Let's keep our paws off Maui's big cat

As a child I was told the story of the wayward eagle that had taken up residence in Kauai's beautiful Waimea Canyon. Whenever we visited Waimea Canyon, I would always look for the eagle. I never saw the eagle, but I figured that if I were an eagle, Waimea Canyon would be a nice place to live out my days.

Fast forward to 2003 and Olinda, Maui. If I were a big cat, Olinda would be a pretty nice place to live out my nine lives ("Expert confirms big feline lurks on Valley Island," Star-Bulletin, Aug. 14).

The big cat, if it exists, seems to be living like the legendary eagle of Waimea Canyon -- alone, unobtrusive, but in a pretty nice place. Rather than continuing the circus (trying to lure the big cat out by playing jaguar sounds through a megaphone? Gimme a break!), let's let the big cat be.

Keith Ishida
Mililani

City should be creative in finding bus revenue

Fare increases are not the way to promote mass transit. We are hurting the faithful bus riders and people who believe in mass transit. Let us think outside the box to promote a higher ridership. One way is to increase the cost of parking in city limits. People will not want to park within the city limits and will turn to mass transit. This was a successful method in California.

The increase should be at the box. Increase the fares at the box to $2.25 and $1. This will encourage local people to purchase monthly bus passes. Families with many children can save money by purchasing passes or having their children ride the low-cost school bus.

In addition, increase the five-day passes for tourists. Oahu hosts more than a million visitors a year. They use the sewers, water, roads, and buses. They have the choice to use a taxi or public transportation. Every other city in the nation hits the visitor. I know, I do over 50,000 miles a year in travel.

Finally, why does the city provide free recreation? We let people play tennis, skate and swim for free. Why do we not provide free bowling? We need to let the public pay a minimal fee for operating swimming pools, tennis courts, skate parks, and golf courses. This can release funds to provide an essential service like mass transit.

Incidentally, adults pay $1.75 and students pay 75 cents. Where does the extra 25 cents go each time a rider inserts a dollar bill? Does the bus company pocket the money? Do we calculate the extra? Or is this a way for the bus company to pay for extras?

Harvey Lee
Kailua

Bus fare increase won't reduce ridership

In response to all those complaining about a bus fare increase, let me guess: Out of the 240,000 people who ride the bus daily, about 75 percent, or 180,000, do not own a means of transportation. The other 25 percent, or 60,000, ride the bus because parking is too expensive, it's cheaper than driving their car, they can sleep on the bus, and so forth.

Riding the bus instead of driving to work to reduce traffic is nonsense. Hence, increasing the bus fare would not change anything; the same people will still ride the bus. If there is a bus strike, people will find a way to get around it.

In the meantime, I will enjoy the freedom of driving in the right-hand lane, free from buses stopping on every intersection. And in addition, I can proceed into the intersection when the light turns green without worry about being broadsided by a bus going through on a red light. I vote for a fare increase.

Cal Nakamura
Honolulu

City shouldn't submit to extortion by union

The transit employees who belong to the Teamsters Union are extorting money from the public. In a bad economy with many unions taking cuts in pay, such as the airline unions, how dare these greedy union employees demand more pay. How can the city in good conscience negotiate to give these bunch of extortionists one penny in light of the fact that:

>> We're in a down economy.

>> They are already paid more than police, fireman and even state schoolteachers. Where are our priorities?

>> Our property taxes have been increased once this year.

>> Bus fares increased in July and will probably be increased again in less than three months.

>> Cutting of services may be defined by layoffs but it doesn't address the fact that these transit employees are being overpaid, which sets the stage for an explosion in labor costs once TheBus starts rehiring, and we know any hiring freeze will be temporary.

Taxpayers and the bus riding public have sacrificed more than should be expected. When are the transit employees going to contribute? If anything, the union should be giving back benefits to match the benefits of more important jobs.

I hope the mayor and the City Council have the guts to put a stop to the constant extortion perpetrated on the hard working citizens of Honolulu.

Bruce Wong
Honolulu

Families, be wary when kids travel alone

Last week our 15-year-old grandson arrived in Honolulu and attempted to take a taxi from the airport to his uncle's place of business at Sand Island. Despite the fact that he had written on a card the name and address of this business and that it was located at Sand Island, the driver took him to a residential area in Kalihi Valley and left him there on the sidewalk with all his baggage.

Never having been in Oahu before, the young man, who is from Israel and speaks perfect English, had no idea where he was. Noticing some business activity at the end of the road, he trudged down there with all his baggage, found a public phone and called his hanai auntie. By his description of the surroundings she was able to identify his location and drove through the rush-hour traffic from Hawaii Kai to pick him up.

We are writing this letter as a warning to families with young members traveling unaccompanied that unscrupulous people are out there. We would hate to see this happen to another young unsuspecting traveler.

Joseph and Dawn Castelli
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii