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Letters
to the Editor

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Saturday, October 14, 2000

Flex time is needed option for employees

As a state worker, I applaud Governor Cayetano's plan to change government work hours to ease traffic congestion.

What I find interesting is that our department's operations manual, which dates from the early 1990s, lists various types of flex-time options. But we were recently told, in no uncertain terms, that flex time doesn't exist in our department.

So I know it is going to take an executive order to get all the petty little bureaucrats to buy into this.

In consideration of my fellow employees, I hope that the change in hours is an option, since some staff may have family needs to take care of. Perhaps departments can be urged to strive for 50 percent compliance, with the results posted in the media.

Jeffrey Eldredge

Governor should consider other options

It's good that the governor is concerned about traffic problems on Oahu. However, shifting the work start time for state employees by 45 minutes a day won't even be noticeable. It would merely push them from one time element of traffic into another.

Truly, the ONLY way to reduce congestion is to remove vehicles from the roads. Why not have all state employees work a four-day week? For example, instead of working five days, eight hours a day, they could work four days, 10 hours a day. The immediate impact would be to take 20 percent of vehicles off the roads on any given commute day.

Another suggestion would be to provide all state employees with a free bus pass. I recognize that not everybody can take advantage of TheBus, but there'd be enough response to remove another 10-20 percent of vehicles from the roads.

A combination of these two suggestions would show definitive results. Then, if the newly re-elected mayor is quick, he might follow suit for city employees.

Michael Carone
Wahiawa

Quotables "Things have changed so much. At that time, no one was studying love and sex. Of course, now it's the prestigious thing to do." Elaine Hatfield UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR OF HER DEBUT NOVEL, "ROSIE" On how, 35 years ago, her investigation into international ways of passionate love made her the first recipient of the infamous Golden Fleece award from Wisconsin Sen. William Proxmire "Now, if we could only find a way to win, we would start to feel better." June Jones UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII HEAD FOOTBALL COACH Going O-4 into tonight's match-up with Southern Methodist at Aloha Stadium

HGEA workers deserve to get their pay hike

Governor Cayetano should take a pay cut and move out of Liliuokalani's house if he vetoes the raise for Hawaii Government Employees Association members.

This summer I worked as a student helper for the state. While the people in the office usually seemed to be happy, I noticed an underlying morale problem.

A large part of this problem was the low pay. One of my co-workers said he took a 20 percent pay cut when he quit his job in private industry to join the state's payroll.

Many outsiders may complain that state workers don't work their hardest. I ask those critics: Why should someone work as hard if they aren't receiving appropriate compensation?

Many of the engineers who have graduated from my college make more money during their first year of work than a state engineer in Hawaii who has been on the job for 10 years.

A pay raise would raise morale for HGEA workers and, in turn, lead to greater efficiency in government. This would save the state money in the long run.

Clifford Wassman
Claremont, Calif.

Feds are monitoring state's special-ed system

Your Oct. 9 story, "Public hearings set on special ed," may have given an impression that the hearings are a casual inquiry. In fact, they are the start of crucial monitoring of the state's performance by the federal Office of Special Education Programs.

OSEP became involved as a result of letters, faxes and emails from parents and advocates concerned that the Department of Education's continued failure to comply with federal laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act prevents children with disabilities from getting the equal education to which they are entitled.

The monitoring process is a long one, with many opportunities for improvement to be implemented. As national pressure increases on OSEP to put real teeth into its monitoring, the consequences for Hawaii of failing to correct anything that OSEP discovers could be significant.

The OSEP monitoring manual (www.dssc.org/frc/monitor.htm ) states that if the U.S. Department of Education finds there has been a failure to comply substantially with a requirement of law, the department may withhold, in whole or in part, future federal payments.

Parents whose children have experienced problems with the system should try to get to the meetings. If they are unable to attend, they can still send reports of their experiences to the Monitoring and State Improvement Plan Division, Office of Special Education Programs, 330 C Street, S.W., Mary E. Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202.

Larry Geller
Hawaii Coalition for Health

Columnist should enlist in the military

In his Oct. 10 syndicated column, Holger Jensen complains that "Washington operates on the principle that unless U.N. peacekeeping directly advances U.S. interests, others should do the dirty work."

I suggest that Jensen enlist in the military, put on a uniform including a blue beret, carry a rifle and put his life on the line for some other country. Then he just might gain some credibility in his argument.

It's easy to commit somebody else in harm's way, but a little hollow unless you're willing to lead the way.

R.D. Greenamyer
Mililani

Governor's comment was misreported

I'd like to correct a serious inaccuracy in your Oct. 10 article on the Ala Wai. Your reporter wrote, "The House last year approved a resolution (HR130) asking Cayetano to name a citizens' advisory commission to review the state's plans, but Cayetano said yesterday he didn't recall the resolution and was acting independently of it."

The cavalier tone of that sentence did not reflect the comments made by the governor. In his question, your reporter asked the governor if he remembered a resolution and then he summarized it.

The extent of the governor's response to the question was: "I don't recall the House resolution, but I don't think it would be at odds with what we're trying to do." That's it.

