Rise in property values makes no sense

There should be a tremendous number of home and condo owners protesting the property tax notices received last month.

The one ingredient that has not been mentioned as far as justifying the increase is that the current sales in the area are to be considered.

In checking out some areas there have been unexplainable increases in the assessments when there have been few sales and the sales have been considerably lower than the amounts the officials say are justified.

Looking at this whole process objectively it appears that there has been an across-the-board increase in values without substantial reasons.

In fact, the tax records appear to be in need of an overhaul since some of the properties descriptions do not jibe with the actual dwellings.

Those who have been underassessed are not going to complain. This entire process has the appearance of trying to get the revenue without raising the ire of owners by raising the rates.

Let's hope the owners will protest and have the officials account for their reasoning. The increase simply does not make good sense.

Nancy Jeffs

Harris' 'illness' strikes at opportune moment

I was disappointed to read that Mayor Jeremy Harris missed the recent gubernatorial candidate forum because he was "ill" ("Lingle pledges not to lay off state workers," Star-Bulletin, Jan. 10).

I too would schedule my illness in advance if I knew I would be confronted by questions on the higher property tax assessments, Hanauma Bay cost overruns and possible campaign contribution violations.

How long do you think he'll be sick?

Dan Morin
Aiea

[Quotables] "To say that gaming will be part of our economic development and alleviate our problems is a cop-out." U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye In a keynote speech Thursday to the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. The state Legislature is expected to hear a bill to legalize gambling early in the legislative session, which starts next week. "They make us seem as if we were monsters. I'm not that kind of person. I never abused my dogs. I loved them. They all had names." Jean Bermudez Haiku woman, on how she cared for the 82 dogs and 14 cats removed from her home by the Maui Humane Society. Most of the animals, described by Humane Society workers as sick, lice-infested and underfed, were euthanized this week. Bermudez now says she wants seven of the remaining pets returned to her.

Residents shouldn't be barred from casinos

This is America. You can't prohibit residents of a state from participating in activities that are available to non-residents. The gambling issue aside, if Sun International Hotels president Butch Kerzner "would have no objection to keeping the Ko Olina casino for non-Hawaii residents only" ("No dice for local gamblers?" Star-Bulletin, Jan. 9), he can pack his bags and go home. His comments defy logic. Thousands of Hawaii residents travel to Las Vegas every month to gamble.

If gambling were to become legal here, are we saying that locals who want to gamble should spend their money in Las Vegas, depriving Hawaii businesses of much-needed income?

As a tax-paying Hawaii resident, I objected when we were told that the Hawaii Convention Center would not be available for local folks to use, a decision that was reversed because of community opposition, and I object to keeping locals out of any facility that is available to tourists.

Lynne Matusow

Lack of health insurance hurts U.S.

A report by the World Health Organization shows that the United States now ranks 37th in the health status of its people. By comparison, France is first in health status. Shouldn't we ask why?

France and the United States have similar income distributions, but France has national health coverage, as do all modern nations -- except us. Of all the affluent nations, the United States is virtually alone in high illness and death rates.

Yet we spend more on health care per person than any other country. We also have top-rated physicians, hospitals and medicines. Without any national health insurance, however, more than 40 million Americans need charity emergency room care for their increasingly serious illnesses.

Jerome G. Manis

Tobacco lawsuit sets dangerous precedent

During a visit to Washington, D.C., in December, I discovered that the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against the tobacco companies to recover health-care costs has been mostly thrown out by the D.C. District Court. All that remains of the case is a pie-in-the-sky claim under the omnipresent RICO statutes, which the court has severely restricted.

Consider this hypocrisy: Until 1974, the government provided free cigarettes to servicemen. In 1997, the Veterans Administration denied medical claims from smoking, saying it would be "borderline absurdity" to pay claims resulting from individual choices made by soldiers.

For decades, tobacco taxes have generated billions of dollars for the government. If the tobacco company's profits are "ill-gotten gains" that should be disgorged under RICO, what about those tax dollars? And remember, cigarette sales were and are still quite legal.

A bigger concern is that this lawsuit sets a dangerous precedent. Today's legitimate business that later becomes politically unpopular may be the next target. That adds to the risk of doing any business and consequently impairs investment and job creation.

President Bush should do to this lawsuit what he did to the Taliban -- destroy it.

Richard O. Rowland
President Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Aiea

Restaurant smoking ban can help quitters

Twenty years ago, when I was a three-pack-a-day, hardcore smoker, I voted for a ban on smoking in restaurants in California, where I was living at the time. It was my quiet way of asking for help, of cutting back any way I could ... even if that meant someone else had to set the guidelines.

Although I "loved" being a hardcore smoker, it was a nasty (and expensive) lifestyle for me.

Toni Baran
Kaneohe

Tourists are packed into crowded buses

Speaking as a resident of Oahu, even I find it difficult to find a seat riding TheBus in Waikiki. I find myself standing most of the time.

Visitors spent good money to see our beautiful islands. Is this the type of memory we want our visitors to return home with?

We want to ensure positive memories so they will choose Hawaii again for their next vacation. The least we could do is have more buses so no one will be left standing.

Michael Nomura
Kailua

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Traffic cameras drive debate

Law-breakers should stop their whining

To all those people who have been enjoying going 10 miles or more over the speed limit and never being busted, stop your crying. I'm tired of drivers who think of themselves as law-abiding making up their own road rules. They speed, cross the centerline, run red lights, cross double lines, and the cops don't do anything.

