Governor's logic went awry
when he vetoed pay raises

I was flabbergasted with the reasons given by the governor for axing pay raises for judges. He said judges would retire sooner with a bigger pension had he signed the bill.

That is misguided thinking. The pay raises would have had the opposite effect. Higher pay would be an incentive for judges to stick around longer.

Another reason given by Cayetano was for "budgetary constraints." It is unbelievable to think that, for an annual increase of $877,000 for the pay hike, this piddling amount would have put a dent in the budget.

He approved massive pay raises for government workers earlier, which were even greater than the state could afford, so where is the logic?

Can you imagine the reaction of government workers -- including firemen, teachers, policemen, college professors, etc. -- if they were denied pay raises for seven years? These workers would have shut down government operations had they not received raises for that length of time.

Fair is fair! The judges should have been granted the pay raises they were entitled to and which the Legislature approved.

Philo Owen

Judges can get along
without a pay raise

I sympathize with judges and wouldn't want their job for all the tea in China, but if Chief Justice Ronald Moon can't get along on a paltry $94,780, then perhaps he should start moonlighting like the rest of us weary souls with three jobs, trying to make it in Hawaii.

For as long as I can remember, I don't think anybody in the gainfully employed sector has a salary or hourly rate of pay that is commensurate with the increased cost of living here. Have you asked for a pay raise recently?

Perhaps Moon might set an example by not asking for pay raises in a state that seems to be continually screaming for more money to survive. Surely he can begin to empathize with the record numbers of people filing for bankruptcy every week.

Personally I would welcome half of $94,000 to sit on any bench, perhaps in Kapiolani Park.

John L. Werrill

No more excuses, please,
about the lousy economy

Seiji Naya's June 21 criticism of the Forbes article on Hawaii contained the following charge: "Forbes reporters used half-truths and totally inaccurate statements."

Naya failed to point out those inaccuracies or provide information to refute them. I read the article and could not find those inaccuracies.

Naya took exception to the article because it didn't say anything about what is being done to improve our economy. But that wasn't the purpose of the article, just like Naya's criticism contained no favorable comment about the Forbes article.

With the massive distress this poor economy is causing, it isn't good enough to try to put a favorable spin on things, and then continue business as usual.

The list of accomplishments to improve our economy cited by Naya indicates that he hasn't a clue as to the magnitude of the problems facing us.

Tom Hansen
Lahaina, Maui

Altering ridge 'endangers'
character of Manoa

The Star-Bulletin's June 17 editorial, "Waahila Ridge lines," mentions your puzzlement about why the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Waahila Ridge to its 1997 list of endangered historic places. I'd like to put the pieces together.

Preservation is more than just saving individual buildings. The historic character of our communities is made up of many elements, including view corridors, buildings, circulation networks such as roads and pathways, fences, hedges, gardens and the natural landscape.

The proposed construction of major transmission lines would dramatically alter the historic context of Manoa, where development was dictated in large part by the natural environment and its topography.

Moreover, the listing of Waahila Ridge highlights the importance of citizen involvement in planning for the future of our communities. It is essential for residents to identify the elements in their communities that make them special.

Then they are able to work to ensure that these qualities are not compromised as their community evolves. It is through public dialogue that citizens' groups as well as developers, governmental entities, corporations and others can voice their concerns about proposed projects and work to find solutions acceptable to all parties.

Manoa is not the first community to face a project that threatens its natural and historic environment, and it certainly won't be the last. But what happens in this beautiful place will be a model for other neighborhoods throughout the nation.

Richard Moe
President, National Trust
for Historic Preservation
Washington, D.C.

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