It’s proper to keep cost estimates secret

With the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) awaiting proposals from contractors to build rail stations, Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s decision to withhold internal cost estimates for the construction is not only in the best interest of Honolulu’s taxpayers, but is fiscally prudent.

Disclosing construction cost estimates prior to receiving contractors’ proposals frustrates the objective. It’s no different than asking your architect to estimate the cost of building your home and then making that estimate public before asking contractors to bid.

The Federal Transit Administration requires recipients of federal funds to perform a cost analysis in connection with every procurement action. These "independent cost estimates" are a tool to assist the government in evaluating whether proposals are unrealistic.

The Federal Highways Administration expressly cautions against disclosing cost estimates prior to award of the job, noting that there is no compelling business reason for releasing this information prior to award of the contract.

Michael D. Formby
Director, Department of Transportation Services, City and County of Honolulu

Kakaako units cheap to Hong Kong buyers

Remember the June 2014 article about how high-rises were setting the stage for Hong Kong-ization of Honolulu ("High-rises set stage for future, mayor says," Star-Advertiser, June 8, 2014)?

With all the talk about affordable housing in Honolulu, I looked into affordable housing in Hong Kong.

The Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey uses the "median multiple" price-to-income ratio to rate housing affordability. The medianis calculated by dividing the median house price by the median household income.

In2014, thefive least affordable major metropolitan markets were Hong Kong (17.0), Vancouver (10.6), Sydney (9.8), San Francisco (9.2), and San Jose (9.2).

Ratings of 5.1 and higher are Severely Unaffordable. Hong Kong’s17.0 was the highest recorded (least affordable) in the 11 years of the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey.

The new ultra-luxury condos in Kakaako are real bargains for buyers from Hong Kong.

Lucky we live Hawaii, even at 9.0.

James Arcate
Manoa Valley

Lower prices could boost UH ticket sales

Store owners along Kalakaua Avenue who can’t sell a shirt for $70 should try reducing the prices.

I went to a University of Hawaii Hawaii Warriors footballgame last year at Aloha Stadium. There were five of us and it cost me $200 just to get in.

If UH wants more fans to come to the games, drop the price to, say, $20 or $25 and you’ll get thousands more fans, and those fans will buy food, drinks and other items: $40 x 10,000 fans = $400,000, but $20 x 30,000 fans = $600,000.

People will buy more if the price is reasonable. Maybe people wouldn’t flock to the flea market for shirts that cost less than $20.

Suzanne Haverty
Waikiki

When it’s needed, cash for rail will come

Regarding the rail project, I think it’s time we set aside the "my tax" mentality and look ahead.

With thoughtfulness and creativity we should be able to come up with something we can be proud of.

I am sure everyone will ride it at least once. For tourists it will be one of the must-things to do in Honolulu.

As for the money, when the times comes I’m sure we will find it.

Satoru Abe
Kaimuki

Many politicians won because of ‘againsts’

Reading David Shapiro’s column ("Ige maintains silent stance over land agency nominees," Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash, Feb. 22) reminds me that we seem to live in a city and state run by "againsts" — that is, individualswho came to office by people voting not for them but against their opponents.

Gov. David Ige benefited by 80,000 people voting against the incumbent, Neil Abercrombie, in the Democratic primary, who in turn had benefited by those voting against then-mayor Mufi Hannemann four years earlier.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell rode on the coattails of an alleged smear campaign that convinced thousands of ill-informed people to vote against Ben Cayetano.

And where has all this gotten us?

Whatever happened to the real leaders in paradise — Neal Blaisdell, John Burns, Daniel Inouye, Patsy Mink and even Frank Fasi (who himself suffered an ‘against’ campaign in 1980)?

Maybe it’s time for a new generation to step up.

Chip Davey
Downtown Honolulu

PV fine if owners pay fair share of rate base

The Star-Advertiser advocates rooftop solar ("HECO should hasten rooftop solar approvals," Star-Advertiser, Our View, Feb. 26).

This is fineif solar customers pay their fair share of the rate base.

When the sunsets,all solar customers rely onfossil fuels for energy. The onlyexceptions are those who have gone off-gridwith battery backup.

Rate base covers the cost ofgeneration, distribution, maintenance and administration.

Current bills for PV owners barely covers the cost ofbilling. Thebill should be$100 per month versus $10. More customers allowed on PV equals higher bills for everyone else.

PVis fairif you are off grid and do not burden your neighbors, or if it isdone by the utility where savings, if any, go to all customers.

Wayne N. Hedani
Wailuku, Maui

Gov. Walker chose to take the low road

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a leadingRepublican contender for president in 2016, was asked recently if he agreed with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who claimed that President Barack Obama doesn’t love America.

Lacking the courage to directly answer the question, Walker shifted the question to Obama himself.

