Charging hybrid and electric vehicle owners more for their vehicle registration because they’re not using gasoline is the most foolish thing I’ve ever heard (“Fee increase proposed for electric, hybrid cars,” Star-Advertiser, Feb. 22).

The purpose of these vehicles is to eliminate the high volume of gasoline usage in our nation. Economically, these vehicles are keeping gasoline prices low because of supply and demand. Right now, these vehicles are a minority. But they are the future.

You want to penalize these cars because they’re not polluting our environment? It’s like charging every single home that has photovoltaic solar panels an extra fee because they paying less for electricity and Hawaiian Electric is losing money.

If we need more money for our roads, increase the fees for every vehicle — not just the minority of vehicles that are helping to save the world.

Garry Moore

Pearl City

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Better control of traffic flow needed

We need to make keeping traffic flowing a priority in Hawaii. California has the Highway Patrol, which is trained to clear accidents as soon as possible, and to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.

Once again there was an accident on the Rainbow Bridge in Haleiwa. Not major injuries, yet it took over an hour for the cars involved to be cleared. Meanwhile, once again, no notification was given to drivers heading into Haleiwa Town, forcing all vehicles to turn around in an area where there is no room to turn around. You should have seen the poor city bus driver let his passengers disembark, then take 10 minutes and about a 20-point turn to turn around.

It seems a no-brainer for an officer to have been posted at the bypass road to reroute from there, or program the electronic sign that has been sitting there for months to alert drivers.

Please prioritize keeping the traffic flowing.

Karen Gallagher

Haleiwa

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Lantern floating day needs to be changed

Every year the Star-Advertiser rolls out a political crony to try to convince its readers that holding the lantern floating ceremony on this nation’s most solemn day of remembrance of our war dead is the right thing to do.

Well, as a 30-year Marine combat veteran, in my opinion it is not.

The Congress of the United States set aside one day to honor our men and women killed in the defense of our nation. One day out of 365, and it has been hijacked by Wall Street and now the local businesses of Hawaii.

The organizers of this event should be ashamed for trying to rationalize it being the right thing to do on this date.

If this lantern ceremony is so popular, why can’t it be held on the Sunday before Memorial Day, or the day after, or on any other day you choose? Why can’t they leave Memorial Day alone?

Robert W. Holub

Ewa Beach

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Souki served Maui well in Legislature

Maui County will certainly miss former House Speaker Joe Souki’s presence at the Legislature. He has dedicated his life to public service, with Maui County being the primary benefactor. I served with Joe in the 1978 Constitutional Convention and for 10 years in the Legislature. During all this time, Joe was a gentleman and dedicated public servant.

Joe has been my friend for many years and will continue to command my respect for all he has done for our community.

Mark Andrews

Kula, Maui

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Homeless camp could have worked

Unsafe zone — really? Any time something caring is done it is met with complaints (“Unsafe zone,” Star-Advertiser, March 24).

How inhuman. Who coined the stupid title, “safe zone,” anyway? It’s a designated campground; safety is guaranteed nowhere. I get cut daily while working. Accidents happen, but I do not need Big Brother holding my hand. And the homeless are not model citizens.

Drug test at the gate all day, every day, if you want residents to be clean. If they were model citizens then they would not need help and support. But to spend all that time and energy to establish a camp and then dismantle it is absurd.

All of the whiners who caused Camp Kikaha in Kailua-Kona to close should be ashamed. The community should have supported fixing any problems and lent a hand to make it work and fill the camp to the brim with human success stories. I wish it had been here on Oahu.

Ryan Routh

Kaaawa

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Don’t waste time with tied-up dogs

Why does our Legislature waste time on laws that won’t or can’t be enforced (“Bill seeks to expand protection for tied-up dogs,” Star-Advertiser, March 11)?

If you see a dog being mistreated, call the Hawaiian Humane Society. Our police need to spend their time enforcing laws about texting and driving, speeding, running red lights. When was someone killed tying up a dog?

Mary Moore

Kailua

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Support teachers and their students

I strongly agree with the letter writer who commended teachers for standing up through nonviolent protest for their students’ education within public schools (“Students, teachers rally for education,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, April 5).

Some families aren’t able to send their children to private institutions due to financial reasons, but that shouldn’t affect whether or not they receive a quality education. I agree that every child deserves to go to school and every teacher deserves to be paid a substantial amount.

Shaping the young minds of America is a very important role and we should cherish the individuals who do this. Our nation’s youth are the future and the knowledge they receive through schooling will help make an impact in changing our nation for the better.

Courtnee Collins

Makiki