I strongly disagree with Chip Fletcher and Colin Lee’s opinion piece recommending that the state use part of its budget surplus to buy out property owners whose coastline land is being eroded by the natural forces of nature (“Use surplus to protect Sunset Beach,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 25). Why should taxpayers bail out any individual’s bad investment? If I lose money because a company whose stock I own goes bankrupt, I just lose the investment. At best I get to write it off as a capital loss on my taxes. Property investment losses should be no different.

Taxpayer bailout of property losses of any kind is a horrible precedent to set. That is what property insurance is intended to do. And if you can’t get insurance for a risk, that should be fair warning you have made a bad investment. The authors admit that ocean rise is going to continue for probably thousands of years, subjecting more and more property to the same risk over time. So, where are you going to draw the line?

Yes, the state should begin to enforce its orders to remove the temporary barriers landowners have erected, but this should be done at landowners’ expense.

Richard Manetta

Wilhelmina Rise

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