Public structures must be maintained too

The governor ought to be applauded for sticking with ideas he has brought up in the past, such as spending big money on new public construction projects in order to boost the economy. But, and the governor should know this, the state is real good at building stuff; it just isn't capable of maintaining it. Since George Ariyoshi's time there hasn't been one state facility that has been consistently maintained.

Instead, the state would rather let the building deteriorate to the point where huge renovation money is required just to prop up the ceiling. Even the state Capitol itself was a victim of such penny-pinching mentality. The state also isn't very good at ensuring that new buildings are built correctly, the University of Hawaii softball field being just one example.

In other words, there has to be a better way to boost the economy.

James Ko

Tourism industry first in line for handouts

Hawaii's governor and Legislature should not borrow a billion dollars and blow our precious hurricane and tobacco funds on ill-conceived bailouts. Beware of the loud critics of government interference in business who are the first in line for government handouts and favors.

If the sugar and pineapple industries were subsidized as heavily by Hawaii's taxpayers as the visitor industry is, those industries would still be with us, slowly dragging us down with minimum-wage jobs and traumatic sensitivity to economic bumps as tourism.

Even if good times return, hotels would still complain about the low 80 percent occupancy rate and ask for more taxpayer dollars to market Hawaii. Taxpayers increasingly have had to fund the visitors' bureau, build and maintain visitor facilities, give Waikiki zoning and building code exemptions and constantly "beautify" its beaches and streets.

And all the while, residents are given less access into Waikiki and have to fight to keep tourism from expanding across the Ala Wai Canal.

Who knows, one day a hotel chain may have the impudence to take over Lewers Street, ban parking and vehicular access, turn it into a pedestrian shopping mall, then have the gall to ask the federal government to give a chunk of its military parking at Fort DeRussy for the hotel's guests and mall customers.

What a terrific business. Taxpayers provide the land and pay the expenses, and the hotel takes the profit. I wonder if any of the mayoral candidates favor such a scheme?

Richard Y. Will

[Quotables] "I'm learning a lot more and that's great because I'm actually being challenged. I find that fun." Shaun Tateishi An 18-year-old Hawaii Pacific University student, who entered college after seventh-grade and will receive his bachelor's degree in communications and speech next May. "There is likely to be no room at the inn come Christmas." Kathleen Hasegawa Executive director of the Affordable Housing and Homeless Alliance, who is lobbying legislators for more money for emergency shelter and food in the wake of Hawaii's economic downturn

Phoenix is no place to rent a car

In case anyone doubts the wonderful value of traveling to Hawaii, here is a direct quote from a car rental contract at the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Ariz.:

"Surcharge Information: Maricopa County charges a $2.50 surcharge per rental. Maricopa Stadium Tax of 3.25 percent per rental.

"A State Sales Tax of 9.5 percent will be charged on the entire rental. A $2.50 County Stadium Tax will be applied as a one time charge per rental. An Airport Concession Recovery Fee of 11.11 percent per rental will be charged.

"Starting 12/31/01, there will be a Customer Facility Charge of $3.50 per day. (The car rental company) will assess a $0.50 per rental Frequent Flyer Tax Recovery Surcharge on all rentals on which frequent flyer miles are earned. A 5 percent Vehicle Licensing Fee applies."

All auto rental agencies are required to charge these fees. What started out as an $82 rental for four days ended up as a $132 rental, an addition of $50.

Tell your friends to come visit. In Hawaii what you see is what you get. We do have some surcharges in the visitor industry, but nothing that compares with the above.

Beth Terry

Canceled cruise won't deter tourists

We are still coming! Even though our cruise was cancelled due to American Classic Voyages filing Chapter 11, we are still going to Hawaii. We may not see everything we would have on the cruise, but we know we still will have a great trip.

Sue Trinka
Dania, Fla.

Anti-American faculty are a minority

As a member of the faculty of the University of Hawaii system, I've been approached by several people concerning the rabid anti-American ranting of a few university professors, as reported in the Star-Bulletin Oct. 18. A typical (printable) statement from one of my acquaintances was, "you mean to tell me my tax dollars are used to support this kind of crap?"

Please let me assure the public and especially students that the statements made by those professors represent only the views of a minority. Most of us are normal people who recognize that the perpetrators of the atrocity on September 11 really are evil, and we do not believe Americans are responsible for what happened.

Not all of us hold the same views on the proper response of our government and society to this attack, but very few are spewing the sort of hate-filled venom on apparent display at the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus the other day.

Those of us teaching at the various campuses strive hard to ensure that our students get a good education.

Certainly students should be challenged, but that does not mean they should have their values and beliefs viciously insulted. Students also have the right to expect that at public forums faculty members would have the good sense to show respect for the community that employs them, and to refrain from displaying crudeness and bad taste.

I hope you will not judge all of us by the absurd antics of a fringe.

Paul Lococo Jr.
Leeward Community College faculty member

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