John Tamashiro is incorrect when he says, “EV drivers do not pay highway taxes that are levied on gasoline sales and pay nothing to maintain roadways. How is that fair?” (“Student loan, EV help not fair to most people,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Oct. 6).

In fact, all registered EV owners in Hawaii are charged an annual road tax of $50.

The EV tax is levied every time an EV owner renews his or her registration. It is a flat tax and is therefore regressive, since no matter how many miles an EV travels each year— many or few — the tax is the same. For EV owners who drive only a few thousand miles per year, they are nonetheless being taxed as if driving nearly 10,000 miles. Unfair.

This flat EV road tax was a stop-gap measure passed by the Legislature until it figures out a more fair and equitable way to charge all registered vehicle owners, whether gas or diesel-powered, hybrid or pure EV, to underwrite Hawaii’s roadways. Basically, an entire new road-tax paradigm needs to be conceived, since EVs will increasingly become a larger and larger portion of vehicles on Hawaii roads.

Robert Hughes

Kailua

Use Aloha Stadium site for UH campus, housing

Let’s build the stadium in Halawa and also include a new campus for the University of Hawaii. They could build dorms for students and high-rise structures for classrooms. The development should include residential towers with market rate and affordable housing and a retail center. Build a village that is not car-centric.

The stadium in the same location can allow the rail station to be used to service the new stadium and the new community.

The half-percent general excise tax for rail should be made permanent and dedicated to the rail project. Build connections to UH-Manoa and to Fort DeRussy with a transit center to limit the vehicle traffic into Waikiki.

The rail would then connect all of the UH campuses, and students could dorm in Halawa and take the rail to Manoa, Honolulu, Leeward or West Oahu for classes. Stop building more facilities in Manoa.

Dennis Enomoto

Aiea

Kokua Line columnist provides valuable service

A huge mahalo to Christine Donnelly for her Kokua Line column, which has helped people like me get answers to questions and other helpful information from many contributors to her column. She consistently responds in a timely manner and many of her shared posts have valuable and accurate information that many of us would not have obtained otherwise.

Those who read Donnelly’s column appreciate it. I know I speak for them as well, when I thank her for her guidance and help over the years and look forward to continue to read the Kokua Line.

Larraine Koike

Nuuanu

Dogs don’t belong at Ala Moana Regional Park

Mayor Blangiardi: Do your job!

As a regular Ala Moana Regional Park user for more than 55 years, never have I seen such disregard for rules governing the park — mainly from dog owners who regularly bring their dogs to walk and frolic in the sand and grass when signage clearly states that animals are prohibited.

Yet every single time I go to the park, there are countless people walking their dogs. I am a dog owner of more than 30 years and don’t have anything against dogs in general. But they don’t belong at one of the most heavily used beach parks in Honolulu.

I have wanted to confront owners who bring their dogs to the park but don’t want to cause any commotion as it’s not my purview to enforce the city’s rules. Park employees say dog owners simply disregard warnings and continue bringing their dogs to the park.

Blangiardi said he would be different from the previous administration. He should show us he can walk the talk and make these dog owners stop their illegal actions. The honeymoon is over.

Trevor Tyler

Aliamanu

Solar panels, agriculture can share valuable land

I’m just a residential gardener and am very concerned about our local ability to increase our local fresh food production, increase its productivity, maximize our precious water usage, and reduce our imports and carbon footprint.

After reading Sharon Geary’s letter saying that the Hawaii Agriculture Conference was “an absolute dismal disappointment” (“Few helpful answers at ag conference,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 2), I was curious whether agrivoltaic was discussed.

Combining farming and photovoltaic on the same land is a grossly under- used solution. Photo panels produce more energy when not stifled by excess heat. Plants below the panels emit rising moisture that helps cool the panels; the panels provide partial shade, reducing precious water from evaporation, maximizing water usage; plant leaves reach out for more sunshine between solar panels, increasing their productivity.

If the land on Lualualei in Nanakuli was turned over by the Department of Defense to utilities and farmers, we could feed the whole state with fresher produce. What better opportunity for a solution using agrivoltaics to meet our food, energy, water, land and environmental challenges?

Brad Baang

Waianae

EXPRESS YOURSELF

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser welcomes all opinions. Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor.

>> Write us: We welcome letters up to 150 words, and guest columns of 500-600 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Include your name, address and daytime phone number.

>> Mail: Letters to the Editor, Honolulu Star-Advertiser 7 Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana, Suite 210 Honolulu, HI 96813

>> Contact: 529-4831 (phone), 529-4750 (fax), letters@staradvertiser.com, staradvertiser.com/editorial/submit-letter