When you throw around billions of dollars, a few hundred million dollars here or there doesn’t seem to matter much anymore.

The article, “Consultant raises estimated cost of rail by $134M” (Star-Advertiser July 3), and an added 9-month delay just seems to be par for the course; no need to call the City Council or be alarmed.

But what should raise alarms is that for the first time, it seems, we are told the $8.199 billion being thrown around as the final cost is actually before financing costs of up to $855 million. That moves the project to over $9 billion. It seems to be a cruel tactic to exclude nearly a billion dollars from the rail total and call it “financing” and to ignore the source of over $140 million per year operation and maintenance costs for rail. What other costs are being hidden from the public that they will have to pay for?

Garry P. Smith

Ewa Beach

—

Schofield’s Fourth event brings pride

Our family members, ranging from ages 2 to 70, had such a wonderful experience celebrating the Fourth of July on Schofield Barracks. It was well-planned and executed from the security and parking and shuttles to all the food, entertainment and of course, the outstanding fireworks display. Our heartfelt gratitude to everyone, especially all the service members who were working on the holiday. We were reminded of what it feels like to be proud of America again.

Colleen Haviland

Haleiwa

—

Care for all parks, not just Ala Moana

Mayor Kirk Caldwell, on the June 30 KGMB news, said, “We put a lot of effort into our parks to make our parks better and stronger.” This was on the improvements at Ala Moana Park. Great statement if it were true for ALL the parks and not just some. Maybe so for Ala Moana Park but what about others like Pawaa In-Ha Park and Stadium Park? They’re trashed, grass is dying and it seems like a “safe zone” for the homeless. The Young Street side of Pawaa In-Ha Park is a mess! Rubbish and homeless stuff just spread all over in both parks. What an eye sore!

Why is nothing being done about reinforcing the law about “No Camping” in those parks the same way Ala Moana and some other parks get enforced?

Mark McGuire

Punahou

—

Closure of parks not good public policy

Preventing the public’s access to parks and bathrooms is unacceptable (“City program locks more parks at night,” Star-Advertiser, June 18). There was a public outcry nationally when Starbucks, a privately owned company, tried to limit the use of its bathrooms and tables to patrons. I suspect it is dealing with the same costs to maintain its facilities. Shouldn’t we thank it with a tax break?

The closures are not the answer to dealing with a small percentage of our populace who don’t observe the rules; enforcement is. At my age, a public bathroom is very important. I’ve paid for its use.

Kevin Mulkern

Kuliouou

—

Bagging groceries leaves carts on own

I recently returned to Oahu from the mainland and went to the grocery store. Checking out, I was told I would have pay for any bags I used. I want to know who gets the money I paid for these bags that used to be free. Would I get a discount on my groceries for the extra charge?

Now I carry my camping backpack in my car trunk. I cart my groceries to the car, put them in the pack, drive home and carry the pack to my house. I used to religiously return the shopping cart back to the store. Now I leave it in the parking lot. If I have to bag my own groceries, they have to retrieve their own cart.

George Shoemaker

Kaaawa

—

Nation’s divisiveness caused by both sides

A recent letter writer opined that this might be the last Fourth of July that we would be free to think and act freely — all because of President Donald Trump (“Last chance to celebrate July 4?,” July 4). Other than expose the letter writer’s fantasies, we should be alarmed at what is happening in our country.

When people in the administration and Trump family member cannot go out in public without being harassed by “the resistance,” when college professors are driven off campus by threats of left-wing violence, when a gunman attacks the Family Research offices because they are listed as “racist” and “homophobic” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, when a Bernie Sanders supporter shoots Republicans at a baseball practice, then we are well on our way to a dangerous civil war.

Carol R. White

Ward

—

Non-natives have no say in immigration

In view of the history of the U.S.’ sweep across the North American continent, violating the prior existence and residence of the indigenous peoples of that land, and in view of the U.S. aggression and subsequent colonization of Hawaii, reflected more recently in the U.S. confession via its Apology Resolution to the Native Hawaiian people, it seems to me that the non-indigenous people of the U.S. and the non-Hawaiians of Hawaii have no moral authority to discuss or decide on the matter of immigration into the U.S. or Hawaii.

Immigration upon these lands should be left to the very people whose lands have been invaded upon in the first place.

Poka Laenui

Waianae