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Hurricane fund should be returned

While Governor Cayetano has often taken unpopular stands in the past, which I supported, his proposal to use the hurricane insurance fund to promote education is not based on common rationality.

I am opposed to any overt or covert usage by governments of funds established for one purpose to be used for another. State government seems to have a penchant for doing this.

I hope that both the Legislature and governor stand behind their word at the time the hurricane relief fund was established and distribute the accumulated funds to those who were, in fact, "taxed" because they were homeowners.

Taxation of a select sector of the public should not be used to fund education or other programs, however worthy their purpose. If the governor wants to pay for tuition waivers for all B-average students, he should come up with the required funding.

Any disbursement of the hurricane relief money should directly benefit those who paid into the fund. How about reimbursement of the fast accumulating interest to enable all homeowners to upgrade and secure their homes from storm and high wind damage?

Rose T. Pfund

Two papers will be good for two-party system

With a soon-to-be new owner who is not a U.S. citizen, the Star-Bulletin can continue rocking Hawaii's political and economic boat. This can only be the best of all possible worlds.

We are creeping towards a real two-party system here. Many thanks.

Beverly Kai

Bulletin shutdown archive

Wilton critic has erroneous information

Everyone has a right to an opinion based on facts. But Henry Kim's Jan. 17 letter is full of misinformation. For several years now, Kim has been challenging the coaching abilities of my husband, University of Hawaii men's volleyball Coach Mike Wilton, through letters to the editor as well as via personal letters.

Under my husband's tenure at UH, the men's program has seen consistent success and profit for the athletic department. Furthermore, contrary to Kim's letter:

Our family does not receive free tickets to the matches. The eight seats assigned to his family are part of his income and taxes are paid on them.

The men's volleyball program has consistently brought in a profit in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars. While attendance at the matches has dropped, it has also dropped for all other arena sports.

Our son, Aaron, has coached at the high school level and is filling the second assistant's position after Matt Johnson took a full-time job elsewhere to support his family. Aaron was an emergency hire and was cleared by the union, the athletic director and the booster club that pays for the majority of his part-time salary.

While people like Rick Tune and Pono Maa would have made excellent assistant coaches as well, I doubt that they would be willing to give up their current jobs for a single-season position that terminates at the end of season.

Kim has every right to express his opinion but he needs to hold sacred its integrity by basing it on facts. With all sincerity I invite him to meet us and get to know us as people, instead of judging us from afar. Life is too short to hold his inexplicable grudge against my family.

Kuulei Wilton

Quotables "People want to see blood these days. They want gladiators" Jesus Salud HAWAII BOXER At age 37, planning his next move in an impressively long professional career "You can try but you will fail. So, I warn you, think twice. I shall crush you." Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Pledging to defeat her enemies "It is not honest work for honest pay." Janis Koh MEMBER OF THE HAWAII COALITION AGAINST LEGALIZED GAMBLING Her opinion on gambling

HSTA members have misplaced priorities

The members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association have finally shown their true colors: "Make pay raises the sole priority. Forget about $40 million for computers, textbooks and classroom supplies for now. Save the money for teacher pay raises instead."

When offered a proposition for an 18 percent raise plus textbooks, the HSTA's Karen Ginoza replied, "If that can be done, we'd appreciate it, but...we have to put a priority on making sure that we have a qualified teacher in every classroom."

Education does not merely involve the teacher. Other factors such as audio-visual aids, low student-to-teacher ratios, textbooks and classroom supplies are equally important. How many times have we heard teachers claim that they had to purchase supplies on their own; but now they're saying never mind the supplies?

The HSTA has always used the cost-of-living factor to justify its claim that Hawaii teachers are among the lowest paid in the nation when, in reality, a national survey last year showed that the salaries of Hawaii's teachers are above the U.S. average. It ranked Hawaii 17th from the top. Furthermore, their health benefits, including, dental and vision coverage, and their retirement package rank second to none.

Be realistic, teachers, and remember why you went into teaching. Think of the students first and foremost.

Lloyd Kim

Computers are useless without teachers

The nationwide teacher shortage is well-documented. Young people today are not going into teaching. As competition for certified teachers increases, what has Hawaii done to keep the profession alive?

Teachers work in substandard facilities, with antiquated equipment, at the lowest pay in the nation. Education second to none cannot be purchased for next to nothing.

Governor Cayetano recently proposed an increase in the construction and repair budgets of the Department of Education and he should be praised for that. He also wants to bring more computers and technology to the classroom, another laudable goal.

However, no education will take place in any classroom, and any computer becomes a paperweight, without teachers.

In poll after poll, citizens say that quality education is the No. 1 priority. Unfortunately, too many reformers think that this can be accomplished by just putting more computers in the classroom or, worse, by threatening schools with vouchers.

They are missing the simple truth. Quality education begins with quality teachers. If Hawaii wants to recruit and retain quality teachers, we must pay them wages that ensure quality.

Chris Lewis
Ewa Beach

Opposites can still remain friends

I learned the same lesson that Diane Chang learned (Changing Hawaii, Jan. 27, "A truce in the newspaper war").

While I am pro-life, my very best friend is pro-abortion. We've known this since we met and it didn't stop our friendship. Twelve years later, we still talk like schoolgirls about everything else.

Everyone should look at the "enemy" and see what you have in common instead of the differences.

Jeannine Johnson
Hoffman Estates, Ill.

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