The removal of leadership at the city Department of Planning and Permitting is only a start (“Top Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting officials resign,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 8).

The problem is its deeply ingrained culture of arrogance and insensitivity to the people it is supposed to serve. It is rife with corruption, alleged favoritism and costly delays in the permitting process, as well as lax enforcement that allows reported violators to run rampant. Staff won’t even respond to simple questions.

This culture will be difficult to change. It will require a revamp from top to bottom using rewards and punishment.

This is the challenge for new leadership. The mayor must appoint someone up to the task or share responsibility for the agency’s failures.

Mark J. Valencia

Kaneohe

Instead of a rebate, reduce unneeded taxes

Big deal! Hawaii residents are getting a tax rebate (“Hawaii tax rebates slated to start arriving next week,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 7).

The truth is that the funds from this check come from the residents themselves. Hawaii has such a tax burden, with everything from the exorbitant fuel tax to the unnecessary beverage container fee. It’s time to eliminate those taxes to begin with, and then the state can further save on the cost of printing and mailing the checks associated with this campaign buyout.

Michael Nomura

Kailua

Use empty-homes tax to raise more revenue

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism reported that more than 24% of housing sold in Hawaii is bought by out-of-state buyers. Last year in Maui County, that figure rose to 36% and almost half the money spent. No wonder Hawaii residents are being priced out of the housing market.

The housing market can be shifted back toward housing for residents by implementing an empty-homes tax. Many out-of-state buyers are wealthy investors who live in their Hawaii homes for only a small part of the year. Their homes are vacant for most of the year and are not even rented to Hawaii residents.

An empty-homes tax on these homes (in addition to the usual property tax) could create tax revenues to build affordable housing. Each county has authority to create an empty- homes tax.

Empty-homes taxes in Vancouver and British Columbia are raising hundreds of millions of dollars to support affordable housing programs. Why not here?

Keith Webster

Kaneohe

With crosswalks, honor all people, not just a few

I applaud Malia Wood for saying we should stop honoring separate entities (“Create a welcoming Hawaii for everyone,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 7). We should honor all people, end of story. I agree totally with all she said.

People are people. Some bad, some good, many different from one another.

If the politicians think this will change our minds about how we feel, they are wrong. Those who are in favor of such actions will be pleased and those who are not in agreement will only continue to accelerate their personal bias.

Stop wasting our tax dollars trying to mind-control all of us.

Diane Tippett

Waikiki

Judges not careful when releasing without bail

As a two-time victim of crime last year, I have been following arrests in my Waikiki neighborhood since Jan. 1, 2022. Judges consistently ignore state law guidance regarding bail: “The court may dispense with bail if reasonably satisfied that the defendant or witness will appear when directed …”

Judges routinely release defendants on their own recognizance, over the state’s objection, even though the defendant has a history of never appearing in court voluntarily. Additionally, through June 30, the failure-to-appear rate of those released on their own recognizance in my neighborhood exceeds 90%.

Failure to punish contemptuous behavior is a mockery of justice and is destroying our communities. If defendants are not held accountable for their court obligations, justice falls apart.

John Deutzman

Waikiki

To honor our veterans, restore the Natatorium

Our government, which includes city, state and federal representatives, showed no respect for veterans when it closed the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium because of lack of maintenance.

It saddens me when I read that a mother monk seal and her pup were the only ones using it.

I believe that this memorial was built for all of our future generations to enjoy. It’s not too late, if we all get together and restore it.

Alvin Wong

Pearl City

Let people park free, but for a limited time

It looks like Kioni Dudley beat me to the punch (“Instead of raising rates, make parking free,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 29).

It seems to me that any sensible person would agree with Dudley. If we are paying more for maintenance, meter upgrades and salaries than we make on parking meter fees, it would make more sense to revert to free parking, with time limitations on space and meter enforcement officers ticketing violators as in the past.

This probably would more than cover the cost of paying the officers’ salaries. What a beautiful way to show aloha to our residents and visitors.

Louie Carnazzo

Kailua

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