It was spoken with a true inability to recollect at that moment one of the hundreds of resolutions introduced each year in the Legislature. I don't know anyone with an instant recall of any bill or resolution tossed out to them.

Reporters know the power their words have to influence; the responsibility they have to wisely choose their words. An unfair characterization like this -- whether intentional or not -- is sadly irresponsible.

Kim Murakawa
Press Secretary Office of the Governor

Police officers are getting special treatment

It's 3:20 in the morning and I still can't sleep. I'm so upset at how the Honolulu Police Department upholds and enforces the law for all -- except if you're an HPD officer with a DUI offense!

I say this because another officer had what I would call a major accident while intoxicated (he totaled the car and almost wrapped it around a tree) on May 12, 1998, in the Waipio Gentry area. Responding officers did not administer any breath test or request any blood test of the officer involved in the accident, but luckily a hospital nurse did. His blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit.

I found out through Internal Affairs that it is the responding officer's discretion to request a breath test or blood test. I forgot to mention the police officer who had the accident had it in the district where he works.

This officer has had other motor accidents, supposedly DUI but not recorded due to the decisions of responding officers.

There have been other incidents with this officer, such as domestic abuse with visible marks on the victim. But the responding officers told the victim that, if they arrested the officer, his gun would be taken away, he would lose special duty jobs and possibly lose his HPD job. Then how would he be able to feed his family?

I thought that the law said if any physical marks are seen on a victim, the alleged abuser is supposed to be arrested automatically. Yet nothing was done to this officer. So now do you think that HPD officers are treated in the same manner as regular citizens?

Hermie Fernandez

Public shows support for harassment protection

Recently, a group of more than 50 concerned citizens came together to take a stand against the increasing propaganda demeaning the importance of protecting all students from harassment in the public school systems.

Overall, the response was very positive. Many motorists waved back, honked their horns and gave us the thumbs-up sign. There were, of course, the few flashing derogatory gestures. However, we made a visible and important stand to the community -- in that we are here and passionate in fighting for justice.

Nancy Roberts

Marilyn Harris will be excellent BOE member

I agree with Louella Vidinha's disappointment and dismay that Ron Nakano, the Leeward District incumbent on the Board of Education, was able to survive the primary election despite showing a total disregard for voters (Letters, Sept. 30).

Unfortunately, Vidinha may have given the impression that Nakano won re-election. He only made it to the general election. He has a formidible opponent: Marilyn Harris.

All of Oahu votes for Leeward BOE representative. Many outside the district may not realize Nakano's refusal to participate in primary and general election activities, to give an opinion on issues, to attend debates, return phone calls, etc., is consistent with his behavior in office.

Meanwhile, Harris is running to give the Leeward District the voice it has lacked for the past several years. She is active in the community. She knows our schools and libraries. She has responded to every request for appearances, debates and written responsible answers to requests for her background and opinion, including to the Star-Bulletin. She returns calls and emails.

Come Nov. 7, we will no longer have a Leeward representative who refuses to do so. We will have the best on the BOE in Marilyn Harris.

Sonia Beaver
Waianae

Combine election and legalized lottery

After every election, there is always much hand-wringing about the low voter turnout. This past primary was no exception. Of those eligible to vote, only a third did -- truly a sorry showing.

This low turnout could easily be increased, perhaps doubled, by a relatively simple add-on to the existing voting procedure. Combine our traditional voting procedure with another all-American institution, the lottery.

After casting a ballot, every voter would receive a numbered voting receipt that would become a lottery ticket. About a week after the election, a number would be generated by computer.

The lucky holder of this number would be handsomely rewarded for his or her good citizenship. A nominal prize of about $100,000 raised from private sources ought to do the job.

Couldn't the money currently spent by government to promote voting instead be diverted to this more cost-effective approach? Either way, a major increase in voter participation could be expected to result. And isn't that what good government demands?

Richard O'Connell

Visiting golfers outnumber picnickers

I am a retired airline employee. I have seen many flights arriving and departing Honolulu Airport, and have seen many sets of golf clubs being loaded or unloaded from airplanes. Never do I ever recall seeing a picnic basket in the baggage claim area.

Perhaps the survey filled out by arriving passengers should include the following questions:

Do you plan to golf while visiting Hawaii? How many times?
Do you plan to picnic or otherwise use one of our parks? How often?

My guess is that the golfers would outnumber the picnickers many times over.

Once the error of digging up the Ala Wai is realized, it will cost millions of taxpayer dollars, which we cannot afford, to replace it or build a new one elsewhere.

Bob Wolf

Ala Wai course should become park

As a resident of urban Honolulu, I support Governor Cayetano's proposal to convert the Ala Wai Golf Course into a park. We should have done this long ago. This land, right in town, should be enjoyed by everyone, not just golfers.

My neighborhood is very crowded. There are wall-to-wall condominiums and apartments. How can so many of us be denied a place to walk and smell the fresh air, just so a few people can drive in from Manoa, Aiea or Kahala to play a round of golf?

Maria Rapadas

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