"You should ask the president what he thinks about America," he said."I’ve never asked him so I don’t know."

In effect, Walker’s disingenuous reply endorsed Giuliani’s despicable claim. Walker could have used his own self-serving logic to question Giuliani: "Did Giuliani ever ask the president what he thought about America?" Instead, he chose to givecurrency to Giuliani’s remark while pretending to be fair-minded and non-judgmental.

Mark Helbling
Manoa

HECO business model no longer suitable

While I understand that Hawaiian Electric Co. is trying to save its jobs and salaries, it’s time for HECO to get real.

It wasn’t that long ago that catching a cab in New York City meant climbing into a carriage behind a horse. It’s a time that has passed, as is HECO as it exists today.

This state is uniquely situated to take advantage of natural resources to provide us the cheap electrical energy we need: Wind, water, solar and geothermal.

Meanwhile, what has HECO concentrated on? Buying oil. Now it’s natural gas.

Oh, they’re interested in solar, too — interested in stopping it.

In 2013, HECO’s management team was paid almost $14.5 million. That’s a lot of money to pay a team whose main accomplishment, for years, was to find the best price for oil.

Frederick Aylesworth
Mililani

FROM THE FORUM

Readers of the Star-Advertiser’s online edition can respond to stories posted there. The following are some of those. Instead of names, pseudonyms are generally used online. They have been removed.

“Bill seeks change to UH autonomy,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 23:

>> The underlying problems will not be corrected by turning the University of Hawaii over to politicians. UH, like all governmental institutions, is not set up to succeed. There is no accountability, no matter how badly they perform. The whole state, which is overseen by the Legislature, operates like this.

>> It would be hard for the legislators to keep blaming others about problems at UH if they had oversight, but somehow I have a feeling they’d still find a way to do that.

———

“Possibilities limitless for Mariota,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 24:

>> Looking at the whole package of his skills, abilities and image, Marcus deserves to be selected first in the draft.

>> No doubt he deserves it but … I’d rather see him drop a bit (in the draft) and be picked up by a good team that knows how to develop talent rather than one of the bottom dwellers who only know how to destroy it.

>> No matter where he gets selected, history will prove he was the best all the way to Canton.

———

“Parks emphasis expected in State of the City speech,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 24:

>> I am all for community involvement when it comes to organized road cleanups and graffiti cleanups, but something just rubs me wrong when a city launches an adopt-a-park campaign when our tax money is being squandered in so many other areas. Our parks are not 

“orphans” in need of adopting, but our mayor is in need of “parenting” classes.

>> I actually like that analogy.

>> In other words, the city and its Parks Department are useless and can’t do the jobs correctly.

>> Kirk Caldwell is right on. We desperately need the parks so we can pull off the crowded roads and highways due to the construction delays caused by rail construction. You can now see that Caldwell really does have a vision. Caldwell will be telling us more when he runs for re-election — waiting for the train.

———

“Legislator sues to gain access to sex ed survey,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 25:

>> We paid for the survey with our taxes. Why can’t we see the results?

>>  State Rep. Bob McDermott is defending our right to know the content of our children’s education, especially in subject matter such as this.

———

“HECO holds solar hostage,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 25:

>> That’s what happens when there is a monopoly and no governmental agency with sufficient power to rein it in for the good of the public.

>> I don’t know how the Hawaiian Electric Co. brass, the state Public Utilities Commission staff and our elected officials can look themselves in the mirror each day.

>> The PUC needs to find some courage and tell HECO to approve the PV installations. Payment can be worked out later. People have a right to use the PV they paid for. As an incentive to HECO to quit playing games, tell it there will be a $100 fine per day per home, paid to the homeowners, until their PVs are approved. The only way to get HECO’s attention is by fining them.

———

“Hitachi buys company developing Oahu’s rail,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 25:

>> Hitachi taking over our rail builder ensures that we will have a state-of-the-art rail transit system. We will be a world-class city when our rail is finished.

>> Wow. I get it that you’re a rail proponent, but the jingoistic tone of your rail support is like pages out of some Soviet era propaganda pamphlet! “World-class city when rail is finished”? We’ll see.

———

“HPD chief assessed as above average in review,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 27:

>> Obviously, the expectations of the Honolulu Police Commission concerning the leadership of a Honolulu Police Department chief have gone drastically downhill since Chief Michael Nakamura.

>> The commission members are probably afraid of the chief and the power he has.

>> Indeed. They could wake up in the morning with a mailbox in their bed …

>> Looking at the whole picture, he is above average. He has mishandled a few things, but more times than not he has done a good job. In the wake of the family dispute, he stayed committed to his convictions and still maintained control over HPD.

———

“Bill would cut safety check frequency,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 27:

>> Safety checks are a joke and just easy money for service stations.  

>> Most of the states have no safety inspection whatsoever. They are a waste of time with no significant benefit.