Europeans pay around 10 percent to 12 percent higher income taxes than Americans, but they get the following, all paid for: family medical leave, about eight weeks paid vacation, child care, five months maternity leave, universal health care, visiting physicians, fully paid college or trade school, and high-speed internet. And, of course, there is superior infrastructure.

Americans, on the other hand, in addition to their taxes, have to pay for the things mentioned above in the form of premiums, fees, co-pays, monthly charges and tuition payments — almost all of which are of a lower quality than the European counterpart.

In other words, all of these fees and premiums are just additional non-hidden taxes.

We are being ripped off to the max. When will we change?

Jim Quimby

Kamehameha Heights

Is rail-HECO snafu legally actionable?

Your article, “Advisers brushed off issue over utility lines” (Star-Advertiser, May 1), prompts many questions:

What did taxpayers pay for contracts with consulting firms Parsons Brinckerhoff and AECOM? What recourse do we have? Was there political pressure applied? Is there a possibility of civil or even criminal charges for huge anticipated costs?

Add to this the staggering cost of delays to existing and future contracts. The 0.5 percentage point excise tax surcharge likely will last forever. We can only hope it will not increase.

George Nakamura

Mililani

Start criminal probe into train project

“This is my home. I’ve put down roots now over the past four years,” said Dan Grabauskas, executive director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation.

“I love Hawaii. I’d like to stay here, and I’d like to see this project through” (“Audit describes financial train wreck,” Star-Advertiser, April 16).

Before I could stop laughing, I read Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s equally ridiculous response:

“My focus is on building this transformational project as quickly and inexpensively as possible.”

Really? Where has he been all this time? I think the entire project should be placed under receivership and a criminal investigation begun before any more taxpayer money is wasted.

Edward D. Lasky

Hawaii Kai

Short-term rentals not hurting hotels

In response to Eric Gill (“Airbnb bid threatens tourism industry and zoning laws,” Star-Advertiser, April 7), I’d like to mention that House Bill 1850 enables Airbnb to only pay taxes on an owner’s behalf. It does not legalize short-term rentals.

Short-term rentals have long been part of the tourism industry and hotels have fared just fine, as they appeal to a different consumer base.

The reality is, some people want to be away from the hustle and bustle and stay in a local community; all the while, hotel occupancy and revenues are at an all-time high. The sky is not falling for Gill and his organization, UNITE HERE Local 5.

Not everyone comes to Hawaii for a vacation. Many interisland and mainland travelers rely on the availability of short-term rentals for business travel or visting family that lacks adequate space. License and regulate.

Ronald Steiner

Hawaii Kai

Local agriculture builds community

Commercial farmers and ranchers invest their own resources and sweat equity into their operations.

Their day isn’t measured by hours but by acres or whether the field is planted, harvested or weeded. It is not just a business but a way to provide for others so we can have lifestyles of our choosing.

They have heart and care, not just for themselves; they have an ethic that defines community.

Our farmers and ranchers are master stewards of the land, as they know it must be protected for future generations.

Technology has changed, so practices accepted in the past will evolve as farmers keep abreast of new knowledge and work to protect the community and environment.

Agriculture isn’t just about oneself or business. It is about supporting and building a community.

Sandi Kato-Klutke

Kapaa, Kauai

Libraries should be open longer hours

Hawaii has the only statewide library system in the U.S. Its individual branches are core to the communities they serve and provide access to the system’s vast holdings to users across the state.

Some libraries, including Aina Haina, Hilo and Kihei, are open just five days a week. Others have limited hours of service.

The Manoa branch, for which the estimated value of construction was $9.5 million, is a lovely and well-used facility. On Fridays it is open for a mere four hours.

These limited hours do a disservice to users. If the water level in public pools were lowered to halfway, the outcry from swimmers would be loud and immediate. Reducing access to the library system’s many offerings by limiting hours of operation makes no obvious sense. It is a waste of resources that needs to be addressed.

Paul Migliorato

Makiki

Judge candidates by fealty to Constitution

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump remind me of two angry bulldogs in a pit, one determined to overpower the other.

A pretty sad choice for us.

There are only two brands of political candidates we should be concerned about in this election — those who obey the Constitution and those who don’t. Former divisions such as Republican, Democrat, left wing, right wing, conservative, moderate or liberal have little meaning anymore.

The Constitution is our law. When the government does not follow it, we have anarchy. And that’s what we have today — anarchy. I think we can be confident that neither Trump nor Clinton has any intention of submitting to our Constitution. Whichever one crawls out of the pit as the victor, we can count on four more years of anarchy.

Richard Morse

Hanalei