Killing peacock a selective crime

The story on the Makaha lady who killed a feral peacock with a baseball bat was shocking in that she was charged with a crime (”;Makaha woman faces charges on beating death of peacock,”; Star-Bulletin, May 23).

How was her act different from a hunter killing a feral pig? How is it different from killing crowing roosters, poisoning rats or squashing roaches? It sounds like nuisance control, rather than torture or cruelty.

It must be the peafowl's beauty that made this a crime. It seems that city prosecutors took this action in response to public outcry—sort of like a witch hunt or a lynching.

Rail is an expensive luxury

All the recent pro-rail letters to the editor do not take into consideration several points: 1) The city does not have enough money to pay for rail at this time. The collection from the transit tax, which expires in 2022, will be short by about $3.14 billion and who else but us taxpayers will have to shoulder the $3.14 billion. 2) The huge and expensive bureaucracy to administer and maintain rail once it is built would be a heavy burden to us taxpayers. 3) Trains will be almost empty the whole day and night except during rush hours.

Rail will be a luxury the taxpayers of Oahu cannot afford at this time.

Pay cuts will curb spending

I am a state employee. A public school teacher as a matter of fact. It has been suggested that state employees from all bargaining units may experience significant pay cuts, possible furloughs and a hefty increase in the employee contribution to our state health care plans. Now I am not going to whine. I realize there are many people who feel we make too much money as it is. The economy is bad and I suppose we all have to make sacrifices.

Please be aware, local business owner, when my salary is affected due to pay cuts, benefit reductions along with tax increases, I have less money to spend in your business. When I have to create a new budget, I will be cutting visits to restaurants, hair salons and other goods and services that are not necessities.

There are thousands of state employees who spend locally and when our pay gets cut, you will be without customers. I hope you survive.

Peacock problem persists

The story about the killing of a peacock by a resident of the Makaha Valley Towers (Star-Bulletin, May 23) indicated that the city prosecutor's office was flooded with e-mails and phone calls from citizens outraged by the attack and that prosecutors plan to vigorously pursue the case.

I would love to know where these outraged citizens live and, in particular, if any of them reside in the Makaha Valley. I really believe that if they were subjected on a daily basis to the incredible and interminable screaming of these birds they would also seek whatever immediate relief was available.

There are rules governing the number of crowing roosters in residential areas. Why not address the peacock problem in Makaha Valley? The homeowners there deserve peace and quiet.

Instead of prosecuting Mrs. (Sandra) Maloney, why can't we get together to devise a plan to protect the peacocks while also protecting the citizenry?

Politicians need review

Politicians make voting so easy. Think about the following: 1) Whether they took a pay raise while their constituents “;sweated”; in this economy and others lost their jobs; and 2) Did they raise our taxes? If their answer is “;no”; then vote for them. If their answer is “;yes”; to one or both, then give them directions to the next job fair.