Agencies pitched in to help find missing man

We would like to express our most sincere "thank yous" to all of the agencies who put forth such tremendous effort in finding our family member, Richard Hadama: Honolulu Police Department officers, led by Philip Camero; Honolulu Fire Department, led by Albert Fernandez; the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Ho'omaluhia Park staff; the helicopter crew; and the search dogs. They were a highly organized group who showed much compassion throughout. Most of all, they helped to keep our hopes alive throughout the ordeal.

We also cannot forget the tremendous support we received from the many friends, neighbors and the general public. The happy ending was the result of everyone's combined efforts. Much mahalo.

Seat-belt laws about money, not safety

In "Seat belts leave some clicked off" (Star-Bulletin, May 24), Honolulu Police Department Sgt. Robert Lung said, "What we're finding is out of all automobile fatalities, we'll have about 50 percent not wearing seat belts." So 50 percent of the people dying ARE wearing seat belts.

Interesting. Your chance is 50-50 with or without a seat belt. This again shows its not about safety because seat belts are not safety belts -- they're restraints. If they were safety belts, no one wearing one would be killed.

So once again, we see it's not about safety; it's about money. In the meantime, the seat belt Nazis keep trampling our rights.

Let the millionaires pay for legacy lands

Take money from the rich; give it to the poor. That's what the Legislature decided to do in passing the Legacy Lands Act (House Bill 1308 CD1). And that's what Governor Lingle has said she will not do. I guess the governor thinks that taxing anybody is the same as taxing everybody. But most everybody will like this bill because the tax will not apply to them and they will see some benefit from it. The benefit will be an increase in funding for affordable housing and also for Hawaii's Natural Area Reserve Fund. This is good for all of us, not just the eight conservation groups that support it.

And the tax -- it's not so bad. The ones who pay the tax are the rich millionaires who are buying second homes or investment properties. They can afford to help Hawaii with its legacy and help Hawaii residents stay in Hawaii rather than be forced to flee because of skyrocketing housing costs.

Lingle is the governor for them too, isn't she? Or is she just the governor for the rich?

Corporate naming could help parks

Allowing corporations and businesses to adopt parks (and also to adopt bus stops) would lead to cleaner, safer and more friendly places for legitimate users ("Council panel hesitant to sell park name rights," Star-Bulletin, May 18). With the naming rights, the corporation or business must be responsible for the day-to-day cleaning and also would have the right to call the police for the immediate removal of drug addicts, alcoholics, vagrants, squatters and anyone else who is causing problems in their parks or at their bus stop.

It would not be enough just to allow the payment of a fee for the naming rights, rather the corporation or business must take an active part in maintaining the park (or bus stop) or have their name removed. What corporation or business would want their name associated with a filthy, unsafe area?

Bus stops could have corporate or business logos on them, and the same rights to remove undesirables would permit these stops to be used by legitimate TheBus riders who now may be afraid to use the stops. Many bus stops are dirty and used by vagrants as beds forcing bus riders to stand.

Parks and bus stops could be bid areas. Looks like a win-win situation to me. Cleaner parks and bus stops and corporate/ business recognition. It could be a wave of the future. The city must start thinking outside of the box they have put themselves in. Let's privatize. This may be a start.

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