Big Brother is watching you drive

A couple of years ago, I noticed the TV cameras being installed at intersections and on the freeways. I commented at the time to my wife, "next thing you know, they will be taking our picture speeding and send us a present in the mail," laughing about "big brother" taking over.

I'm not laughing anymore. 1984 came and went by the calendar, but day by day it's fiction turning to fact.

From now on, remember to smile when you're speeding or running that yellow light. Who knows, the picture on your ticket might be better than the one on your driver's license!

Henry R. Barrett

People wanted tax cut; government delivered

It's unfortunate that people like letter writer Joseph O'Brien (Aug. 9) can't appreciate the fact that state tax cuts enacted into law amount to nearly $2 billion over the next seven years.

But the flip side of tax cuts is a decline in state revenues.

Without these tax cuts, Governor Cayetano would be in a position to leave over a $1 billion surplus in the state coffers at the end of his term in 2003. However, the people of this state and the business community wanted their taxes cut. That's why Governor Cayetano and the state legislature gave them one of the biggest tax cuts in the nation.

For the immediate future, the state budget is in good shape. For example, we ended fiscal 1999 with a $189 million balance and we expect to end up with reasonable fund balances through the current biennium (ending in fiscal 2001).

The challenge the governor has posed to his cabinet is to leave state government better off than when he took office. There's so much to do and so little time. But it will get done.

Neal Miyahira
Director of Finance
State Department of Budget and Finance

Quotables "I want to be a positive role model for the Samoan community and for young women. I plan to play for this football team until there is no football team." Louise Newman 28-year-old defensive leader of the Hawaiian Waves Getting ready for the team's first exhibition game in the Hawaii Pro Football League this Saturday at Kailua High School "I joined the NRA just to protest Hawaii's gun laws. No civilian can get a permit to carry a gun without endless hassle, and it's just plain stupid." Carl Oliver Kauai police officer State champion law-enforcement pistol shot for the fifth time in 11 years of competition

Ship repair schedule is economic boon

The secretary of the Navy has announced that the S.S. Independence will be overhauled at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, possibly in January 2000.

Actually, the shipyard will only drydock the cruise ship, saving a trip to the mainland for this purpose. All other maintenance work will be done by the private maritime industry in Hawaii. Some of the repairs by private industry will be started while the Independence is in drydock.

As commander of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard 35 years ago, I could never obtain permission for both private and public mechanics to work on the same ship, at the same time, in the same place with the same shipyard services like rigging and crane service. I congratulate the fleet maintenance officer and the shipyard commander on clearing such an arrangement.

This breakthrough may be win-win-win for American Hawaii Cruises, the Hawaii maritime industry and the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in maintaining the Nieuw Armsterdam and the two large passenger ships now under construction.

E. Alvey Wright
Kailua

Get government out of our medicine cabinets

Libertarians of America, stand up and protest the dastardly deed of government interfering in the business practices of vitamin companies ("Vitamin companies to settle price-fixing suit," Sept. 7).

A cornerstone of your laissez-faire markets is "caveat emptor," buyer beware. So if people are foolish enough to buy products from price-fixing vitamin companies, what business is that of government? This is the way libertarian economics is supposed to work, right?

Alvin Nakamura

Clemency for terrorists was brainless move

Regarding the Star-Bulletin's Sept. 15 article, "Clemency decision defended," once again our Hawaii congressional representatives unanimously voted to support Clinton (and Hillary) and/or the Democratic Party line.

I just moved back from Massachusetts after nine years there. That state is Kennedy country and very friendly to the Clintons -- pure Democratic and its politicians accordingly. How did Massachusetts' representatives vote?

If you compare Hawaii's voting record next to that of Massachusetts, they're usually identical. Having returned home, I'm struck by the comparisons of brainless politics.

Birch Akina
Aiea

UH victory brought tears of relief and joy

University of Hawaii, 31. Eastern Illinois, 27.

Awesome, wow, spectacular and unbelievable are just a few of the words describing the feeling that my husband and I felt after leaving Aloha Stadium two weeks ago. We expected front-page headlines with these same words, in bold print, in Sunday's paper.

Only the most diehard of Rainbow fans stayed and counted down the seconds. They shared in the team's feeling of accomplishment.

To look around and see people with tears in their eyes just gave us "chicken skin."

Grace K. Tamanaha-Parker

Mayor shouldn't be involved with hate radio

Mayor Jeremy Harris and hate radio? It's absurd for Mayor Harris to be involved with an ultra-conservative Republican right-wing "hate for profit" radio station. The mayor having a regular spot in the programming of this station with radio performer Rick Hamada indicates that he is not in touch with the people of Hawaii or the rest of the nation.

The mayor's "radio spot" with Hamada helps promote the profits of this station and that is wrong. When I voted for Mayor Harris I never dreamed he would be sharing a stage with conservative extremists like G. Gordon Liddy, Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura and Col. Oliver North.

I have always refused to purchase products advertised on this radio station. Now I will extend that conviction to the voting booth.

Julie Rambo

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes
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