Veto of union bill will result in strike

I am disappointed in Governor Lingle's veto of SB 768, which would have restored the public employee unions' ability to use binding arbitration to settle contract pay raises.

I find it particularly offensive in light of my union bargaining unit's recent agreement to extend our contract with no increases in wages, despite higher health-care costs. We are acting as responsible citizens and making sacrifices while we await some leadership in bringing about the improved economy Lingle claimed would follow a Republican victory.

The reality is clear: Her plan for fixing Hawaii's economy appears to be to deprive hard-working people, giving state workers less real income with no recourse but to strike.

State workers sought to avoid a strike that would hurt our families and cripple the state's economy. It is sad that confrontation is the governor's preferred way of solving problems when a tough economy demands creative, fair and humane solutions.

When he left the bench, our lieutenant governor told the press that he couldn't raise a family on twice what I make. Good thing he found a state job that pays even more, but it also illustrates the hollow selfishness of Republican politics.

Public workers will remember this affront.

Richard Stevens
Member, Unit 6
Hawaii Government Employees Association
Waianae

Strikes do little but cost workers money

I do believe Russell Okata, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Union, had his threat, diatribe or whateva you call it written up well in advance of the governor's veto of SB 768 (Letters, June 23). How crass, how crude.

Here is a simple math problem for Okata to pass on to his union members: How long will it take them to earn $1,000 at $28 per month? (A calculator will say, rounded off, that it's 36 months.)

If all those good union folk remember the last big HGEA strike, they will remember that their strike gained them a raise in pay of 2.8 percent (equals $28 per $1,000.) If you struck for one month and your salary had been $1,000 per month, you would have forfeited that $1,000 for the right to strike. So, when you went back to work, it took you 36 months just to get back the $1,000 you lost during the strike.

Hmmm, most union contracts run 36 months and here they/you are back to square one with another strike.

Arbitration is not the answer, either. Maybe just a cost-of- living raise each year would be the better answer. If we did that, we wouldn't even need unions anymore. And the union folk wouldn't have to pay union dues. And the Hawaii community would be a lot happier. And Okata would be out of a job.

Don Neill
Kailua

Contraception bill veto is disappointing

I find it perplexing that Governor Lingle would veto a bill that would compel hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims.

This practice has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration as a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy, thereby reducing the need for abortion. It functions in the same way as ordinary birth-control pills and cannot interrupt an established pregnancy. It is widely recognized as an integral part of comprehensive and compassionate emergency treatment for rape survivors, for whom the risk of pregnancy resulting from rape creates additional emotional trauma.

Some would argue that Lingle is just standing firmly on her Republican values. However, it is interesting that Republican Gov. George Pataki of New York supports a similar bill.

So I wonder why the first female governor of Hawaii doesn't want to provide rape victims with a means to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Marjorie Erway
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Bill placed St. Francis in impossible situation

Governor Lingle put her veto power to good use when she turned back SB 658, which required hospitals to provide emergency contraceptives to women being treated for sexual assault.

Lingle realized that some hospitals, such as St. Francis Medical Center, could not comply with this law because of religious beliefs and the result could be the shutdown of the hospital.

This particular veto reminds me of a statement made to me a few years ago by a Catholic priest: "Many a saint was conceived on the floor of a Roman chariot!"

Needless to say, I am pro-life.

Robert M. Lowe

Democrats can't stand governor's success

It is no surprise to see the seething resentment at the success of Governor Lingle. After years of cronyism and pork barrel politics nearly bankrupting the state, the Democrats are shooting blanks. They have only words of dislike, disdain and distortion.

This governor and her supporters stopped tax increases; secured release of the funds for Hawaiian homelands; tirelessly hammered out a reasonable budget; exposed pockets of slush funds and unreasonable requests ... the list goes on, from opening up the state purchasing process to being unafraid to say when the performance of state employees is below the expectations of the people.

The sting of the bright light and simply spoken truths are not easily accepted after years of being able to do whatever suits the government or the government employees.

Politics is not a sporting event so there are no "good sports" when they lose. Not only have the Democrats lost the governor's position, but they have lost the respect of people who every day learn more about their years of deceit and dishonesty.

Citizens of Hawaii are proud to have a leader with the intelligence, integrity and stamina to fulfill our hope for "a new beginning" for Hawaii.

