Educate more on care reform

I would love to see more printed on the importance of health care reform and why it is so critical to the average American to know what's really going on.

As Americans, we need to know these facts: Right now, 14,000 people in the U.S. lose their health care coverage each day. And without reform, those who still have insurance will see their yearly premiums go up by $9,000 in the next decade—to an overwhelming $22,000. So many of us will suffer without medical help unless something is done about this, because we won't be able to afford it.

As our trusted paper, I ask for more printed material educating your readers to the importance of reform and of creating more public options in health care. By creating more competition, we will help bring down out-of-control costs for all of us as individuals, for our families and for small businesses. A real public health insurance option is crucial to lowering costs. Without this much-needed reform, premiums will soar in the next decade, rendering many of us unable to afford health care.

As Americans, let's do something about it and stand up for our rights and for our health.

Ho'opili development will help area residents

In response to the D.R. Horton Ho'opili project, I would like to share my perspective as a long-time member of the Ewa Beach community.

I have been following this project for quite some time, and I feel it is a great opportunity for both current and future residents of the Ewa and Kapolei area. What people have to keep in mind is that Ho'opili is unlike any other development we've seen in the past. It is a mixed-use, master-planned community that brings not only new housing but thousands of much-needed jobs to West Oahu. It won't be just another bedroom community as residents will be able to live and work in the same area. Each job created in Ho'opili basically means one car off the road to and from Honolulu. Also with one of the rail-station stops being planned within Ho'opili, even more cars will be taken off the road, further helping to significantly improve traffic conditions on our roadways.

Project may not be all that is promised

I'm from Los Angeles and laughed out loud when reading the developer's comments about how most people were going to work in the new Ho'opili development.

We heard the same thing about the development in Irvine, Calif. All one has to do in California is to look at rush-hour traffic on the I-405 to and from Irvine to realize that “;Work in Irvine”; was little more than developer-speak. Where we come from, developer-speak is also known as “;Road Apples”; or “;Used Oats”; in polite circles.

Property tax change will hurt renters

The “;homeowner”; tax class being pushed by Mayor Mufi Hannemann is another example of his effort to increase taxes without any consideration of fairness or ability to pay.

The non-owner occupant tax proposal by the mayor is another grossly unfair regressive burden on those who can afford it least. It follows the 12.5 percent increase he made in gross excise tax as well as the huge increases in fees which are also a much larger burden on those with low income.

The mayor doesn't think rents will increase if he increases the real property tax on rental properties? Come on. I have a condo that I rent for $1,300. Of that, over $150 already goes directly to real property tax and general excise tax on the rent. People who own properties to rent know whether they are making or losing money and will stop doing it if it is not worthwhile. Rent will be raised or the unit will be sold; the result is higher rents on fewer rentals.

He says he is prepared to work on a tax credit for renters impacted by the increases in rent. How is a low-income person going to benefit by a tax credit from the city? All of the considerable tax they pay is hidden in the necessities of life they purchase and is not paid directly to the city.

Government must loosen its control

The House Democrat heath care bill has little to do with health care. HR 3200 is about the government takeover of the private sector.

The health care industry represents about one-sixth of the U.S. economy. Since President Obama has been elected, the government has taken over General Motors, AIG Insurance and several of the nation's largest banks. We are witnessing a fundamental transformation of American society.

The Obama administration constantly beats the drum of class warfare. Large corporations are bad, big government and more government programs are the solution. In Obama's world, free-market capitalism is out and centralized government control is in.