Business shouldn't need lawmakers' help

Giving tax credits to one business, such as Ko Olina, means that other businesses pay more than their share. Growing one business over others is a business decision that is best left to businessmen and investors, not legislators. If our Legislature were truly business friendly, it would stop making business decisions and address itself to issues that are too big for any one business to handle by itself. Schools, for example, affect the business climate by providing a pool of employees who can read and write.

I'm not against our tourist industry. I just think it would be a stronger, healthier industry if it were allowed to stand on its own feet.

Neil Frazer
Kailua

Jesus tape carried arrogant message

I recently was flabbergasted to receive in the U.S. mail an unsolicited and unwanted tape from the Jesus Jihad.

The newspaper tells me that I am one of nearly a half million. Besides this I read that 87 public schools are allowing distribution of religious "student survival kits." I'm not sure whether the youngsters will be learning to survive the evil intentions of Islam, or of atheism, or of just any infidel who disagrees with them.

What a shame the millions invested in this mammoth propaganda campaign couldn't have been used to distribute something more beneficial than superstition -- like food and health care for the needy.

John H. Cort

Finally, Christians get equal time

In response to Roy U. Morita's concern (Letters, April 29) that other religions and cultures may not get equal representation in schools: Let me refresh readers' memories. The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit and won a case for a Kaimuki High School student to allow him to wear clothing preaching the virtues of satanism. Kalaheo High students threatened to file suit if they were not allowed to establish a club extolling the imagined benefits of the gay lifestyle.

At the same time, it is unconstitutional for a classroom library to contain books that deal with Christianity, or for a teacher to be seen with a personal copy of the Bible at school (Roberts vs. Madigan 1990).

Yes, the Department of Education has opened a Pandora's Box by allowing the distribution of religious material on campuses. Time is way past due for Christianity to get equal time in public schools, as well as any other public place.

James Roller

Health benefits shouldn't be sacrificed

The big shell game begins. Public workers' health benefits are held hostage as three of their unions exchange chances for a pay raise so members would not lose health benefits (Star-Bulletin, April 26).

Whatever happened to the $60 million cost savings elected officials talked about from Act 88 of 2001 (codified as Chapter 87A HRS)? Public workers are easy targets for politicians. Many have good jobs, some not as good. However, all are hired based on their competence and talent. Most have families and household bills, and pay the same taxes as everyone else. And they all have the same desire for stability as they keep up with the cost of living.

Having public workers' health benefits ransomed for pay raises is a bad idea. This was a shell game by politicians to balance the budget at the expense of public workers, retirees and their families. I've always believed Act 88 was pilau since it passed in 2001, and this proves it.

Earl Arakaki
Ewa Beach

Avoid the bumpy ride; just slow down

The state has a responsibility to ensure that pedestrian safety is provided. One of the recent ways is the installation of the rumble strips along the Pali Highway. Drivers are now complaining of the irritating ride when they drive over the strips (which are now being lowered).

These strips never would have been installed if drivers observed the posted speed limits. So drivers, do your part and observe the speed limit or the whole island will be covered with rumble strips.

Michael Nomura
Kailua

Crime paid for former assistant police chief

It's a very sad day for police officers and taxpayers in this community when former Police Assistant Chief Rafael Fajardo gets such a light sentence for his dishonesty and criminal behavior ("Ex-cop avoids prison in food scandal," Star-Bulletin, April 30).

This was not a story merely about purchasing food, but about dishonesty and felony theft. It's a story about a double standard and abuse of power.

If anyone really believes this was about kindness and good intentions, they are being fooled. If anyone honestly believes Fajardo knew nothing, then pity on them because the message is clear -- crime did pay in his case. Certainly the many good officers at HPD and the community deserved a better outcome.

S. Black
Honolulu

Duffy's appointment speaks well for Lingle

Governor Lingle's appointment of Democrat-aligned attorney James Duffy to the Hawaii Supreme Court is reminiscent of then-Governor Burns' appointment of Republican-aligned attorney Masaji Marumoto to the court in 1967. Both events took place at a time of noteworthy partisan realignment in Hawaii state politics.

Both represented publicly commended statesmanlike action on the parts of the governors seeking to bring about a climate of productive bipartisanship on the court.

Both were symbolic of the governors' desire to engender legal professionalism rather than "politics" in the conduct of the court's justices with the appointment of highly regarded members of the bar who in their private practices earned the reputation of being attorneys' attorneys. Marumoto's distinguished service on the court carried over long into his post-retirement activities.

Welcome to the court, Associate Justice Duffy.

Edmund M.Y. Leong

How did rejected logo get payment OK?

The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the University of Hawaii logo design identified the following phases:

1. Develop logo design for UH.
2. Test design among representative audience.
3. Gain acceptance from stakeholders.
4. Develop standards manual and apply logo design to UH materials.

One would conclude that the contract paralleled the RFP. One also would conclude that since President Dobelle rejected the logos, Board of Regents acceptance was not achieved to warrant payment of $74,000 to Robert Rytter & Associates.

