Too many tax giveaways hurts this state

Now that we know the governor loves the Star-Bulletin and wants to keep it operating, I hope he read the Nov. 15 syndicated column by Neal Peirce, "State tax giveaways to gain jobs." It tells an important story for Hawaii.

Peirce says giveaways have finally hit bottom in South Carolina, where the state has "hollowed out its tax base so deeply that its future has come into question."

Hawaii is following the same route. Every gift politicians give to corporations hollows its tax base and lessens "its ability to educate its children, keep up its roads, protect its natural environment."

Cutting property taxes on malls, granting free rent to selected businesses, giving outrageous sums for tourist moguls to mete out to friends, bestowing tax holidays for rich (and only rich) hotels to expand, lowering the income tax rate on corporations and the wealthy -- all these "gifts" take taxes that should be used to repair or replace the aging and overworked infrastructure that businesses exploit, the environment which tourism sells and especially the services needed to maintain and improve the lives of the citizens of the state.

David Mielke
Via the Internet

ADA lawsuits are a punitive nuisance

All these Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits against L&L Drive-Inn are ridiculous. The current ADA law is so vague and complex, I'm glad someone is standing up and fighting.

No one should be denied service or be discriminated against; neither should anyone be taking advantage of the ADA to file all these frivolous lawsuits. This is contrary to the aloha spirit.

Russ Goode
Pearl City

Quotables "Hillary and I extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends and co-workers of those who died in the tragic shooting rampage at Xerox's Honolulu office ...While there is little that can ease your pain, I hope you can take comfort in knowing that people across America share your grief." President Clinton In a letter of condolence read at Central Union Church during the final memorial service for seven Xerox workers killed on the job, by a disturbed co-worker "We had no reason to distrust the person. He's been with us all year, all the games, the practices. It's a big disappointment." Louis Siracusa Parent of 14-year-old Daniel, who plays Pop Warner football in Manoa On a man, recently returned from Las Vegas, who is suspected of stealing more than $20,000 from his son's Pop Warner team in a bogus fundraiser

Pidgin English hinders success of children

I support Governor Cayetano and others who agree that pidgin English should not be encouraged in Hawaii schools.

Pidgin is part of our history and it is fine to acknowledge it as such. But I wish that I had never spoken pidgin. My vocabulary could use improvement and my writing skills are nothing to brag about, even with a graduate degree.

I live on the mainland now and I have learned to speak less pidgin in order to communicate and relate with other people.

Pidgin is socially discriminating. It is somewhat of a burden in this present day, unless I'm using it with elders who lived a plantation lifestyle.

Yes, we need to be able to communicate with people who speak our language, but we also need to be able to help our children. Prepare them, please.

Debbie Yara
Seattle
Via the Internet

Pidgin among friends and family doesn't hurt

As an islander transplanted in Indiana, I have read with great interest your articles on pidgin English. I believe that pidgin is not a detriment to an individual's ability to grow. Contrary to Governor Cayetano's belief, I also believe that, as part of Hawaii's heritage, pidgin is not at all a handicap.

I'm a good example of this. I can converse quite "haole" on the job and among my friends here on the mainland but, once I talk to my parents and friends who still live in Hawaii, my pidgin kicks right in. I can turn it off and on.

Liz McPherson
Seymour, Ind.
Via the Internet

Trustees should have let Pariante finish term

The St. Louis School board of trustees may have felt justified in firing Father Mario Pariante. However, the manner in which this whole affair has played out indicates a total lack of concern for the reputation of both the president and the school.

Why couldn't the trustees have taken a more reasonable approach and let Pariante finish out his term, then simply not renew his contract? That would have prevented considerable embarrassment and received considerably less media attention.

I'm tired of seeing St. Louis School being dragged through the muck.

Whitlow W.L. Au
St. Louis School, Class of 1958
Kailua
Via the Internet

Wrong values are being taught at St. Louis

Shame on the St. Louis School Board of Trustees! Academics and character building are no longer a hallmark of St. Louis. Now, it's what you can get away with.

The trustees, faculty, parents and alumni who colluded to oust Father Mario Pariante simply underestimate our sons' ability to meet strict academic and behavioral standards.

We need to provide our kids with these opportunities, rather than settle for the gutter.

D.S. Lee
Via the Internet

Handicapped parking is lacking at stadium

I have been going to games at the Aloha Stadium for 20 years. Per the Stadium Authority, there are 8,000 stalls for parking, with 89 stalls or about 1 percent specifically reserved for the handicapped.

The stadium gates used to be open four hours before game time, but now they open three hours before because of the flea market. There used to be no problem with this, but now there are long lines of cars going to the stadium, and big problems with parking.

At a recent University of Hawaii game, I tried to get a handicapped parking space at 3:30 p.m., and was told no stalls were available. What were we supposed to do? They are talking about busing people in from other lots, but are they going to have buses for the handicapped?

People are not going to go to UH games if they cannot find parking. I hope that the stadium authority is working on this problem.

Lowell Grant
Via the Internet

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Hawaii Revised Statutes

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