Brainstorm! Challenge

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Don't put landfill at Kapaa Quarry

At the recent City Council meeting on the proposal to put a landfill in Kapaa Quarry, I deferred to my constituents since there were so many who wanted to speak.

But let me now, for the record, add to the letters I have already written to our City Council members. I oppose the proposal to put a landfill where at the Kapaa Quarry. I oppose this for many reasons, but let me focus on just two. First, there is an ongoing business operation there. This business has a long-term lease that is generating revenue and employing people. Given our economy and need for jobs, why would we want to put them out of business? It makes no sense.

Why would we select a site with a business? The cost to compensate the ongoing business alone makes this landfill proposition cost prohibitive.

Second, demographic trends indicate that you create landfills where there is the most need. In other words, you place those waste facilities where the waste needs are increasing. That would be Kapolei or the Ewa plains. That is where population growth is up, not Windward Oahu. Our population growth has been flat for years.

For these reasons and many others, I oppose placing a landfill at the Kapaa Quarry site.

Rep. David A. Pendleton
(R, Maunawili-Kaneohe)

Second-class status better than third

Mary Papish should check her facts before she pens another misleading letter (April 5). Hawaii's Reciprocal Beneficiaries Law conveys about 16 percent of the 340-plus state-bestowed benefits and none of the 1,049 federally bestowed benefits on same-sex couples. We do not have health insurance coverage, rights to pensions, or many spousal rights or familial rights, to name a few.

The Civil Unions -- Civil Rights Movement, in conjunction with other gay rights organizations and activists, has been leading the fight for equality for Hawaii's sexual minorities, to include the establishment of civil unions here, a form of second-class citizenship, but better than the third-class citizenship Papish tries to pass off as equality.

Martin Rice
Legislative chair
Civil Unions -- Civil Rights Movement

Beach events allow old-style tourist fun

We noted with amazement that in a recent poll on how to meet the city's budget, a large percentage wanted the Kuhio Beach concerts dropped to save money. How short-sighted!

Judging by the crowd at the show we attended, these events are very popular with the tourists. Waikiki tourism fuels the economy here and provides jobs. There are many other warm cities with nice beaches, but people come here for the special Hawaiian atmosphere.

When we first came here 40 years ago, we could find beautiful Hawaiian music everywhere, so we have come back every year since. We heard musicians like Emma Veary, Danny Kaleikini, Charles K.L. Davis, Jack Pittman and Sonny Kamahele. Now we have to really hunt around for that kind of music.

The city is to be congratulated for the beautifying of the Kuhio Beach area, which is a perfect setting for the Hawaiian show. The mauka side of Kalakaua has become a noisy three-ring circus unfortunately, but the ocean side is still lovely and the music should continue there for the tourists. Remember which side your bread is buttered on.

Vivian and Walt Evans
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada

Harris endangers city by starting on BRT

Despite safety concerns voiced by bus drivers, emergency response workers, delivery drivers, bicyclists and residents of Waikiki, Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris is forging on with the Kuhio Avenue bus rapid transit project, ignoring the City Council's resolution to postpone further work.

In addition, it appears the Harris administration, including Transit Services director Cheryl Soon, led us to believe that the project is possible due to federal funds. But it was later revealed that city funds were being used with hope that federal funds would follow. So, what happens if the federal funds don't come through? Who pays?

Are members of the Harris administration so uncaring and ego-driven that they fail to see the potential for injury and death because they refuse to address the safety issues? Doesn't the mayor care that his action put the entire city at risk for financial losses should litigation find the city liable?

His efforts should be concentrating on the needs of the city and not on planting flowers on new medial strips and adding to traffic gridlock.

Jeff Kino
Honolulu

Weinbergs make life better for the poor

Hawaii is fortunate to have the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, which has done much for Hawaii's poor: housing, food bank, purchasing hospital equipment and more.

Recently, the Weinberg Foundation began paying for prescription medications for the poor. People can apply for the payment if their assets are low.

I am really thankful for Harry and Jeanette Weinberg, for I really consider them saints. Their foundation gives Hawaii's poor security, really a kind of insurance.

Rose Norbert
Honolulu

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[ BRAINSTORM! ] Hawaii is popularly known as "The Aloha State." What might be a better slogan? To get started, think about what you might see around the islands -- rainbows, waves, sand, traffic jams, homeless orangutans ... Send your ideas by April 21 to: brainstorm@starbulletin.com Or by mail: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson Star-Bulletin 500 Ala Moana 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Or by fax: Brainstorm! c/o Nancy Christenson 529-4750