Useless to stop rail at Middle Street

The commentary, “Why Honolulu’s rail system should end at Middle Street” (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 5), requires a rebuttal. It gives a litany of saved money for problems up to and including homelessness, if only rail stopped at Middle Street. It is much more realistic to think the “saved” money will go to a truncated system that would bring in less revenue.

Imagine the consternation of visitors who take rail from the airport toward Waikiki and are told to get off and get on a bus two stops later. Indeed, eliminating the last eight stops, right where population density begins, is the least sensible thing to do at this point.

Much of Kakaako redevelopment was predicated on rail stations. Pulling those stations will interfere with the desirability of those condos and retail locations that were advertised as being close to rail.

If we are going have mass transit — and we are because it is two-thirds built — it should be the best and most useful system it can be. Now is the time to commit and do a great job. Not to pick up our marbles and go home.

Ann Beeson

Chinatown

Another government failure coming up

“The best predictor of success in the future, is success in the past.”

Haven’t you heard this? And the reverse is true, too. So here comes another Hawaii government project in Honolulu: the stadium.

The one still standing could never get the sliding sections to slide, and the state bought that story that the steel beams would turn to a beautiful patina color with that special protective coating. Someone in government was convinced that steel wouldn’t rust on an island in the middle of an ocean.

Recall other government projects: the health insurance exchange, the tax department system overhaul, the highway system IT contract, the Superferry, the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, the false nuclear missile alert, and too many others.

Read the 2019 Infrastructure Report Card by the American Society of Civil Engineers to see that all Hawaii grades are Cs and Ds. Not one A or B. This is our best predictor of continuing lack of success.

We now have the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Who believes our government can build a replacement stadium? Is there a politician’s hand in someone’s pocket again?

Joel Brilliant

Hawaii Kai

Athletics crucial for a ‘normal’ Hawaii

The well-deserved accolades for the national champion University of Hawaii men’s volleyball team by Gov. David Ige and Mayor Rick Blangiardi, and the outpouring of grief for the passing of Colt Brennan, illustrates how important sports is to Hawaii’s “normal.”

Require all athletes and spectators to be vaccinated and show proof before they can participate or watch sporting events in person.

On another note, save our Aloha Stadium and stop giving away the land that was designated public lands as required by the Navy when it turned the land over to the state.

Clarence Toguchi

Kaneohe

Safe Travels program really isn’t safe at all

Lt. Gov. Josh Green, House Speaker Scott Saiki, Dr. Mark Mugiishi, Ray Vara and various tourism and business representatives have asserted for months that the state’s travel program is safe.

Kauai County rejoined the state’s one-test plan on April 5. The results? Record-breaking COVID-19 cases on Kauai leading to a more restrictive tier, additional death, endemic community spread sparked by a travel policy that doesn’t require returning residents to quarantine, and shutdowns of safety- conscious businesses — not by government requirement, but necessitated by COVID-19 infections of staff and customers.

On April 30, Green said that with Safe Travels, we “haven’t seen a spike in cases.” That same day Kauai reported 16 new cases, 50 identified over the prior 10 days — giving Kauai among the highest per capita spikes in the country. Maui is still reeling from its surge.

The emperor has no clothes; yet no one speaks.

When reality is denied — without challenge — deliberative democracy dies.

JoAnn Yukimura

Lihue

Local shops replaced with touristy ones

Beth Churchill said that vacation rentals give local small business owners a way to participate in the state’s tourism economy (“Vacation rental occupancy in March tops hotels again,” Star-Advertiser, April 23).

Before vacation rentals overwhelmed Kailua, we had stores like Charlie’s Sportswear, Liberty House/Macy’s, a large fabric store, a lovely muumuu shop, and many more stores that appealed to the local Kailua residents.

Now most shops are filled with costly baubles that appeal to the tourists, and they’re bemoaning restrictions on vacation rentals.

I don’t feel at all sorry for them because it was their choice to concentrate on the tourism economy instead of Kailua’s local residents. The Kailua locals have experienced a lower standard of living so that tourists can experience “quiet beach town life.”

This seems like rewarding the few (tourists) at the cost of the many (local Kailua residents). We want our town back!

Nancy Perry

Kailua

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