Let's itemize education costs on each pay stub

Education is at the top of many citizens' lists of things that need fixing in Hawaii. Parents whose children are in private school are said to be more involved because of the money they pay, but it is important to remember that public school has significant costs as well; they're just more hidden, and it is human nature to ignore what you don't see.

Making the costs of public schools more apparent to taxpayers might be an effective way to incite involvement. So let's itemize the amount of our taxes that go to public schools on our pay stubs. I just got paid, and $65 was withheld for state taxes. The DOE budget is about one-third of the state's budget, so nearly $22 went to support public education.

While other tax revenues also go toward the education bill, this itemization would make it obvious that I'm paying more than $500 a year for a "free" education and, like many other citizens, I want results for my money.

Emily Marr
Kailua

Where do Bush critics stand on raising taxes?

After reading Roger Thoren's June 17 letter, one has to wonder where the people who agree with him really stand when it comes to taxes. Since they oppose President Bush cutting taxes, I assume they want to increase taxes instead.

But I don't think they support increasing the taxes either, because during the 1992 presidential campaign, all we heard from the critics of candidate Bush was carping about how the first Bush administration raised taxes. They kept saying it was those tax increases that led us to the worst economy since Herbert Hoover.

So in 1992 they opposed raising taxes, and now in 2003 they're opposed to cutting taxes, which brings us back to my original question. Where do these people stand when it comes to taxes and our economy?

Ronn Miyashiro
Kaneohe

Hard drugs cause trouble, not marijuana

Anti-drug warrior Ray Gagner (Letters, June 11) is all hyped up for his cause. But what does the government do about tobacco and alcohol except take "soft money" to smear opposing politicians?

I have not touched marijuana for 20 years, but when I was young it associated me with dealers who dealt harder drugs. Prudently, I stayed away from harder drugs.

Gagner cited government studies in his letter. I do not think the government has much credibility when 80 percent of the American people favor medical marijuana, while the federal government opposes it. The drug business is a huge black market and the politicians are corrupted by soft money and power.

I have a suggestion. Why don't we pass a law making it legal to execute hard-drug addicts if they fail three consecutive drug tests? Maybe then some would get help for their addiction. The government does not seem able to do anything except suck money from our pockets.

Phil Robertson

Feds are wrong about religion and cannabis

In the June 16 article "Former Big Isle minister nabbed in marijuana raid," a reference is made to the feds saying that "any marijuana use is illegal."

The federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 makes the religious use of cannabis legal in some circumstances. This has been upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals twice, most recently in the case of a fellow Religion of Jesus Church minister, the Rev. Ben Guerrero in Guam, and the earlier case of U.S. vs. Bauer.

The Rev. Dennis Shields,
The Religion of Jesus Church
Captain Cook, Hawaii

Brunch on the Beach shouldn't be dropped

Last November I returned to Honolulu after an extended stay on the mainland. A friend from Vancouver, Canada, who has an apartment in Waikiki, told me that the next Sunday was to be "Brunch on the Beach." I had never heard of it, but we met in Waikiki and what a lovely surprise it was to find this great idea actually happening.

I could not have imagined Kalakaua Avenue with a green covering, filled with tables and blue umbrellas and, best of all, the marvelous entertainment and array of tempting food at reasonable prices.

I have attended all but one since.

Unfortunately, Mayor Harris told the overflowing crowd that no money had been appropriated to continue. Please reconsider and do continue this free event, which is enjoyed not only by tourists but equally by the residents.

Doyle Tripp

Bush road map will bring peace to Mideast

The search for peace in the Middle East, which began at the Madrid conference more than 10 years ago under then-President Bush, may come to fruition under his son.

Events are moving fast as Israel and the Palestinians agree to negotiate peace. The recent violence shows how tenuous attempts at peace can be, but President Bush has decided to personally get involved. As he did after Sept. 11, I believe he will show us the leadership, patience, tenacity and vision to achieve another victory over the forces of extremism and hatred.

Israel and Palestine living at peace will lead to peace between Israel and the rest of the Arab world. This will in turn change the focus of the Arab people to creating democracies. America is leading the way in Afghanistan and Iraq.

American lives are lost, but not in vain. Young U.S. soldiers are bringing security, hope and the vision of a democratic future to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

This will be a long process. We will be in Afghanistan and Iraq with our allies for the foreseeable future. The fruits of our commitment will be democratic governments created by Arabs -- not carbon copies of American democracy, but governments based on the uniqueness of each Arab nation.

Theodore Taba

Embryonic stem cells lack sense perception

If stem cell research will stop the hideous cruelty inflicted on laboratory animals from mouse to monkey -- all sentient beings -- then we must pursue it.

The Hippocratic oath includes the phrase "do no harm." Modern drugs have harmed animals and humans, while drug companies rake in huge profits. If research with embryos will reduce cruelty to animals and result in drugs with fewer unwanted side effects, human, mouse, cat, dog, rabbit and monkey will benefit. An embryo is not a sentient being.

The anti-abortionists are arguing the opposite. They are interfering with women's right to privacy and preventing a more humane system of drug research from moving forward.

Lois Raynor

Coach's hefty salary reveals warped values

It is a sad commentary on our values when a college football coach gets an $800,000 salary package -- many times more than the governor and the president of the United States ("Jones deal OK'd," Star-Bulletin, June 21).

College football should be subsidized by the NFL, which is the only real beneficiary of the farm system our educational institutions have established.

How can anyone justify that kind of compensation for someone who works just six months of the year, doesn't teach anything that has lasting social value and directly affects fewer people than a freshman English teacher does?

