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UH should proceed
with Navy research

THE ISSUE Protesters ended seven days of a sit-in at Bachman Hall against a proposed Navy research grant.

ANTI-MILITARY activists completed a week of occupation of the University of Hawaii president's office in protest of a proposed Navy research grant, but the plans should go forward. The university has conducted military research for a long period and should not be deterred by unfounded complaints by protesters.

The UH Board of Regents gave preliminary approval in November to establish a University Affiliated Research Center under a multiyear contract with the Navy. The center could generate up to $50 million in new research grants during the next five years.

UH would join four other universities that have such centers: Johns Hopkins University, Penn State, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Washington. Their academic prestige and integrity have not been tarnished by the military research.

The Pentagon already accounts for $54 million of the $330 million yearly in outside research and training grants at UH-Manoa. "This is really business as usual," said Gary Ostrander, vice-chancellor for research and graduate education. "This is not significantly different from what the university has been doing for decades."

The accusation that the grants would be spent on secret weapons research has no basis. Ostrander told the Star-Bulletin's Craig Gima that even the classified research will be subject to the university's safety rules. The research would be in areas where UH excels, such as ocean sciences and technology, astronomy, optics and communication technology.

David McClain, the university's interim president, handled the protests graciously, surrendering his office for the week. His agreement to hold a public hearing, release related documents that come under the state's open-records law and postpone final approval of the plan by the regents from this spring until Oct. 1 allowed the protesters to declare victory as they departed Bachman Hall. It should remain a hollow victory.

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Conservation funds
a long time in coming

THE ISSUE The Legislature has approved increases in the conveyance tax to fund affordable housing construction and land conservation.

CHANGES in the rates and allocations of the state's conveyance tax mark a milestone for land conservation in Hawaii, dedicating funds to support a long-standing public desire to preserve natural areas.

Lawmakers get a green thumbs-up for recognizing the cultural, economic and environmental value of sustaining coastlines and other spaces.

For the first time since it was established more than 30 years ago, the state's Land Conservation Fund will actually have some cash, supplied with 10 percent of the tax's collections. Expected to total about $3.2 million, the fund could draw in at least twice that amount through federal and private grants. The money would be used to buy land important to keep in public hands, such as coastal areas and historic sites, fairly compensating property owners and avoiding legal battles over unwanted development.

The tax, levied on real estate transactions, will remain at 10 cents per $100 of sale values of up to $600,000, but rise to 20 cents per $100 for values over $600,000 and 30 cents per $100 for sales over $1 million. Residential properties unoccupied by owners would be taxed at 15, 25 and 35 cents, respectively.

Increasing the conveyance tax also provides more money for the state's Rental Housing Trust Fund, aimed at building affordable units at a time when they are in short supply. The allocation will rise to 35 percent from 25 percent, which Governor Lingle has said is not enough. She also takes issue with the $600,000 benchmark, saying with median prices approaching that level, the raise will drive up home costs. However, lawmakers estimate more than 90 percent of sales will escape the higher tax.

Lingle has not indicated if she will veto the measure. She should not.

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