This raises serious questions. At what point in the process did the contract approve payment, and with whose authorization? What merit was there to developing design applications if the logo wasn't approved? Did the contract specify that compensation would be awarded for rejected logos?

If Dobelle proposes to "brand" UH with a single logo, why will we continue to use the Athletic Department's "H" logo, the UH seal and add a system-wide logo?

Seventy-four thousand dollars is too high a price to pay for rejected logos.

Momi Cazimero Clarence Lee

Community effort needed to fix prisons

With last month's two prison escapes, it makes me wonder how safe we are in Hawaii. But this is not the time to point fingers at each other or play the blame game. I understand about the overcrowding of our prisons, and the low morale among guards. But must they be reminded of their jobs, to guard prisoners and protect the people of Hawaii?

Government officials, guards and the public must come together and make Hawaii a safer place. We must find ways to change the system to make it better, to make sure that no more prisoners escape, to make Hawaii safer for everyone.

Alan Kim
Aiea

Gephardt's health plan would benefit all

Richard Gephardt's universal health-care plan is brilliant. Gephardt has set the stage for an important national debate by saying, "OK, Mr. President, if you have no problem with running huge deficits in the name of 'economic stimulus,' then let's give the American voters a real choice"; that is, should we incur massive deficits while lining the pockets of the rich with gold (Bush's plan), or should we accept massive deficits to establish a universal health-care system for all Americans (Gephardt's plan)?

In framing this debate, Gephardt has a distinct advantage since most economists assert that Bush's plan will have little impact on the economy. At the same time, many economists have concluded that Gephardt's plan will immediately and dramatically stimulate the economy by providing employers with tax credits for the dollars they spend on health care for their employees. That means there will be more jobs because they'll have more money to invest.

The real beauty of the Gephardt plan is its simplicity. And it is politically powerful because it keeps the current health care system -- the one we have all come to know and trust -- in place.

Let the debate begin. Will it be pockets full of gold for the rich or universal health care for all Americans?

Jerome M. Comcowich

Money spent keeping killers alive is wasted

Scott Peterson, who is charged with the murder of his wife, Laci, and unborn son, should get the death penalty if convicted. It is a hideous crime!

The cost of keeping an inmate in prison is estimated at $30,000 annually. It is not inconceivable that Peterson could live for 30 years in prison. The sum for this could be over a million dollars. This money could be spent on productive projects.

How Tim Chang

Santorum needs a U.S. history lesson

Paul Mulshine's column on the Commentary page regarding Sen. Rick Santorum's views was right on ("Santorum's views on rights are best kept private," Star-Bulletin, May 2).

The point of the Constitution is to limit the abusive power of government. It was the abusive power of monarchy that American revolutionaries were fighting against. I think Santorum is missing an important qualification in constitutional law. A person's rights end where they tread on another's. Would Santorum end freedom of religion because some people abuse freedom of religion? We have freedom of religion, but we don't have the freedom to kill people in human sacrifice. We can protect the right of consenting adults to have sex with one another in the privacy of their own home without introducing outrageousness.

There is a whole lot of difference between two adults saying "let's have sex" and a man having sex with a dog. A dog cannot consent to sex with a person. Children also do not understand the consequences of sex, and thus cannot consent to sex with an adult. Also, we don't have enough police to handle the violent and property crime in America; are we now going to require them to police our bedrooms?

Cindy Kaneshiro
Waianae

Mayor's balanced budget doesn't add up

When the average guy exceeds his income, he reviews his spending and makes changes to match his salary. If the mayor exceeds the city budget from taxes, he finds a way to raise taxes without calling it a tax, by saying it's a user fee.

We pay our taxes, lots of them, and expect to receive the services for which those taxes are levied. We do not want official lack of accountability to be covered up by add-on fees for services we are already paying for. We should have a private accounting firm -- one with no ties to the administration -- assess where city money is disappearing to and then ensure that changes are made and managers and directors held accountable for their depart- mental spending.

George Clark
Kailua

Doctor too optimistic about SARS in Hawaii

I was shocked to hear Dr. James Marzolf, from the state Department of Health, speaking about the SARS epidemic the other night on television. He was commenting that the rate of suspected cases of SARS was dropping and the disease was no longer a concern.

I find it highly irresponsible that he would say this on television, given the fact that people are still dying from the disease in Hong Kong, Canada and mainland China. Just because there are no officially confirmed cases in Hawaii, doesn't mean that we are also not going to be affected by the disease.

The state should urge the Centers for Disease Control to take a more proactive approach to protecting Hawaii residents from the deadly disease.

Vanessa Birang

Complacency on SARS is dangerous attitude

I find it absolutely horrifying that the state epidemiologist, Dr. James Marzolf, the person I presume is in charge of keeping SARS out of Hawaii, does not see the need to include Hong Kong or Canada on the Centers for Disease Control's "Health Alert" cards that are handed out to international passengers upon arrival in Hawaii. Hong Kong has been one of the places hardest hit by this disease, and it's absolutely crazy that someone from the state government would not agree with Healthy Hawaii Coalition president Mike Gabbard's request that the CDC add these places to the list.

Kathy Martin