Someone please run against Kawamoto

Once again I am appalled at the actions by my state senator, Cal Kawamoto. His actions as stated in your Feb. 20 editorial demonstrate his selfishness. The arrogance that he displayed by introducing a bill to fire Campaign Spending Commission director Bob Watada shows how much power he thinks he has.

One day I hope that someone from our neighborhood who is willing to speak for the people and not for themselves will run for his office and win!

Shirley Higa
Waipahu

Multiple boards will create inequities

Through all our education difficulties, Hawaii has not had to cope with a horrendous problem inherent in all the 49 states with decentralized school district systems. Kids in wealthy districts get a better quality education than kids in poorer districts.

It is nearly impossible to guarantee positive results for Governor Lingle's plan to replace our centralized system with a decentralized one. But it's extremely easy to predict that mainland-style education inequities will inevitably result from Lingle's plan.

Rick Lloyd
Honolulu

Voters should decide future of schools

The people should decide whether Hawaii's single school district is broken up into smaller districts. We trumpet our democracy to the world at large, yet Hawaii has an educational infrastructure more suited to a dictatorship. The Department of Education is accountable neither to any branch of state government, nor the will of the people whose taxes pay for its operation.

Local school boards as implemented in most other parts of the country are more democratic. The members are people you have a good chance of running into at the grocery store or gas station and giving them your views on your schools.

They have other jobs, too, so the meeting times won't be maximally inconvenient and all their meetings will be held locally. We need to practice what we preach, arguments about economic inefficiency or student performance aside.

Irene Newhouse
Kihei, Maui

Higher pay will attract competent teachers

The real issue for the people of Hawaii to decide in regards to public education is not whether to increase the number of school boards, but rather getting competent, certificated teachers in the classrooms.

Teachers in Hawaii are grossly underpaid. They earn $14,000 less than the mainland average even though Hawaii has the highest cost of living. A teacher in California earns $15,000 more, Alaska $16,000 more and New Jersey $24,000 more. Certificated teachers have left and will continue to leave. Money talks loud and clear.

The retirement plan for teachers is worse than for police, firemen, or bus drivers. Also, teachers have to pay for 40 percent of their health benefits. Other states are attracting teachers with higher pay plus better retirement plans and health plans.

Everyone knows that too many cooks spoil the stew. One Board of Education is all we need. If parents want to get involved, join the PTSA and participate in your child's school.

Everyone also knows that you get what you pay for. Many of our best teachers are retiring early, going to private schools (smaller class size, no discipline problems, lots of parent involvement), or moving to the mainland.

Finally, when bus drivers earn more than teachers, you know that there is a big problem in respect to what is valued more.

Harold T. Irving Jr.
Honolulu

Bills would encourage workers to strike

Your coverage of the concrete workers strike has been excellent. Your Feb. 20 headline "Strike 'killing' construction" was appropriate and highlights the far-reaching effects of the strike. Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers, glaziers, painters and other subcontractors are on the losing end of the current strike, no matter what.

Going on strike involves an inherent risk; workers may never recover lost wages, and they may ultimately lose their jobs. That is why a strike should be the last option.

Unfortunately, there are bills in the Legislature that will encourage labor unions to go on strike quicker and stay on strike longer. HB 2701 restricts management from hiring non-residents to replace strikers. In other words, "Go on strike. The government will hold your job for you."

House Bills 2697 and 2699 extend unemployment benefits to strikers. In other words, "Stay on strike. The government will pay you for it."

By cushioning strikers from risk and subsidizing walkouts the state does a painful disservice to the people of Hawaii. As someone who has worked in construction as a painter, laborer, landscaper and drywall hanger, my heart goes out to the workers and their families whose jobs are at risk.

I am also deeply saddened by Democrats who are driving these measures. They will hurt Hawaii's families and the state's recovering economy.

Rep. Bud Stonebraker
R, 17th District (Kalama Valley-Hawaii Kai)

Editor's note: A letter to the editor on civil unions written by Bill Stonebraker Sr. was published in the Star-Bulletin on Feb. 21. Bill Stonebraker Sr. is the father of Rep. Bud Stonebraker.

Bush took much more money from lobbyists

A Bush-Cheney video campaign ad takes aim at Sen. John Kerry for having accepted $640,000 during the last 15 years from "special interests" -- industry lobbyists. If that's so bad for Kerry, then President Bush's trolling for more than $960,000 from lobbyists in 2003 alone is really unconscionable.

This is just one of many issues on which Bush shows himself to be a hypocrite.

Roger W. Moser Jr.
Honolulu