Kay Ghean
Chairwoman
Maui County Republican Party

Despite settlements, suits against Big Isle police were frivolous

I'm writing in response to the May 22 Star-Bulletin story "Hawaii County settles police lawsuits." Both lawsuits involved allegations against me as the Hawaii County police chief.

The article correctly stated that the two separate lawsuits settled for $93,000, with $60,000 being paid to Tanny Cazimero, a former Hawaii County police officer, and $33,000 being paid to Kona resident John F. Brunton.

The article neglected to mention, however, that Cazimero and Brunton dismissed their claims against me before they settled their respective cases with the county. Further, neither I nor the county on my behalf paid any money toward the acts alleged in the Cazimero case.

In a media release, Deputy Corporation Counsel Joseph Kemalamela confirmed that the county denied any wrongdoing, but settled the cases to limit the costs of litigation. Although conceding in this manner may have preserved county funds, in the long run such compromises encourage settlement of frivolous lawsuits against the county, an alarming trend in recent times.

I was also quite disappointed that the writer of the article never contacted me about the settlement even though I was named as a party.

Most disturbing was the fact that the article quoted allegations made by Cazimero and Brunton against me without affording me the opportunity to respond. Had I been contacted for your story, I would have told the reporter that in contrast to Cazimero's allegation that he was fired in retaliation for being a "whistleblower," I had actually recused myself from his case from the onset. The investigation and subsequent termination of Cazimero was handled by then-Deputy Police Chief James S. Correa, under the guidance of the corporation counsel.

With respect to the Brunton lawsuit, I would have told the reporter that despite Brunton's contention that I ordered officers keep him under surveillance "as a harassment tactic," the investigation was actually initiated at the request of the corporation counsel. In short, this investigation was conducted not for political reasons, but rather in response to a legitimate request from county attorneys.

I sincerely doubt that Cazimero and Brunton would have dismissed their cases against me and that Cazimero would have withdrawn his grievances with SHOPO, which he did, if the allegations were true. In addition, the complaints they filed against me with the Hawaii County Police Commission were either dismissed or not sustained.

In summary, the plaintiffs failed to prove a single complaint against me, against the police department or against the County of Hawaii in their lawsuits -- frivolous lawsuits that I had strongly urged the county to litigate.

Wayne G. Carvalho
Retired police chief
Hilo, Hawaii

Sad to see crunchy island tradition go

If it were not for the "saloon pilot" cracker, growing up in Hilo during the Depression would have been gloomier ("'Saloon pilot' company closing," Star-Bulletin, June 19). The saloon pilot was manna from heaven. It was cheap, convenient and comforting.

Whether one went fishing, swimming, camping, whatever, no prudent Hiloan left home without it. It served as our Frisbee and biscotti long before we knew such things existed. If corn flakes weren't available, we could always crumble saloon pilots into a bowl. Eaten plain, dry, wet or with an assortment of goodies on them, saloon pilots taught us to relish the hardtacks life threw our way.

Some of us loved saloon pilots so much that we thought we'd bookend our lives with those Crescent City crackers. Since we started life teething on them, we pictured ourselves leaving life sucking on saloon pilots clenched lovingly between our gums. The closing of the Hilo Macaroni Factory, the manufacturer of the crackers, makes such a end impossible and our departure less noteworthy.

Richard Y. Will

How far will we go for safety's sake?

Since government seems to know what's best for its citizens in terms of coercing all motorists to use their seat belts and contemplating the use of force for motorcyclists to use helmets everywhere they go, it is only fair and consistent that all pedestrians be required to wear those orange reflector vests if they walk the streets of Honolulu.

Bruce Wong

Car driver's arrogance is the real danger

Although I don't ride a bicycle on public roads, I was compelled to respond to Paul Guncheon's letter to the editor ("Bicycles don't belong on roads, only cars do," June 22) because I find it hard to comprehend that he "would submit that the road is not ours to share." It's arrogant and uninformed to say that bicyclists "are completely unpredictable and undependable, and therefore extremely dangerous."

By stating, "The roads were not constructed for bicycles but for automobiles, and paid for with taxes on automobiles and their fuel," does he imply also that pedestrians should not cross the streets because they didn't pay their taxes?

Guncheon ought not to shirk his driving responsibility to share the road with bicyclists (as well as pedestrians) just because he drives a 4,000-pound vehicle. Ironically, contrary to his statement, it is a smart choice to ride a bicycle instead of a 4,000-pound vehicle and whether he realizes it or not, it is all (including himself) who place themselves in danger amid traffic, not just bicyclists.

