Readers, tell us about 2007
THE tick of the clock from December 2006's last second to January 2007's first is really no different from any other. Nonetheless, it marks a turn of time regarded as a genesis -- a beginning.
The Star-Bulletin would like readers to submit their thoughts, ideas and hopes for 2007. Tell us what you would like the year to bring or what you expect 2007 will be like. Feel free to get the family involved -- we'd like to hear from our younger readers, too. And you're welcome to express your feelings in a photograph or drawing rather than words, if you prefer.
Comments and observations may be personal or global, material or spiritual -- whatever is on your mind. We will publish your words on New Year's Day, along with some photos and other artwork you send.
E-mail us at newyear@starbulletin.com, or send mail to Editorial Dept., Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI, 96813.
We look forward to hearing from you.
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It would be cheaper to pay off the Iraqis
Imagine that foreign troops had invaded and were occupying your country and you had banded together with guys down the street that you hated, to fight these attackers.
Meanwhile in Iraq, the invaders discover that they're losing the war, so they offer each Iraqi the annual median Iraqi income of $308 for 12 years, or $3,700, to stop fighting and participate in creating a stable civil government. The foreign troops also guarantee to give up a dozen permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq and any claim to Iraqi oil and would withdraw within six months so they can save face, not to mention other body parts and lives.
Providing Iraq's 28 million people $3,700 each is equal to $104 billion each year that the war is costing America's middle class and poor right now! Let's further imagine the many corporations and independent contractors that have been profiteering from the war while getting tax cuts to go before Congress, and rather than have their companies nationalized, they waive war profits and begin paying their fair share of taxes.
Ron Rhetrik
Mililani
Forcing oath on Bible is religious extremism
Last Tuesday, columnist Dennis Prager stated on conservative Web site Townhall.com that Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, should not be allowed to take the oath of office on Jan. 4 with his hand on a Quran. Prager said that by not using the Christian Bible, which "America holds as its holiest book," Ellison is undermining American culture.
Frankly, what Prager is saying is extremism. What we see as "Islamic extremism" is just as evil as the political extremism that foreigners see. Those same people are running our country's international affairs and trying to conquer the less defendable to exploit their resources. Yes, history repeats itself.
Chris Yamashita
Kailua
Make nonresidents pay huge property taxes
It seems like developers such as Oaktree at Turtle Bay and Hokulia on the Big Island are playing hardball. I think it's about time the people of Hawaii played hardball, too.
In recent years Hawaii has rapidly developed into a second-home market, which has had overwhelmingly negative consequences for the people of this state. Many jobs are being lost as full-service hotels are converted to condominiums. Green open space is being lost to urban sprawl with none of the houses providing shelter for people who live here. The second-home market has inflated home prices and property taxes, displacing residents in favor of second and third homes for mainland millionaires. None of this benefits the people of this state.
The solution? Dramatically higher tax rates for nonresidents, say 10 times the kamaaina rate, coupled with a more graduated state income tax (or a resident homeowner's discount of 90 percent, similar to the homeowner's exemption that exists now). This would shut down the second home market and give developers such as Oaktree and Hokulia a much needed lesson in corporate social responsibility.
Stanley K. May
Sunset Beach
Building rail has been delayed long enough
As a long-time resident of Honolulu who has watched the exponential growth of cars on Oahu, I do not now understand how some people feel the need to continue to pick away at the vitally needed rail transit project. It has been approved by the people's elected representatives at both the state and county levels, is supported by our governor and Honolulu mayor, and is supported by our congressional delegation as well. Enough is enough! Let's get on with this project.
Because we don't seem to be able to limit the of number cars on our roads, nor will we ever be able to build enough highways and/or tollways to accommodate them, we need a viable non-auto-focused alternative to choose from.
My family and I have traveled to a number of large cities on the mainland -- including San Francisco, San Diego and Chicago -- and have ridden all of their fixed-rail transit systems. I can't imagine how these cities could possibly cope with the traffic without these systems. Honolulu needs the original rail transit system as proposed by the mayor, not a shortened one. There will be a time when traffic will be flowing not just from the Leeward side to Honolulu in the morning and back in the evening, but as the economy grows and the university expands in West Oahu, people will be traveling to work and school in the reverse order, too. We need an efficient way to move people in both directions.
Yes, it will cost the taxpayers a lot, but if we don't do it now, our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have to pay far more for it and will wonder why we stuck them with such a mess.
Let us hope that City Council history does not repeat itself. The Council must not downsize or even delay this important project.
Robert Nickel
Honolulu
World-class city needs a good rail system
One compelling reason to build a rail transit system that is often overlooked is the cost savings to Honolulu business owners. Employee parking can be a significant line item in a downtown company's profit-and-loss statement. At $200 or more a month per employee, it rivals health insurance, workers comp and other costs the business community traditionally decries. And Honolulu parking -- from Kaimuki to Iwilei -- is not only soaring in price, it's becoming increasingly scarce.
As a downtown employer with nearly 100 staff, I would much rather subsidize a monthly rail pass for employees than spend thousands more on parking.
If Honolulu wants to keep growing its business base and to fill our office buildings -- especially with premium high-tech and white-collar jobs -- we must find an efficient manner to bring people to work while leaving their cars at home. A tollway for cars only makes it faster for a select few to reach downtown gridlock.
We also need a system that is appealing to an upscale work force. Sorry, but your brainy computer programmer, talented designer and savvy financial adviser are not going to sit on a city bus for an hour or more.
If Honolulu aspires to be a world-class city, we need a world-class transit system.
Dennis Christianson
Honolulu