Energy plan key is partnerships

Other than reiterating Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s statement that energy is Hawaii’s most important economic enterprise, Richard Borreca’s column was inaccurate ("Abercrombie’s power plans seem to be losing energy," Star-Advertiser, On Politics, July 12).

The key to Gov. Abercrombie’s energy plan is not the creation of an independent energy authority. The key to the plan is swifter action by the private and public sector working in concert.

Creating an energy authority is still an option if the Public Utilities Commission is unable to institute some of its planned changes to reduce regulatory delays.

On July 11, Gov. Abercrombie signed a bill to advance on-bill financing, which can make clean energy accessible to many more Hawaii residents.

The bill’s passage was possible only because of a private-public partnership. In fact, the vast majority of energy policy is neither glamorous nor politically controversial; it’s just the product of hard work of many people committed to working together and ending our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.

Richard Lim
Director, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

Civil unions act begs questions

Thank you for printing the statement on July 7 from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg:

"This is a historic moment for New York, a moment many couples have waited years and even decades to see and we are not going to make them wait one day longer than they have to."

Thank goodness some politico understands the equality involved in New York’s move toward marriage freedom with the passage of their marriage act.

Here in Hawaii, we have to wait 10 months for the Civil unions act, which leaves more questions than fairness.

Will the gay civil union couples be able to adopt?

Will reciprocal beneficiaries have a smooth transformation to civil unions?

Will the present licensed ministers of marriages be able to officiate at a civil union?

It will take New York one-tenth the time to enable their gay and lesbian couples of the freedom that Hawaii couples only dream of.

Where is the fairness in this?

Where is the aloha?

Carolyn Golojuch
Kapolei

Time to limit sewer hookups

Congratulations to Honolulu City Councilmember Ikaika Anderson for serving his 3rd District constituents’ interests well.

The mayor of Honolulu has been dumping opala out west, in Council member Tom Berg’s 1st District, for longer than I can remember, and now his administration plans to truck this fair city’s raw sewage out of sight, too?

This is a stinky outrage!

May I humbly suggest to the mayor and City Council that population growth in districts served by the Sand Island sewage treatment facility is over?

Common sense tells me the City Council simply cannot, under any circumstances, allow the administra­tion to permit the number of sewer connections to exceed the associated treatment facility’s capacity.

It is the right thing to do.

Dennis Egge
Honolulu

Irony abounds in sewer debate

Several thoughts came to mind as I read the article and the corresponding editorial about the removal of $26 million from the budget to expand the sewage treatment facilities at Sand Island ("Plan to transport raw sewage draws criticism," "Council acts carelessly on critical sewage project," July 10).

The only alternative is to truck waste almost 20 miles to Kailua.

» The lack of public commentary in such an important issue suggests that required steps were not followed.

» Is it responsible to send raw sewage to a plant that has a long and documented history of problems?

» Why would anyone even consider shipping waste from the industrial area of Sand Island to the residential area of Kailua?

Yes, there is a wastewater facility there, but isn’t it to support the developments of the local area and to prevent the need to truck waste over the mountains into Honolulu?

Ironic, isn’t it?

Trissa Walter
Kailua

Teachers deserve greater respect

As a former teacher who also spent several years serving on the negotiating team, I am concerned that teachers here allow themselves to be put in the same category as workers who have jobs requiring little or no college.

Teachers have spent five years or more getting their degrees and teaching credentials and deserve to be considered as professionals, along with attorneys, doctors, etc.

Teachers, please do not let Gov. Neil Abercrombie give you his meager last and best offer and just accept it. One of your best options is to strike to get what you deserve, and it certainly isn’t what the governor considers fair.

Sara VanDerWerff
Kailua

Keep all vehicles off sidewalks

Are commercial companies paying for our city sidewalks?

I have noticed that throughout Honolulu, delivery trucks and commercial trash collection vehicles drive and park on our sidewalks.

I do not see city trucks on the sidewalks, except the occasional police vehicle.

The sidewalks probably were not built to sustain the weight of these trucks and therefore are decreasing their life expectancy, creating a hazard for pedestrians who use them.

I know if I were to park my private vehicle on a city sidewalk, I would get a ticket and possibly be towed, depending on the location.

Why is there a double standard for the taxpayer and the commercial entities?

David Anderson
Palolo