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Limiting population
a simplistic solution

Bradley Coates might be a well-respected authority on family law but after reading his Op Ed piece, "Slow growth a better solution than fixed rail" (Gathering Place, Star-Bulletin, Aug. 23), it is clear that his credentials as an urban planner should be seriously questioned. The first hint that he might not be qualified to speak on the subject was when he described himself in the article as a "sensitive guy," citing the fact that he prefers driving smaller cars, recycling and doing other good stuff as evidence of his character.

His suggestion that SUVs should be taxed at such a high level so as to discourage their purchase would of course penalize soccer moms, weekend fishermen and small-business owners, who tend to drive larger, multipassenger and cargo vehicles. His characterization of SUVs as "obscene" is simply a matter of taste and he should be reminded that we might not all share his unique preferences in wine, music, food, beauty or modes of transportation. Well, so much for his sensitivity towards others.

Coates says that he is opposed to fixed rail transit because Hawaii is not "physically, geographically or culturally conducive to fixed rail," and also because it might attract acts of terrorism. What exactly does he mean by this? Is he opposed to fixed rail because our population center is too disbursed or because the people, preferring to use their cars, will not use it?

Upon careful analysis it seems he is merely taking advantage of the current public debate surrounding fixed rail transit to publicly promote his own particular vision of paradise. His opposition to fixed rail is only incidental, it seems, to his real purpose, which was to publicly advocate his proposal to limit population growth. He states, "Oahu, as well as the counties of Maui and Kauai, are basically at saturation point already. State and county authorities in those areas should be looking at every legally permissible means at their disposal to implement 'slow growth' policies immediately."

Limiting population growth is neither a new nor novel proposal. It is simply an unworkable one.

Unlike Coates, most people do support the development of alternative transit systems, mass or otherwise, because they realize that we need alternative transportation systems to support our anticipated population growth and in the face of dwindling oil supplies, like it or not. But they also realize that we cannot afford the particular fixed rail system being proposed for Honolulu. Judging from letters written on the subject of taxes, most people are opposed to any tax increases proposed by politicians and are especially opposed to the increase in the general excise tax to build and maintain a fixed rail system. They know that it will too expensive relative to the limited number of people and areas it will serve and while having only a minimal impact on the current vehicular traffic congestion problem.

The only real solution offered by Coates was contained in his reference to Hawaii's poorly performing economy during the 1990s that limited population growth due to the scarcity of jobs (although doing little to reduce traffic congestion). The simple solution to overcrowding is elect more Democrats.

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