Hanohano’s voice belongs in the mix

The feelings and free speech of an elected official are paramount ("Prejudice complaint filed against Hanohano," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 15).

State Rep. Faye Hanohano is the voice of her constituents, largely a Hawaiian community. It is vitally important that her concerns be understood in their substance and not distorted by the form of her words.

There are far too few legislators of Hawaiian blood. We should encourage the public participation of those who have been deeply immersed in the old values and culture, the anguish, pain and pilikia of their constituents, as has Hanohano — even though their facility in the olelo haole, foreign language, is different from most.

U.S. poet laureate W.S. Merwin captured the plight of the Hawaiian in his poem "Chord," the first and last linesof which read: "While Keats wrote they were cutting down the sandalwood forests … and an age arrived when everything was explained in another language."

Hanohano understands the anguish in her constituents’ language. Hawaii needs the voice of Rep. Hanohano.

Leigh-Wai Doo
Palolo Valley

Minimum wage should be indexed

It is the height of hypocrisy and indifference that the leadership of our state Legislature, the Senate in particular, has such difficulty raising the wages of Hawaii’s minimum wage workers.

They must have forgotten that the last two salary commissions raised their compensation substantially both times.

It has been almost eight years since our state, with our high cost of living, has given a pay increase to those who work the hardest for the least amount of money.

The time has come for the minimum wage to be increased to at least $10.10 per hour, with indexing for inflation and repeal of the tip credit.

President Barack Obama and the overwhelming majority of the American people believe it should be the law of the land.

It seems that only corporate-sponsored politicians have a hard time giving a helping hand to those who are struggling to make ends meet.

Randy Swindell
President, Hawaii Ports Maritime Council

Minimum wage a women’s issue

It’s clear that our legislators do not understand what minimum wage workers deal with on a daily basis ("Tip credit stymies accord on raise," Star-Advertiser, Feb. 20).

They are purposing the minimum wage increase to $10.10 over four years, up from $7.25 an hour before taxes. That is not a living wage. Who can wait four years?

The minimum wage is a women’s issue; nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. The majority of tipped workers are women. Some are head of household.

The minimum wage has not kept up with inflation. The elected officials’ salaries have.

State Sen. David Ige, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and state Senate President Donna Mercado Kim want to be elected to higher offices. They have to remember minimum wage workers vote also.

MarshaRose Joyner
Hawaii Kai

Home rentals are part of tourist allure

I am very surprised by Senate Bill 2964 and its companion, House Bill 2176, which would allow the phaseout of many vacation rentals throughout Hawaii.

The House bill has already passed committee; the Senate bill is up for hearing on Tuesday.

We have been coming to Hawaii and renting houses for years. We represent a significant portion of the Hawaii tourist income, not simply in terms of rental income, but also income to all manner of retail and service providers.

Therefore, it would appear evident that the rationale and interests behind this legislation should be vetted with full transparency and not be allowed to slip throughwithout coverage by your fine newspaper.

We have not sensed animosity from our neighbors, wherever we have rented (Kauai, Maui, Hawaii or Oahu). Can it be that the people supporting this legislation are sufficiently angry and powerful to push it through under the radar screen?

Thomas McMahon
Chicago

Opinions on youth don’t match up

On Page A1 of Saturday’s Star-Advertiser, I read about juvenile students being asked to judge their teachers ("Students tell how teachers measuring up," Feb. 22). On Page B1 of the same issue, I read that "because we recognize their immaturity and lack of decision-making ability," juveniles are not allowed privileges reserved to those over the age of 18 years ("Bill lightens sentencing for minors," Feb. 22). Furthermore, "just because some- body looks physically mature doesn’t mean that their brains are actually cognizant of the consequences of their actions."

I wonder if officials in the state Department of Education, the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the criminal justice system are cognizant of such views?

Lloyd J. Soehren
Nuuanu Valley

Every problem here studied to death

So a state Senate committee wants the state Board of Education to conduct a study on air conditioning public schools ("Senators pull plug on cooling all schools," Star-Advertiser, Jan. 28)? Here we go again, state procurement as normal. Let’s spend another million or two on a study instead of simply addressing the issue head-on.

What’s to study? You count the number of school rooms in need, ask for competitive bids, then hire a contractor.

The mind boggles over the ineptness of local politics.

Michael O’Hara
Kaneohe