Homeless issue needs teamwork

The Star Bulletin's three-part series “;Homeless in Plain Sight”; demonstrates real leadership in addressing a community concern that affects all of us on Oahu. First, mahalo to the editor and staffers. There has been much heat vented, but this series brings needed light.

Second, it seems we have come to the point where finger-pointing is a dead end. As reporter B.J. Reyes points out (”;Other cities find success with organized effort of government and public,”; Day 3, Feb. 17), “;a common thread among mainland cities that have found some success is cooperation—getting government, the community and nonprofit service providers to buy into the notion that taking care of the homeless is not only a matter of social justice, but more cost-efficient in the long run.”;

Third, Mayor Mufi Hannemann with the support of the City Council should name a “;homeless czar”; to call together government, business and religious leaders, nonprofits, advocacy groups and representatives of those who are homeless to collaborate in finding the way forward.

Furloughs better than losing jobs

Hawaii has to make a choice.

The choice must be about what is important and what is not. There is a massive bureaucracy in this state in which state workers seem to think that they have lifetime employment. They do, but they must now rethink their rights and obligations to make this state run efficiently, and consider Hawaii's children.

I run a private business. I am always looking for ways to save time and money and keep my costs down. Government in Hawaii and elsewhere does not think this way. People work for a bare minimum number of years and retire with nice pensions. I am what some would call a senior citizen but am still working just to pay taxes for services for others. Working for the government includes so many extra benefits that a private company cannot afford to pay. The furloughed people should stop complaining. They have it good!

Let those who complain about the furloughs step into the private sector. See if their skills, if they have any, would be picked. Would they be hired? In private enterprise you must always meet a payroll. Could I afford them? No, no, no.

Let's rid tourism from our aina

This is in regards to the article, “;More isle residents like tourism”; (Star-Bulletin, Feb. 13). Tourism in this state is like a hole at the bottom of a bucket. Inside that bucket are our resources, money and respect. Each new hotel that rises out of the dirt is another parking lot, a new strain on traffic and just more visual pollution to my eyes. We need to stop depending on a nonsustaining economic standpoint. If we ever want the respect that we deserve, we need to show that we can take care of ourselves with new food production and renewable energy research. We need to rid this pestilence from our aina.

Sorry to see horse patrols go

It was very sad when they stopped the horse patrol in the parks and islandwide. It was much better for the environment, better on crowd control, better at coming up quietly on unlawful activities and for community relations. The all-terrain vehicles are no substitute for the horse patrol. The horses don't race around the parks, make loud noises as they race each other or burn gas or spend their time talking story while they congregate in one area. The horses were great as part of the patrols (dogs, SWAT, etc.). It was a complete package for the special services of the Honolulu Police Department.

But thanks to former police chief Boisse Correa, he stopped them and only wanted them in parades. Look at New Orleans after the Super Bowl or the Mardi Gras or the Los Angeles riots; horses helped keep things in control. Horses can go and do things that the regular patrols cannot.

Good news about Pat Hamamoto

I am a 1959 graduate of Saint Louis High School and in the Year of the Tiger, I am excited about the news that my alma mater, an all-boys school, will have Pat Hamamoto as its first female principal. She is a former schools superintendent, principal and teacher, plus knows faith-based education as a Sacred Hearts Academy alum. Go Crusaders, and learn well under Pat Hamamoto.