Hawaii taxes are lower than they appear to be

The U.S. Census Bureau (Star-Bulletin, May 3) reported Hawaii taxpayers had the second-highest per capita tax burden in the nation in 2001. Such data have been used by the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Forbes magazine, Republicans and others to claim that Hawaii is a "tax hell."

We can begin to demolish that myth with a different Census Bureau report (Star-Bulletin, May 9): Honolulu ranked 63rd for the amount of average city taxes paid per capita in 2000.

The obvious question is, why are our state taxes so high and our city taxes so low? Because local governments in other states pay for public schools. In Hawaii, about one-third of our state taxes go to elementary and secondary schools. Elsewhere, property taxes largely finance public schools. Since our state income tax pays for education -- a more equitable system -- Hawaii property taxes are among the lowest in the United States. Yet, our property values are high, part of our high cost of living.

When we combine all state and local taxes, Hawaii ranks around the mid-point of the 50 states. This position is remarkable since Hawaii tops the nation in cost of living, higher than the states of Alaska or New York.

Jerome G. Manis

Scouts teach values better than schools

I disagree with the May 14 editorial, "Boy Scouts brings restrictions on itself," on the subject of Scouting in the schools.

Education is a great endeavor and, since I am a general dentist, I have been through a long and arduous educational process at some of the best schools. My take is that without solid core values and character training, the most educated individuals are handicapped and -- maybe worse -- a liability to our society. So when a vocal minority of people who want the Scouts to be everything for everyone gets to dictate when and where the Scouts get to participate in the public schools, I get perturbed.

As an adult leader, I have been involved with Scouting for four years. Scouts and parents/guardians of scouts can be proud that the values that they espouse are good for people individually and good for our community/country in general.

Is scouting perfect? Maybe not, but I certainly feel that the ideas and values to which my 9- and 11-year-old children are exposed through their Scouting in many ways exceed the long-term importance of the necessary skills they learn in our public schools.

Dan Walker
Holualoa, Hawaii

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