Tax Foundation, Kalapa
are tremendous assets

After reading Richard Borreca's April 23 Capitol View column, "Hawaii needs Kalapa's Tax Foundation," I was saddened to learn Hawaii residents are on the verge of losing a respected and influential voice on taxation and economic issues.

Having sought Kalapa's counsel on an important tax issue while working as an aide in the state Legislature, I was grateful for the generosity of his time, the breadth of his knowledge and the clarity of his communication.

It will be a sad day in Hawaii if the Tax Foundation closes down. I pray that that day never arrives.

Kelly Fujiyoshi
Graduate Student
Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government
Cambridge, Mass.
(Via the Internet)

A bit more military trivia
about historic Ford Island

The April 24 article on Ford Island by Gregg Kakesako was very interesting, but it overlooked a very important situation in covering its history.

In the early 1930s, Luke Field was the station for the bombing aircraft of the Hawaiian element of the U.S. Army Air Corps, a part of the Army's Hawaiian Department. It controlled the island. (Fighters were at Wheeler.)

Although the article states that the island came under the control of the Navy in 1923, the Navy begged the Army to make available on the southeast shore a strip of land for the construction of two hangars for use in repairing Navy hydroplanes. These planes landed on the surface of the harbor and could taxi to the hangars without using the runways.

Later, as Hickam Field became operational, the bombers moved there. About this time, or later, Luke's name was transferred to a field on the mainland.

It wasn't until after World War II that Gen. Hap Arnold got the Air Force the independence that FDR had promised him after his brilliant wartime command of the Army Air Corps.

Col. Thomas J. Wells
Retired

Be careful not to alienate
foreign airline carriers

I want to clarify a misconception that, if left unaddressed, could lead to confusion and, worse, to Hawaii's economic detriment. The open sky policy per se will not necessarily benefit our local economy.

At the moment, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is advocating the policy while most of the Asian carriers and their governments oppose it. The danger is if Hawaii unconditionally supports the USDOT in its efforts to negotiate the open sky policy with these Asian governments, Hawaii could again be used as a bargaining chip in any such negotiations.

Our state should only support an open sky policy if it benefits our economy.

Note that, from 1990-95, the total number of airline seats to Hawaii decreased by 9 percent. This was caused by a 22 percent decrease in westbound passengers (on U.S. carriers) but was partially offset by an 18 percent increase in eastbound travelers (on foreign carriers).

Clearly, Hawaii's economy would have slipped even more had it not been for these foreign airlines. Given this experience, Hawaii should not be so eager to support USDOT policies, also supported by the U.S. carriers, if foreign carriers are opposed.

Lucien P. Wong
President
Castle & Cooke Properties Inc.
Commercial Division

Whale sanctuary is
waste of time, taxpayer money

The Star-Bulletin's front-page article on "ecotourism" by Joan Conrow on April 1 spotlighted the great potential of this business as well as the problems it faces in Hawaii.

Part of the problem was identified by Mike Wilson, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources: "The DLNR cannot handle a big surge in ecotourism given its present funding and staffing level." He is absolutely correct.

Unfortunately, another state agency, the Office of Planning, is doing its damnedest to increase ecotourism by supporting the Hawaii Humpback Whale Sanctuary. Most of this proposed sanctuary would be in state waters, also under the jurisdiction of the DLNR.

Where will we get the money to:

Improve and increase dock space for additional whale-watching boats on all islands?

Increase enforcement in the form of personnel & boats?

Boost the administrative effort?

The federal government is not providing any money and the state is broke. This is another good reason for Governor Cayetano to hold off the whale sanctuary. We have many more important things to fund with our meager tax dollars.

Bill Mossman
Kailua

---

Same-sex archive

---

Want to write a letter to the editor? Let all Star-Bulletin readers know what you think. Please keep your letter to about 200 words. You can send it by e-mail to letters@starbulletin.com or you can fill in the online form for a faster response. Or print it and mail it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or fax it to: 523-8509. Always be sure to include your daytime phone number.