This must have been an April Fool’s Day joke. I’m talking about the report that government officials and their employees might be held accountable by a new commission formed after former state Rep. Ty Cullen and former state Sen. J. Kalani English recently pleaded guilty to taking cash bribes (“Hawaii legislative report calls for ‘better, honest’ government,” Star-Advertiser, April 1).

Forming the commission is not the hard part. That’s mostly talk, talk, talk — virtue-signaling. Legislators have no problem forming commissions, funding new positions and studies, but when I hear talk of term limits I have to laugh and believe it was an April Fool’s joke.

Government officials, be they national or local, will never vote to limit their own power. But humor me with this request. Make sure that government officials or employees lose their pensions and all other government perks, health care and so on, when caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Mikie Kerr

Waikoloa, Hawaii island

City shouldn’t drag out pedestrian protections

In response to recent news of the new illuminated traffic signal in Kailua (“‘Complete Streets’ beacon aims to improve safety on Kailua Road,” Star-Advertiser, March 30): This is a very long time coming and is deserved by communities all over the island. I’ve utilized it several times and noticed an immediate impact on vehicles to take pause and acknowledge pedestrians. I also saw one in Nanakuli on Farrington Highway that is most certainly needed for this underserved community.

The described cost includes the removal of an existing crosswalk, but it is exorbitant nonetheless. The city’s red tape and review reportedly took years and probably cost thousands of dollars in design and permitting — for a crosswalk! That speaks of a broken bureaucratic process in need of a massive overhaul.

The city needs to either agree to protect pedestrians, or don’t and face the consequences of a deficient system of sidewalks and crosswalks with the resulting injuries or deaths. These methods have been implemented in cities worldwide for more 20 years. It’s time for Honolulu to enter the 21st century, even if it’s 20 years late.

Mark Ayers

Kailua

Criminal justice reform includes infrastructure

Thank you for your balanced perspective on moving forward with a new Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) (“New jail should be part of reform,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, April 4). To eliminate new OCCC construction with the idea that this would help criminal justice reform is a type of magical thinking, similar to the notion that not building a more advanced cancer center would help reduce cancer.

Any effective criminal justice reform should include a statewide plan to address methamphetamine addiction, which would include not only legislating the ability to provide prevention in affected communities and long-term treatment, but the physical and workforce infrastructure needed to do so.

Gerald Busch, M.D.

Chinatown

Feral cats are invasive, destructive pests

It strikes me as counter to common sense for the Humane Society to refrain from euthanizing feral cats (“How do I keep feral cats from ruining my business?,” Star-Advertiser, Kokua Line, March 27). If feral cats are healthy, neutered and released back into their habitat, they are free to slaughter and exterminate our local endangered birds, as well as chickens and small domestic animals.

Worldwide, feral cats are considered one of the most dangerous invasive species of them all. What they have done to Australia’s ecosystem has eliminated small prey animals and the aboriginal people now eat cats for want of other protein.

The only reason to release healthy feral cats is because some people like to feed them. They are invasive pests, and a real threat in our own precious ecologies.

We should make every effort to exterminate them as we control pigeons and poison rats. Cuteness is not a virtue in our islands.

Beverly Kai

Kakaako

Condo owners need protection from boards

The commentary, “Condo owners have obligations, too,” (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 3), paints condo owners as lawless antagonists. Meanwhile, powerful boards of directors, their attorneys and extremely well-paid property management companies are the beleaguered parties; just doing their best to manage the challenges of homeowners’ associations.

Such a view is unbalanced and inaccurate. I doubt that either of the authors has experienced retaliation, harassment or defamation of character simply for asking a board of directors, general manager or management company to abide by condo law. I know of what I write and completely agree with Lila Mower of Hui Oiaio, whose recent articles were based on reviews of condo law, legislative record, public record facts and statistics and the disturbing experiences of many fellow condo owners, and not broad generalizations (“Proxy voting can distort homeowners’ association elections,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, March 14).

More must be done to protect condo owners from abuses by boards of directors or management, which definitely occurs in some communities.

Molly Brown

Ala Moana

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