I’m a liberal Democrat who believes in the potential of government to advance public good, but the “Island Voices” column about the disrepair of the Kailua Boat Ramp provides a vivid example of why so many citizens have come to view government as the enemy (“Kailua Boat Ramp fixes remain complex,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 1).

City officials Michele Nekota and Mark Yonamine wrote the column to explain the complexities that make it unrealistic to expect quick repairs for the highly valued boat ramp, but the hurdles they describe only demonstrate governmental dysfunction. First we had jurisdictional conflicts that inhibited proper maintenance of the ramp, eventually making it necessary to shut it down, and now we have a gauntlet of assessments, procedures, permits and reviews that make carrying out the needed repairs sound more complicated than a moon launch. This is not right!

David Kemble

Kailua

Fix Kailua Boat Ramp to support rescue boat

Regarding the article published Jan. 1 about who is responsible for the Kailua Boat Ramp repairs (“Kailua Boat Ramp fixes remain complex,” Island Voices):

What our city and state officials are missing is the fact that the Kailua Fire Station needs a place to launch its rescue boat in an emergency. I see the fire truck people towing their 16-foot rescue boat behind the truck; if they need to launch the boat quickly, they would need to drive all the way to Heeia Kea to launch, then circle all the way around Kaneohe to reach Kailua Bay.

I hope I will never have to rely on the Kailua firefighters to help me in an emergency where jet skis can’t do the job.

Wayne Parker

Lanikai

Christmas trees should be recycled, not trashed

I look out my window and I see trash bins piled high with Christmas trees — what gives? Haven’t we learned anything about the importance of recycling in this day and age? Really! These will quickly fill up landfills, when they could enrich soils in parks, landscapes and gardens.

Frankly, when I saw these trees waiting to be picked up by garbage trucks, I got angry. This is one small street in Makiki — think of this behavior compounded islandwide.

We’ve got to do better for the environment. This behavior is such a waste of a valuable resource.

Lila Gardner

Makiki

Support local businesses or else they’ll be gone

Remember when:

>> You could get “onolicious” boiled peanuts at a shop on Beretania Street?

>> The best crack seed was made in a factory on Dillingham Boulevard?

>> Cat-themed T-shirts, originally sold from an International Market Place kiosk, were designed and sewn in Halawa?

>> Maui potato chips were cooked in a kitchen near the Maui airport?

>> The most iconic corporate logo in Honolulu was a large fruit-shaped water tank?

>> You could buy anything from Hawaiian gold bracelets to roasted macadamia nuts at a ramshackle plantation store in Waipahu?

>> Mr. Mayor was known for his VW bus and an up-and-coming politician drove a mini Checker cab?

We need to support our local businesses. Or else, in the words of an old Joni Mitchell song, rumored to have been inspired by a golden sunset overlooking a Shakey’s Pizza parking lot on Kamehameha Highway: “You don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

John Priolo

Pearl City

Allow owners’ seawalls, or don’t sell them homes

To not be able to protect your house from the ocean is outrageous because the owner should be able to do whatever is needed, as long as it doesn’t harm any human being (“Paradise Lost: Officials let Hawaii’s waterfront homeowners damage public beaches again and again,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 1). The people who pay large amounts of money to live in these homes should be able to protect them from anything that might destroy the homes.

If they are not allowed to do what’s needed to protect their house, then they should not have been allowed to buy it since there is such a high risk of the ocean destroying the home.

I suggest either truly enforcing a law so that no one can fight and get an exemption from it, or to not sell the houses that do not have such protection. People would know they have that risk of losing their house, so then can decide whether or not they still want to buy it.

Laura Rogers

Makiki

Use ‘defense’ billions for $2,000 checks to people

I finally understand Donald Trump’s brilliant plan: Instead of spending $740 billion on “defense,” we could give every man, woman and child in America a $2,000 check.

Regina Gregory

Makiki

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