Motels would cater to low-budget travelers

I can sympathize with your readers' letters about how expensive it is returning to Hawaii. What we need to attract low-budget tourists is to have a cheaper place to stay, such as motels. Not everybody wants to spend their money on expensive and luxurious rooms when they come to Hawaii. They would rather spend it on more sightseeing and other outdoor enjoyments. What they need is a clean room to sleep after their long tours and sightseeing.

Why don't we have motels built along the coasts? Is this one of those things that only the conglomerate hotel corporation are allowed to build in Hawaii?

Tourists don't create it, they just perpetuate it

Regarding Eric Poohina's letter yesterday, I believe he almost got it right, but not quite. The tourist didn't create the injustice present in Hawaii today. Since the overthrow and interference by American military troops in 1893 and subsequent illegal annexation of Hawaii in 1896 by American legislation this continued American injustice has existed in Hawaii. The tourist perpetuates this American-created injustice.

Consumers have right to know food origins

I cannot understand the arguments given by corporation lawyers that consumers do not have the right to know where their food is produced. The lawyers say that it is unfair to discriminate against beef from Canada, apples from Chile or salmon from China. In the old days (I mean "real old," like a few centuries ago) everyone knew whence their food came -- usually from "down the road a piece," or from their own land.

Some hardy souls have tried to either restrict their consumption to food grown within a hundred mile radius or so, or avoid anything from a label they cannot trust on a product from another country or locality. The news about contamination from the "global market" makes me real uneasy. Especially because if I look at a beverage, a container of yogurt or a can of chili, it is nearly impossible to find out where it is produced. It will usually say "distributed by so-and-so in Schenectady" or somewhere, but even finding that information (which is useless) takes quite a bit of time. I don't mind learning to grow my own and to frequent the farmers markets, but I think I do have the right to know where stuff comes from.

Tax office exemplifies terrible service

I've seen a lot of letters in your paper from irate citizens, regarding the poor quality of state and city leadership. I recently moved here and confess that I'm not really up to snuff on most local issues. However, if my limited experience with Hawaii state and city agencies is an example, I fear most of the criticisms must be true.

When I received my property tax statement, I noticed that my house was being taxed as a "golf course view" home, which it is not. I border Kapolei Parkway, a six-lane noise generator that cannot in any way be mistaken as a golf course. When I inquired about this mistake at the appropriate agency office in Kapolei, I was answered in half-truths, excuses and psycho-babble. I asked to speak to a supervisor. This supervisor gave me the same garbage as the reception person. In a nutshell, I am being overtaxed, cannot do anything about it until the assessor's office chooses to take the time to re-assess our property and I must continue to pay this government-sponsored robbery, which I understand is not refundable.

Do these bureaucrats serve the public, or vice-versa? I've never witnessed such an absolute lack of leadership. It borders on criminality.

Hardware store work brought many rewards

Goodbye to my friends and valued customers!

I have worked for Hardware Hawaii in the plumbing department for the past 12 years. I will be leaving Hawaii for the mainland soon but would like to say a few words before I leave.

First of all, I would like to thank the Lundquist family for allowing me to work for them. I will never be able to repay them for all that they have done for me and my family over the years. As for my local customers, I have learned as much from you as you have learned from me, after solving your problems and talking story with each of you. Where else would you end up talking to one customer who helped design and build the original Batmobile for the TV series? Or another customer who does cartoons for the Sunday newspaper? Everyone has a story if you take the time to listen.

As for our military customers, I have helped the troops build everything from a beer bong to making stuff to keep their equipment going. We called it "creative engineering." But it worked! The wives of the troops on deployment would come in to have us help them with their problems at home. At every occasion, when I dealt with our military or their wives, I made a point to thank them for serving our country and tell them they were appreciated. I hope it made a difference; I know it did for me.

As for my fellow employees, I have never felt more like family than when I worked with you over the years. I will never forget you. Love and aloha.