NextEra committed to customers first

Sunday’s editorial clearly captured the essence of Hawaii’s energy challenges and helped to illustrate why we believe the benefit of combining NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric is so compelling ("Ensure sale of HECO puts ratepayers first," Star-Advertiser, Our View).

NextEra Energy is committed to achieving a more affordable clean energy future for Hawaii. We share Hawaiian Electric’s vision of increasing renewable energy, modernizing its grid, reducing Hawaii’s dependence on foreign oil and, importantly, lowering customer bills.

We also recognize the significant role rooftop solar plays here, due largely to high electric bills. However, for customers who cannot take advantage of rooftop solar, a flexible and diverse energy portfolio is essential.

Hawaii’s energy challenges require Hawaii energy solutions — and these should be fair and sustainable for all customers.

As a leader in clean energy, we will draw upon our expertise and customer-first approach to make substantial, cost-effective investments in Hawaii’s energy infrastructure. Our commitment is clear: to bring the right, low-cost solutions to accelerate Hawaii’s clean energy transformation, while also lowering customer bills.

Eric Gleason
President, NextEra Energy Transmission

Technology makes Act 195 obsolete

It is such an exciting time for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as we enter the 21st century and the digital age.

OHA communications manager Garett Kamemotoremarked, and I agreed with him, "If King Kalakaua was here when Apple iPhones went on sale, he’d be the first in line."

And this is why Act 195 (establishing a Native Hawaiian Roll Commission) should be repealed. Technology software can identify not only ancestral history but keep track through iCloud.It’s much cheaper than spending millions of dollars on the Akaka Bill and the roll call.

It would have been more productive if OHA had given all the Hawaiian people iPadsfilled with apps on educational information about OHA.

David Shapiro said it best: "Any accepted path forward must rise from the Hawaiian community, and the state and federal governments have no business trying to organize or control it" ("Take cue from Hawaiians and end enrollment effort," Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, May 18).

The governor and Legislature should not have created Act 195.

Lei Ahu Isa
Trustee at large, Office of Hawaiian Affairs

Leaders ignorant of responsibilities

You hear it over and over from top positions in thestate and city government: "I didn’t know; nobody told me; what’s the law?"every time something fishy or downright illegal occurs within their area of responsibility.

This time it’s fromthe state Board of Education Chairman Don Horner,who admitted he was completely in the dark about"paid leave" while anemployee is under investigation ("Complaint inquiries go slow but pay still flows," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 3).After all, he’sonly the chairman and can’t be expected to know everything that goes on withinthestateDepartment ofEducation.Butnot to worry; he fits in with the vast majority of managers and supervisorsat the state and city level.

James Robinson
Aiea

Locals can’t afford houses on Oahu

Our local population cannot afford $719,500 for a house or $343,000 for a condo ("Oahu home prices hit record level," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 9). There will be more and more homeless working people if something is not done soon.

Kalei Schoenstein’s suggestion of mobile-home parks is the right idea ("Encourage building of mobile homes," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 9). Just about every city in the U.S. has mobile-home parks. Why not here? It would get a lot of people off the streets.

We also need portable toilets where the homeless congregate. They have to use the bathroom just like everyone else.

If there is no available bathroom, they will go wherever they can. They really have no other choice.

Dagmar Kau
Kaneohe

Electric skateboards good idea for youth

The Chinese-made electric-powered skateboards look amazing ("E-powered skateboards roll in isles," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 9).

It is really good for young people like me. First of all, I don’t need to use my foot to keep it moving. All I need to do is keep my balance and enjoy the cool wind.

An e-powered skateboard is much better than a car or bus because it’s much smaller, so you can go almost anywhere. Also, because of its size, you can carry it much more easily than carrying a bike or anything else. This looks popular with young people and is a new trend in skateboarding.

Lianghong Ke
Kalihi

King Street parking could be hazardous

There is another hazard with the King Street Cycle Track that could lead to pedestrian accidents and lawsuits against the city.

When cars are parked next to the new curb, drivers and passengers become pedestrians as soon as they set foot on the street. A passenger has to exit into an even busier road than ever. Drivers and passengers must get to the sidewalk, first by looking down to see the curb to avoid tripping. While stepping across the curb they must quickly look up for oncoming bicycles. To make matters worse, in the future they will have to look in both directions. I can easily envision serious accidents from tripping on the curb and collisions from bicycles.

With all the other problems noted in other letters, along with the pedestrian hazards, the city should restore King Street to the previously smoothly running thoroughfare for the thousands of motorists who use it daily.

Geoffrey Hill
Waikiki