Paul Janes-Brown
Makawao, Maui

Jones' contract seems out of Hawaii's league

It's great to dream, but let's be realistic -- the University of Hawaii never will be a perennial football powerhouse like Texas, Nebraska, Miami, or Florida State. These schools pay their coaches big money because they always fill their stadiums and go to big bowl games, bringing in millions of dollars. Here, season ticket sales are decreasing while ticket prices need to be increased. Is something wrong here?

I agree that June "It's not about the money" Jones is a very good coach, but $800,000? Yikes!

Does this big contract guarantee the fans not only a winning team, but a team that goes to a big bowl game, bringing in big money every year? Jones' salary has more than doubled -- same as our expectations.

Clark Himeda

Lowell served public, not politicians

Thank you for the illuminating article about the problems of state Librarian Virginia Lowell ("Checking Out," Insight section, June 15). Lowell's problem with politicians was clearly a clash of professionals.

Unhappily for library users and the library system, while the retiring Lowell was a professional working for the public, her chief critics -- state Sens. Bob Hogue and Norman Sakamoto -- are professional politicians working for ...?

T.L. Rymer

Headlines show class warfare is under way

On Father's Day I got a nice call from my son in Tucson. He has been working at Radio Shack for several months. The great news was that he was the top sales representative in the area for the last month.

But I shouldn't celebrate too much because I read recently that Circuit City had fired all of its top sales people -- nearly 4,000 nationwide -- because they were making too much money. How can someone on commission be fired for selling too much? No Circuit City managers were fired for making too much money.

We are going to hear a lot about class warfare in the next year. Every time the Democrats complain that the rich are having their taxes cut, they will be blamed for being political Robin Hoods. Be not deceived! The class war is on, and the poor are losing. Class war happens when CEOs assure the employees that the company is sound while dumping their own stock. Class warfare happens when airline operators protect their own wealth while destroying the workers' savings during bankruptcy proceedings.

I am proud of my son; I hope he is not seen as an enemy of management and fired for being too successful.

Dale B. Robertson
Laie

Lingle spends too much time on attack

Since her election, Governor Lingle has attacked the superintendent of schools, the state librarian, the University of Hawaii president, the Supreme Court and the state Legislature.

She has indicated she will oppose legislators who failed to support administration bills. Two Republican senators, Sam Slom and Bob Hogue, voted against her mental health bill. So strongly did she feel about this bill that she took the unprecedented step of appearing at four hearings to show her support. Will she also oppose re-electing Slom and Hogue?

Has the Democratic Legislature treated Lingle fairly? It approved her cabinet more quickly than Gov. Ben Cayetano's first cabinet, and approved her bills at the same rate it had approved Cayetano's.

Rather than opposing Democrats, Lingle should act on legislation approved in 2002 by the Democratic Legislature to lower the prices of gasoline and prescription drugs. These are bills that would improve the lives of all Hawaii's citizens.

To date, the principal accomplishment of this administration is the smooth public-relations team she assembled. Lingle's recent TV appearance to release the money to repair Kaewai school made for good PR, but the money had been appropriated by the Democratic Legislature before she was elected.

Lingle must do a better job of explaining her plans and programs to the Legislature and the public rather than attacking those who question them.

Richard Port
Former chairman
Democratic Party of Hawaii

Airport deal gives all taxis a fair shot

We applaud Governor Lingle's administration for taking courageous action to level the playing field for drivers from all taxi companies to improve service for arriving passengers at Honolulu International Airport.

For 40-plus years, taxi service at Hawaii's main port of entry has been a virtual monopoly, subordinating the public's needs in favor of the contractor's competitive advantage. The state has been cheated out of not just $700,000 in fees SIDA owed, but possibly millions in user fees paid by drivers because the fees collected and the trip counts were set up to avoid audit and verifiability.

Those in the industry who cry foul about the new terms are acting solely out of self-interest, as this new contract will allow any qualified taxi to service the airport on equal terms.

Darcianne Evans
Vice president
Charley's Taxi

Bicycles don't belong on roads, only cars do

Matthew Yee implores drivers to "have consideration for others on the road" as it is "ours to share" (Letters, June 19).

I would submit that the road is not "ours to share." Simply put, a 30-pound bicycle does not belong in the same place as a 4,000-pound car. Period.

I drive extremely carefully when bicyclists are near because they are completely unpredictable and undependable, and therefore extremely dangerous. They seemingly have no regard for the laws of the road or the danger they are in. We've all seen them weaving in and out of traffic, riding two abreast on narrow roads, running stoplights and stop signs, turning without signaling ... the list goes on.

The roads were not constructed for bicycles but for automobiles, and paid for with taxes on automobiles and their fuel. When one rides a bicycle amid auto traffic, one places oneself in danger. It's an individual choice and to my mind not a smart one.

Paul Guncheon
Kaneohe

Money trail proves Iraq is a threat

For those who continue to unjustly criticize our president and think Iraq was not a threat to America, I have three words: Follow the money! Coalition forces are finding billions of U.S. dollars, euros and Iraqi dinars, not in banks or countinghouses but in farmhouses, warehouses and palaces.

I see two reasons for this amount of money being stockpiled: If it is genuine, it was to be used to finance attacks against the American people and our homeland. If it is counterfeit, it was going to be used to flood the world markets and bring our economy and America's citizens to their knees. Neither scenario is indicative of a regime considered harmless by many armchair generals reclining in the safety and luxury of their condos or Rolls Royces. Wake up, people, this is a new world. God bless America.

James Roller