Stan M. Gapol
Mililani

Anti-bicycle attitude is illogical, dangerous

Paul Guncheon's anti-cycling tirade (Letters, June 22) is remarkable in being either wrong or misleading on every point.

>> The roads are professionally designed to be shared by vehicles of all classes, from bicycles to 18-wheelers. By Guncheon's logic of "smaller means danger," we should all be driving Mack trucks. Do we want our roads ruled by "might makes right"?

>> Only a portion of roadway costs are paid by vehicle-use taxes; the rest out of general funds paid in part by cyclists.

>> Cyclists are no more guilty of erratic behavior than motorists, just more visible due to their smaller number. The recent revolt against Honolulu's speed cameras suggests a lot of motorists have something to hide.

>> Compared to cyclists, motorists generate more costs: needing more road space, causing more roadway wear and generating nonpoint source pollution (oils, metals, vehicle tailpipe emissions) that impacts our air, soil, streams and shorelines.

>> Dependence on motor vehicle transportation for ever-shorter distances is con- tributing to America's sordid love affair with obesity and a lack of physical fitness. This, in turn, leads to higher health-care costs. Mr. Guncheon: Go ride your bike.

Khalil J. Spencer
Former president, life member Hawaii Bicycling League
Los Alamos, N.M.

It's OK to let others see Hawaii as it is

As both amusing and annoying as it is to watch reality shows such as "Boarding House: North Shore" (Star-Bulletin, June 17), why is it that whenever someone from Oahu is spotlighted in a not-so- positive way people automatically assume he or she is portraying Hawaii in a bad light? Why do people think, in this case, surfer Sonny Garcia should be an "ambassador" of the Hawaiian islands? How egotistical is that?

I am sick of seeing and hearing misconceptions about the entire Hawaiian island chain and its people. Not everything in Hawaii is all beautiful, swaying palm trees and lovely hula hands. As in any other show, there has to be conflict for it to be entertaining. You will always have a group of people saying that "such and such" makes the rest of "us" look bad.

Who cares? We're humans, we're not godlike beings living on enchanted islands. People outside of Hawaii need to see it for what it really is, not what others want them to think.

Kalani Mondoy
Glendale, Calif.

Court interpreters' raises long overdue

Some people suffer from receding hairlines. After 20 years without a raise, Hawaii's court interpreters are suffering from an ever-receding pay raise.

The Legislature gave the Judiciary 50 percent more funds for court interpreter pay. Court administrators came up with a pay raise scheme that gives only a minor raise in most circumstances, no raise in others, and sometimes even less money than interpreters are earning now.

But not to worry. Interpreters won't get any pay raise, phony or real, anytime soon. Not even though the new fiscal year begins July 1, and the Judiciary has the money. The Judiciary's current issue of its interpreter newsletter says "the Office on Equality and Access to the Courts recommended an effective date of Jan. 1, 2004."

Looks like going 20 years without giving interpreters a pay raise just isn't good enough. The Judiciary wants to set a record, and go for 21, 22 ... who knows how many more years without giving court interpreters a raise.

No, those aren't red sails in a Hawaiian sunset. That's our pay raise, receding into an infinite bureaucratic future.

Marcella Alohalani Boido
Spanish/English court interpreter

Warden is a firm yet benevolent presence

In khaki-colored Dockers with tan loafers and a neatly tucked aloha shirt, Waiawa Correctional Facilities Warden Ted Sakai stands sentinel over nearly 400 men housed in the Waiawa minimum-security compound.

His neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper hair lies wind-resistant as, with his ever-present smile and radio in hand, our warden "walks the yard."

Mr. Sakai is everywhere. I sometimes wonder if he is actually triplets. He inspects the kitchen, the medical and education unit, as well as the cashbox facility all in a morning's stroll. He is "the Walking Warden," always open to shake an inmate's hand or give a cheery, "Good morning."

Most of us here are on our way out of the state's prison system. Our good behavior and willingness to change has earned us a spot under his wing.

I believe that if a man lives with encouragement, he learns to be confident; if a man lives with praise, he learns to appreciate; and if a man lives with security, he learns to have faith in himself.

With confidence, appreciation and faith learned by example from warden Ted Sakai, I cannot help but become a better man. He is the Walking Warden.

Michael Spiker
Inmate
Waiawa Correctional Facility