The roads have become a free-for-all and the most aggressive drivers win. In short, the criminals have taken over our roads. Yes, criminals.

Now that they are about to get caught their solution is to make their crimes legal by raising the speed limits.

When the majority of people become criminals, then the lawmakers start passing laws to satisfy the criminal tendencies of the people. This is the real corruption of politicians. They don't have the courage to do what's right and force people to abide by the law for the protection of society. Instead, they cater to people's lowest instincts in order to get votes.

So let's not only raise the speed limits, let's get rid of speed limits. Let's get rid of any laws. Let's live by the creed of survival of the fittest. But if these people want to continue speeding and thus endanger my safety, I want the right to carry a gun to defend myself.

Ralph Rubique
Kailua

Rush hour isn't best time to catch speeders

For three days in the row, I've observed one of the state's new "photocops" parked at his designated location on the Moanalua Freeway.

Clearly visible near a "Speed Limit Enforced by Photo" sign, the forlorn sole occupant of the brand-new white van with temporary paper license plates sat and peered through his nifty, high-tech, laser-driven speeder-catcher gun, looking for scofflaw prey.

Alas, slim pickings again today. He wonders why all the cars on the freeway are only going 20 miles per hour. It must be due to the presence of his obvious white speed trap. That'll teach those law-breakers!

Nope, Einstein: It's rush hour at the same time every day! Why are you sitting by the side of the road at 4:30 p.m. watching traffic crawl? Because some all-knowing state official told you to be there?

Guess that's why they get the big bucks, huh?

Blaine Fergerstrom

Photocop vans create traffic hazard

I would like to add my voice to the growing concern about the vans parked along the roadways in the City and County of Honolulu to photograph speeding vehicles.

It seems to me that these vans are creating a significant traffic hazard, and will lead to more accidents and personal injuries.

Furthermore, it is my understanding that parking a vehicle in a breakdown lane for any purpose other than a temporary vehicular emergency is illegal, especially if that vehicle is conducting commerce for profit.

I hope the Department of Transportation will reassess this situation before it leads to any loss of life.

Neil Thomas Katz, M.D.
President
Honolulu County Medical Society

Tossing out citations unfair to those tagged

According to the Star-Bulletin ("Glitches invalidate hundreds of tickets," Jan. 8), only 158 of the 927 drivers caught speeding on the first day of traffic photo enforcement were mailed to Oahu's speed limit criminals.

I'm not an attorney, but it seems to me that those people who received citations could use for their defense that they are not getting equal treatment under the law. A vast majority of the speeders caught (769) will be getting away scot-free.

How fair is that? Granted, the cameras caught only partial license plates and the operators are still new, but fair is fair. Didn't the cameras catch the vehicle make, model and color? Why can't this information be used to track down these outlaws?

John Sylvester

Cameras are an insult to good citizens

The state's new traffic camera system is yet another example of an archaic government that lacks trust in the goodness and decency of its citizens.

The traffic camera system is in essence a money-generating venture masked by the word safety.

Hawaii is in desperate need of creative visionaries who can bring forth an evolution in governmental consciousness that will treat the people of this state with dignity and respect.

The phrases "paradise" and "land of aloha," which are often used in reference to Hawaii, are once again tarnished by a government that continues to rule by domination, manipulation and the instilling of fear.

Carlino Giampolo

System creates host of other problems

In regard to traffic cameras, there are many problems that can develop as a result of such a ticketing program. These problems will ultimately cost the state more money.

Suppose there is another software glitch. At what point will it be discovered? In the meantime, hundreds of people will be issued tickets who in turn will fight these tickets in court. This will flood the state judicial system with unnecessary overflow, paperwork and wasted time.

Some speeders will fight tickets even if they are guilty. This also will add to judicial overflow.

How will the state defend itself? Will it check the system every time there is an argument of this nature? (more cost).

How do we know if the camera has taken a photo of the correct offender? Should someone speed recklessly around a slower vehicle, the camera may photograph the back of the slower vehicle that just passed into its view.

With innocent and guilty drivers receiving citations, insurance rates will skyrocket. The fallout would be that even more people opt to go uninsured in order to survive.

The question must be raised, "Is it worth solving one problem by creating several others?" It seems as if common sense went out the window when putting trust into technology to monitor people, or it has been drowned in the need to raise state revenues at more cost to the taxpayer.

Tony Vongschanphen

Government extorts money from drivers

It seems that George Orwell and Aldous Huxley were right. We live in a time of ever-increasing governmental interference in our private lives, escalating scrutiny of our personal behavior.

I regard myself as a law-abiding citizen, but like the majority of the population I do not strictly adhere to all speed limits, because in most cases they are absurd.

I can accept the use of cameras to prevent the running of red lights (though there are potential problems with those), but speed cameras -- what an abomination!

It is clear that these are a poorly concealed disguise to pad state revenues and to provide obscene profits for the company that operates them. This is a flagrant example of capitalistic adventurism and governmental extortion.

I do not for a minute believe that the primary motive for installation of these enforcement cameras is concern of the public safety.

Why should we have to put up with this? Whatever happened to government by the people and for the people?

I call upon our legislators to abolish of this latest example of "big brotherism." Such an act would be in the public interest; and purportedly, that is what they were elected to protect.

Michael Kaye

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