Lawmakers slow to notice salvinia threat

While many are pointing fingers in blame at the Department of Land and Natural Resources over the Salvinia molesta problem in Lake Wilson, the real tragedy is that Rep. Marcus Oshiro and Sen. Robert Bunda waited too long to lend their support. They were informed about the salvinia and its potential for disaster more than a year ago. Expressing their "concern" about Lake Wilson in recent television interviews was an insult to their constituents. Why did it have to explode into an ecological nightmare before they took any action? Early intervention could've saved the enormous amount of time and money that will now be spent eradicating or at least controlling the salvinia.

I am confident that DLNR's aquatic resources team did what it could to control it in its early stages, given its very limited resources. So let's be fair when we're pointing fingers. Where were all the people who obviously had the authority to generate the manpower and funds needed to resolve this problem a year ago?

Kuhea Paracuelles
Keaau, Hawaii

Akaka bill wrong for Hawaiian kingdom

The Akaka bill is wrong for the Hawaiian nation.

The way to make things right is to restore the Hawaiian kingdom to its proper place among all other nations of the world.

You cannot just erase a nation. The Hawaiian kingdom is still a nation.

We do not want to be wards of the Interior Department of the United States of America.

I cannot condone a crime against my nation and its people. It is criminal.

Eric Edsman
Kamuela, Hawaii

Long-term care plan is necessary insurance

I am a long-time advocate of an affordable long-term care financing program. I have been a caregiver for the last 16 years so I know firsthand the urgent need for a sound, affordable and comprehensive plan. I therefore support SB 1088 and HB 1616, now before state legislators.

I took care of my father, who suffered from bronchietasis and diabetes, for five years. I am now taking care of my mom, who is 95 years old and suffering from dementia.

I had two relatives in skilled nursing facilities because of strokes. I now have five relatives in skilled nursing homes or care homes due to strokes, Alzheimer's or diabetes. They all lost their homes and other assets to finance their care.

Many people equate long-term care with skilled nursing homes, so they put down the state program as being of little help. The fact is, most long-term care is done at home. That "little help" can go a long way toward lessening the task of at-home caregivers.

Some say they don't want to spend money they may not use. Compare this with your homeowner's policy. Your chances of losing your precious home to long-term care costs is just as likely as it is to fire or hurricane.

I urge lawmakers to pass SB 1088 and HB 1616 so we can have a small start to resolving this mega-problem.

Mildred C. Oba
Pearl City

Dividend tax doesn't hurt only the wealthy

President Bush's proposal to eliminate the double tax on corporate dividends is not just for the extravagantly wealthy. My wife and I are in a position to know. We are lace-embroidered, blue-collar workers who, separately, never earned more than $50,000 in a year. We receive an additional $50,000 annually in corporate dividends after doggedly saving and investing for 30 years.

But that income is largely illusory. We can neither reinvest nor spend it because state and federal tax takes most of it. Moreover, this phantom income raises our gross earnings beyond the threshold of eligibility for R.O.T.H. or educational IRA's or tax-credit assistance for our children's college tuition. Partisan opposition begs the matter in question. What's really at issue here is not a handful of super rich, but millions of middle-income investors, half of them retired, who are getting tarred with the same brush.

Theodore N. Pizzino

What are airport signs trying to tell us?

Driving to the airport to drop off my spouse for a flight to the mainland, I was greeted by bright yellow sign: "TICKETING." My first thought was, where do I take her to board her aircraft? As it turned out, this new sign replaced the old "DEPARTURE" sign. Since almost no tickets are sold at the airport, why the change?

On her return, when I went to pick her up I could not find the "ARRIVAL" sign. It had been replaced by yet another yellow sign: "BAGGAGE CLAIM." Is that where I claim my spouse, or is it where I pick up my lost baggage? Why the change?

I understand that the Department of Transportation has a few more yellow signs to implement: "Toilet Paper" to replace "Men's Restroom," or even better: "Urinals." The direction to the "post office" will be replace by "stamps," even though you don't need stamps, you just need to mail a package.

Howard J.T. Lee

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