Some voters being denied representation

Politics and retribution should not get in the way of the people’s business.

Under the new House speaker, Rep. Joe Souki, the citizens of Wahiawa, Whitmore and Poamoho have been denied fair representation because our state representative, Rep. Marcus Oshiro, does not serve on any committee.

The Army is considering major budget cuts that could affect soldier and government civilian positions at Schofield Barracks.

The Army plays a significant role in Wahiawa’s economy, and our community’s voice needs to be heard.

The Wahiawa/North Shore agriculture corridor is about to experience positive transformation. Once-fallow land will be productive again as diversified agriculture flourishes on Oahu’s central plain.

Oshiro provided the impetus for the successful transfer of the Galbraith Trust Lands to the state. He deserves representation on the agriculture committee to help steward this transformation.

Government leaders must lead by example. Let’s leave politics aside and focus on doing the people’s business.

Walter Benavitz
President, Wahiawa Community and Business Association

Substitute teachers should be a priority

Gov. Neil Abercrombie recently made the creation of a preschool program a top priority in his budget.

Now there is a Department of Education proposal to outfit every student with personal computers.

As a retired classroom teacher and former substitute teacher, I applaud these attempts to improve the chances for students to succeed.

However, may I remind the governor, Sen. Jill Tokuda and Rep. Roy Takumi, who chair the education committees, that the DOE has been dragging its feet for years on more than 5,000 substitute teachers’ court-mandated back pay.

The state should take care of its past obligations first before initiating programs that come with million-dollar price tags.

Our current elected officials should be held accountable to ensure that this back-pay issue is finally resolved.

Stop kicking the can — and the substitutes — down the road and waiting for all of us to die so the state doesn’t have to pay.

Gail A. Ouchi
Aina Haina

Te’o hoax ultimately just a sad situation

While events surrounding the Manti Te’o hoax are somewhat mind-boggling, my overriding feeling is really one of sadness.

We all root for a trusting hero, someone who wears his heart on his sleeve and is willing to take a leap of faith.

But if that leap of faith isexploited, do we then brand him a fool? Granted, Te’o’s judgementwas less than sound, but I don’t view that as a lack of character.

The attributes that make him such a compelling role model — an unusually compassionate athlete with a strong sense of aloha andohana — unfortunately also made him the perfect victim.

Not just ofthe scam perpetrators, but of a feeding frenzy quick to tear him down for the story’s shock value.

Thetrue tragedy is as Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick lamented: "The single most trusting human being I’ve met will neverbe able to trust in the same way again in his life."

Steve Dang
Kaimuki

Japan’s money policy will hurt isle tourism

With the Bank of Japan announcing a new monthly bond purchase of 13 trillion yen ($145 billion), the government of Japan intends to devaluate the yen significantly to increase exports and improve its recent balance-of-trade deficit.

What does that mean for us here in Hawaii?

It means that the value of the yen will go down, as it has recently, the cost to travel to Hawaii by the Japanese citizen will increase, and with the rule of supply and demand, fewer Japanese tourists will come to our state. With this upcoming major change in the value of the yen, tax revenues to our state will substantially decrease.

Have our legislators taken this into account when they are determining the budget for the next year?

I hope so.

Gary R. Johnson
Kaneohe

Hawaii workers equal to mainland workers

A minimum wage hike to $8.75 would bring wages up to the minimum wages of other states.

Are Hawaii residents worth less than other state residents?

Hiking the minimum wage may also take more people off government assistance programs.

Businesses in Hawaii have gotten away with paying plantation wages for too long.

Alan Loo
Pearl City