PROMISED 'CHANGE' NOWHERE TO BE SEEN

The voters of Honolulu thought they voted for "change" during the last election. However, where is the change?

It appears that what we have again is more status quo. There is no responsible direction toward lowering the cost of government. No responsible debate in the "square building" on improving proposed legislative bills to get anything done right and to prevent bills that pander to specific campaign contributors. No accountability for legislative or administrative mistakes that continue to increase the burden on taxpayers. We remain hostage to the whims of a select group of Hawai'i lawmakers who can unilaterally choose and pass bills with no scrutiny on their "cause or effects."

We the citizens of Hawai'i are called upon to share the costs of a declining Hawai'i economy and to pay additional taxes. However, this sharing is limited to a select few of us, not the "protected class" of government employees; not the large labor unions who have their pockets protected by threats of strikes or reduced political support. Where is the responsibility and accountability of government toward the governed?

STATE BUDGET

LET WORKERS BE; GET RID OF ACT 221, HTA

Gov. Lingle should stop preying upon state workers and follow the righteous path of states like New York. By creating two new higher income tax brackets, New York will be able to generate more than $4 billion a year.

Other suggestions to close the budget deficit gap: Get rid of the tax giveaway Act 221 scam and the Hawai'i Tourism Authority.

Businesses should not be wards of the state and the tourist industry can do a better job advertising on the Internet. We don't need to pay industry to mind its own business, and we don't need HTA to mind everybody else's business.

KA'ENA POINT

PRESERVATION NEEDS RESIDENTS' SUPPORT

As a follow-up to DLNR Director Laura Thielen's "Hot Seat" interview in Sunday's Honolulu Advertiser, DLNR is to be commended for its planned actions at Ka'ena Point, but support from O'ahu residents is needed to preserve one of the last pristine areas on our island: the park at Ka'ena Point and the Point's Natural Area Reserve.

Specifically, DLNR is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on plans to protect the fauna, flora and land of Ka'ena Point's NAR by the emplacement of an ecosystem fence to prevent predators from entering the area and preying on indigenous fauna.

DLNR is arranging for an "ambassador" to look after and care for the area. In addition, DLNR is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in hopes of receiving a grant from NOAA for the Ka'ena Point Habitat Restoration Project. Each of the foregoing is a positive effort to save Ka'ena Point.

RAIL TRANSIT

TRAIN IS ONE BRIGHT SPOT FOR ECONOMY

Recent articles report Hawai'i's unemployment rate at an all-time high. This is not surprising, but still disheartening to me and my family as it is for everyone else. The economy looks like it will only get worse before it gets better. The one bright light at the end of the tunnel seems to be a train, and I'm glad it's coming.

Funny how critics once pointed out rail as the largest public works project in the history of Hawai'i and wanted us to believe it was a bad thing. Now, public works projects are welcomed news because it means jobs and economic stimulus. As construction dollars flow through the economy, the multiplier effect helps other business and service industries.

Rail is our best chance to turn our local economy around with thousands of new jobs and more than a billion dollars of federal funding coming in for the project.

The train is finally coming, and I say thank goodness for it.

CIGARETTE TAX

LEGISLATORS AIMING AT THE WRONG GROUP

Despite taking an oath to preserve equality, our legislators have once again levied a tax on cigarettes — a whopping 62-cent increase on one pack — to finance health insurance for children. How absurd is that?

First, there is no health tax at all on soda pop despite tons of research reporting, e.g., it only takes two 12-ounce soda pops per day (less than many Americans drink on their way to school or work) to double the risk of kidney disease, it will cost $218 billion dollars in 2009 to deal with diabetes, and the medical costs for childhood obesity, cavities, etc., is astronomical.

Instead of distributing healthcare costs equally, our legislators decided not to punish the people responsible for those costs, but to target a diminishing group of Americans who cannot possibly fund such outrageous medical expenses.

One needn't sit in Obama's chair to understand that kind of thinking will not balance any budget! However, you won't find a single member of our City Council, Legisla-ture or congressional delegation willing to support a bill to tax sugar/high fructose corn syrup addicts for their abuse of the medical system!

TOBACCO TAX

LEGISLATION WILL END HONORED PROFESSION

I am writing this letter in desperation and feel like I'm backed into the corner.

The few shops left in these islands are battling the raising of the state tobacco taxes. The legislators are proposing to raise our taxes from 40 percent to 85 percent or more of the wholesale price!

Many states with lower tobacco taxes will happily take away all of our business when the ridiculously high taxes go into effect.

Our trade magazines are filled with articles about states raising their taxes in anticipation of collecting more revenues, however, all were shocked when these revenues went down.

Pipe and cigar smokers make up only 1 percent of the smoking population and here we will be bearing the burden of all these taxes.

In the 14 years that I have been a tobacconist in Hawai'i, I have served many of you who came in for a box of cigars to celebrate the birth of a child or a promotion, etc.

If these bills go through, you will see the end of an honored profession.