Now it begins (“Playground in vision for Ala Moana Park,” Star-Advertiser, May 9).

City Council Bill 78 was the foot in the door. Time and again, the public has told Mayor Kirk Caldwell that Ala Moana Beach Park is loved by everyone just as it is and once again, he ignores the people.

Now that Bill 78 has passed, (although more people testified against it than for it), privatizing at Ala Moana Beach Park is a natural next step. The mayor said the proposed playground “could have zip lines, all kinds of really good things.”

What an awful vision for a favorite beach park — unless, of course, the only green one envisions is the dollar kind.

Betsy Connors

Kailua

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Focus on airport first, not on more seats

Gov. David Ige is right to focus efforts on growing the visitor industry. However, his approach to persuade airlines to add seating capacity is misguided, given the current state of our airports.

Our local airlines deserve better from the state Department of Transportation, as Lee Cataluna wrote (“At least we didn’t name the landfill for Inouye,” Star-Advertiser, May 5).

The state’s visitor industry would be better served with an accountable state government rather than persuading private businesses to add more flights to what many believe is a substandard airport. A poor first and last impression for visitors will not help to grow the visitor industry, no matter how many more seats are added.

Richard T. Reyes

Waikiki

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Feds opened Stairs; so can local agency

Thank you for the excellent article about reopening Haiku Stairs, written by Dr. Vernon Ansdell and environmental specialist Jay Silberman (“Reopen Haiku Stairs as public treasure,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 7).

Back in the 1980s, my six children and I enjoyed hiking the Stairs numerous times. They offer one of the most spectacular views in all the U.S. This was courtesy of the federal Omega Station, which provided an efficient and community-friendly supervision of the Stairs.

Then, in the 1990s, with the advent of turning Haiku Valley and the Stairs over to local control, we looked forward to the different recreational and cultural activities possible in the valley under local administration. Instead, we got a locked entrance gate, high fences, hired guards and stiff penalties, all to keep the public out.

How ironic that it was the feds who allowed public access to the valley and Stairs, and local government now keeps the public out.

I wonder whether in my lifetime I can ever again climb this beloved “Stairway to Heaven.”

Bill Cunningham

Kaneohe

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Tough sentence for embezzler lauded

Kudos to U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson for coming down hard on sentencing for embezzler Turk Cazimero (“Phony concert promoter gets 8 years in prison,” Star-Advertiser, May 3). More judges should follow his lead and enforce jail time for these criminals.

In the past, other judges have given sentences of probation, and later the offenders could wipe their records clean. This slap-on-the-wrist punishment needs to stop.

If the thief can’t pay back the full restitution, keep him or her locked up until the daily cost of jail time equals restitution.

Want to make easy money? Work in the office of a school or nonprofit organization and steal their money. Who says crime doesn’t pay?

Sharon Yamamoto

Makiki

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5 percent excise tax would enable fixes

Instead of adding 2.75 percent to the hotel room tax, why not just increase the general excise tax permanently to a flat 5 percent? This would increase state income across the board, giving all the islands more income to fix what needs to be fixed, which is a lot of infrastructure.

The additional 2.75 hotel tax increase will likely scare away some tourists and they will find another tropical place to vacation.

If the rail goes no farther than Middle Street — and I hope that it doesn’t — this will more than pay to finish the construction and maintain it going forward. This is, of course, if the people running this debacle don’t waste more of our hard-earned money.

Having an elevated rail system going through downtown and beyond will be a blight on the beautiful views of our city.

Lani Johnson

Salt Lake

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Courage — to kick rail-can down road

This year’s “Profiles in Courage” award goes to our Legislature (“Plan would raise hotel tax for rail,” Star-Advertiser, April 29).

Lawmakers thought, “How are we going to pay for rail? Voting to extend the general excise tax surcharge is political suicide. Why not have the tourists pay for it? They’ll never notice a few bucks on their hotel bill. And, most important, they don’t vote. Never mind that they will be paying billions for a train most of them will never use.”

This is such a great idea that House and Senate leaders “hailed the decision as … innovative.” Any way to raise taxes without angering the electorate is always a great idea. Of course, at some point, lawmakers might anger the tourists enough that they go someplace more affordable. And, this “innovative” solution doesn’t even solve the problem.

Rail is still going to be $1 billion (and I am guessing a lot more) short. But they’ve kicked the can down the road until they can find another source of revenue they hope no one will notice.

Steve Davidson

Kamehameha Heights

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Stop draining water for commercial sales

Excellent work by two bright, articulate students (“Let actions, ideas flow on conserving isle’s water,” Star-Advertiser, Raise Your Hand, May 7).

I would only add to the conservation advice: Stop the commercial draining of our precious waters. Water bottling companies are shipping our water to thousands of markets on the mainland. The Board of Water Supply doesn’t seem concerned. Maybe we need high school students to take charge.

Tom Tizard

Kailua