vehicle expense and training — in separate funds that were not reported to the public.

I am a firm advocate for open and transparent government. So I proposed including all these additional funds in a single budgetary line-item to ensure that the public would get a clear picture of just how much taxpayer money any councilmember was using.

I proposed to keep this total at $12,000, but was outvoted by my colleagues, who felt it should be the individual member's choice as to how much he/she needs.

The bottom line here is that there was no real increase, and I find it very unfortunate that some individuals have mischaracterized an earnest effort at ensuring a transparent government as anything less.