HI-5 program mismanaged?

The HI-5 program was designed to benefit someone, but apparently not the state (meaning us) and certainly not the consumer.

I don’t understand why the state isn’t making lots of money. It gets 5 cents for each container sold and only 75 percent of the containers are returned.

If administrative costs exceed 25 percent, something is wrong.

Why all these payments to the collection companies? It looks like they are the only ones benefiting from this scheme.

It is such an unpleasant experience collecting, driving to a collection center, maybe waiting in line to get a little money back.

Most people are happy to help the environment. I’ll bet you would get more than 75 percentof the containers returned with a convenient curbside pickup. This would help the selling merchants and the consumer public.

Bo Myer
Honolulu

Aloha spirit still alive in traffic

I find that when people ease up alongside me and put on their blinkers, they always wave or "shaka" when I let them in, and then I wave back.

The people who dart over or just barge in either don’t acknowledge me or give a wafty half-wave that seems to say, "Yeah, yeah, mahalo, whatever."

But by far I’m still finding the aloha spirit when I drive.

Of course, I don’t drive all that often.

Barbara Jurkens
Kakaako

Make changes to Zipper Lane

If we were to automate the Zipper Lane, we could cut the traffic jam.

By monitoring the traffic in both directions, the Zipper could be automatically moved to normalize the traffic for as many lanes as necessary.

Also, eliminate use of the Zipper only by multiple riders, which was a mistake from a traffic congestion standpoint.

Fritz Amtsberg
Makiki

Sustain support for symphony

Now is the time!

The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra successfully completed its initial season and will embark on its second this fall.

That second, as well as future seasons, however, will depend upon an outpouring of community support.

Let’s not suffer from a "sophomore slump." If we do, we put the future of the symphony at risk.

The musicians stayed the course over the last few years, suffering through low, then no, salaries. With an excellent president as well as a talented and generous board now in place, the future looks promising.

As you think about the level of support you can afford in each of the coming years, perhaps consider making this year’s gift twice that amount. In that way, we join together in ensuring the symphony’s future.

Sandra and William Gurowitz
Kailua

‘God of Rail’ will cost dearly

And so it begins.

Friday: Mayor Peter Carlisle signs a bill for a $450 million line for credit for the rail transit project.

Saturday: The city taps a reserve fund for $58 million in "contingency" funding in addition to the $30 million plus already spent in change orders.

Taxpayers, please get ready to open your wallets again to the great God of Rail.

Alan Poepoe
Nuuanu

Rail credit line just a formality

Rail opponents have begun making claims that the line of credit the City Council recently approved for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is part of the planned funding for rail construction.

Taxpayers should know there are no plans to use the line of credit.

The Federal Transit Administration is requiring back-up funding sources for many projects now, in the event that a natural disaster happens, like the tsunami that hit Fukushima, Japan.

The mayor and others have repeatedly stated it is highly unlikely HART’s line of credit will ever be used.

We also hear anti-rail claims that there will be long-term debt from the project. This, too, is wrong.

All construction costs and short-term bonds will be completely paid off by the end of 2022, just 10 years from now.

And taxes won’t be raised to pay for construction.

All this information can be found on the HART website. Please check it out if you have concerns about the project.

Brian Uy
Board member, Go Rail Go Nuuanu