Ethanol mandate is costing us more
It's been two years since the state requirement to use ethanol-infused gasoline in Hawaii, with the following results:
» No "revival" of the sugar cane industry has occurred (it's dead, forget it).
» No local ethanol production; we import it just like oil. At least we refine the gasoline locally.
» Use of agriculture to produce ethanol has driven up food prices.
» Ethanol costs more than gasoline.
» Ethanol is more energy intensive to produce than gasoline.
» Ethanol gets worse gas mileage than gasoline.
Developing alternatives to oil-based fuels is a good initiative; ethanol is clearly not the right choice. Requiring us to use ethanol is just making things worse.
Richard Fucik
Kalaoa, Hawaii
Anti-OHA plaintiffs using scare tactics
So two of the plaintiffs in the latest lawsuit against Office of Hawaiian Affairs want trustee Boyd Mossman to "mahalo" them for filing the lawsuit.
("Island viewpoint," Star-Bulletin, April 20) That's like the mouse thanking the cat for eating him.
Earl Arakaki and Garry Smith maintain OHA has done nothing positive for Hawaiians or anybody else. Guess they missed the meetings when OHA trustees granted $1 million to help the Leeward homeless and the millions more granted for education, nonprofits, health, employment, housing and more.
As part of their "Aloha For All" effort, these litigators scare non-Hawaiians with the nonsense that all Hawaiians want secession, land grabs and gaming.
But they have an even scarier end game they are not anxious to reveal until after they defeat the Akaka Bill: strip all Hawaiians of every program, including the many that keep alive the culture and customs of the 50th state.
Support their position and say goodbye to Hawaii as we know it.
Joe Kealoha
Former OHA trustee
Wailuku, Maui
We do need transit, but rail plan isn't right
I am an antirailer, although it was not always this way. This is not misinformation but fact. The people running this project have little or no care to see rail a success. We have 7 million-plus tourists a year (but no airport or Waikiki rail), elderly who need to go to doctors (no medical centers on route), students and faculty, I'm sure they would ride (that's right no schools on route). Now they are building in Kapolei and bypassing Ewa Beach, with the most traffic congestion on island.
I agree mass transit done right would be good but I will be voting no to this mess.
Alan Urie
Honolulu
More of the same isn't a traffic solution
The attempt to derail the future of mass transit service is discerning. The traffic conditions, air pollution and price of oil are ever increasing, while unemployment continues to grow in the mist of Chapter 11 filings. This movement to collect signatures to block a rail system has little argument.
To claim that increasing and improvement our bus systems will be sufficient in meeting our traffic woes is ignoring the facts: Not enough people are taking the bus, and rail systems are always successful in other states. Our current solution to this problem isn't working and to emphasize more of the same is simply comical.
Build the rail system, provide the needed jobs to create and maintain it, fight air pollution and take an overdue step in finally combating the traffic situation. And for those still against such a project, try taking a drive from Kapolei to Honolulu between 5 and 8 a.m. and then back again between 4 and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tib Soquena
Kapolei
Obama should have stayed out of local race
I am an active member of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, a member of the State Central Committee and an Obama supporter.
Sen. Barack Obama should not have endorsed any candidate for chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. A presidential candidate has no business interfering in state politics. We have allowed our "national leaders" to interfere in local politics for far too long!
One of the main features of the Obama phenomenon and the ongoing Clinton and Obama candidacies is that the grass-roots people are becoming so active. In the same vein, we, the people, must choose the party chairman based on what we feel is best for our state party. Obama should rescind his endorsement and let us choose our own leader.
For those who are new to the party, please do your own research regarding who should be the chairman. Do not rely on any endorsement -- from anyone. A good place to start that research will be at the Oahu County Convention on May 2-3 at the Dole Cannery. Please attend, and ask relevant questions. Make up your own mind!
Jo-Ann Adams
Honolulu