NO MORE SURPRISES

CITY MUST LIMIT ITS PROPERTY TAX TAKE

Just received my property tax assessment in the mail and surprise! It is up about 25.5 percent again after several years of the same.

My assessments are lower than the average selling price in my neighborhood, so if I dispute the bill, I risk paying even more.

The City and County of Hono-lulu needs to give us some relief. How much wider do I need to open my wallet?

I see a way the city can help to control my taxes: a Prop. 13 (1978 California initiative) type of initiative. Taxes would rise no more than the percentage the city budget rises.

Take my situation, for instance. Over the last three years, I have seen roughly a 40 percent rise in my property taxes; this would have been cut to approximately 3 percent a year by a law controlling how much my taxes could rise.

Housing values should be based on what we paid for the house and a limited percentage rise tied to how much the city budget rises yearly. Pressure your City Council member for a change in the law. 'Nuff already!

BILL UNBELIEVABLE

SENIOR HOMEOWNERS NEED TAX RELIEF NOW

The biggest problem with the city's real property tax is that the home exemption deductions have not been increased to reflect current real estate values.

The home exemption deduction provides tax relief for handicapped and aging home owners. I think the theory behind this relief was that as the homeowner aged, little or zero tax would be levied on the retired owner.

In the past, the home exemption amounts were increased from time to time to offset the rising real estate values and to give tax relief to the intended taxpayers. But the city has not increased this deduction for a long time, a very long time, too long for any tax relief.

It appears that our new mayor and the City Council either do not understand this tax relief, are just looking the other way, or maybe have their heads in the sand when it comes to their only source of income. And now the mayor is talking about what to do with a surplus? What is he thinking?

My 2006 real property notice shows that my 80-year-old house on a 4,282-square-foot lot in Pu'unui is valued at $578,100, less the $120,000 home exemption, which means that my tax will be based on $458,100 valuation — unbelievable! Since I am 70 and a taxpayer for more than 45 years, I think I deserve tax relief and not an anticipated $2,000 tax bill.

Mayor Hannemann, what I and a lot of other senior homeowners desperately need is a $500,000 home exemption deduction on my 2006 tax bill. I need a $2,000 tax break, and not a one-time $200 tithe. This is not a matter of another pothole. Isn't it about time to give us seniors a much-needed tax break?

PROPERTY TAXES

GIVE US SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT THIS SEASON

"It is all mathematical" — that is how Gary Kurokawa, administrator of the city's real property assessment division, explains the increased valuations. So, live with it, folks, for nothing can be done about it!

As I see it, the only thing mathematical in this equation is the multiplication sign. Everything else is being decided by his department.

Mayor Hannemann and Mr. Kurokawa need to work on reducing the figures on two sides of this equation and give the overtaxed people something to smile about this holiday season.

CONTRACT

DJOU DOESN'T GET IT

Why is City Council member Charles Djou the only council member who doesn't seem to get it? He was there when the other council members were briefed on the city's compliance with federal and state procurement laws regarding a transit contract that went not to a supporter of the mayor, the governor and the council member himself, but to an internationally recognized engineering firm, Parsons Brinkerhoff. Was he out to lunch? Sounds as if he still is.

HIGH CRIMES

IT IS PAST TIME THAT BUSH BE IMPEACHED

How much is enough? The Bush administration has lied to us, starting a baseless war in violation of United States and international law. It has brought death and suffering to tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis and thousands of Americans. It endangers the civil liberties that have been our national pride and shield for over two centuries. It has saddled our children and grandchildren with monstrous debt. In our generation, it has increased the gulf between rich and poor, exacerbating homelessness, poverty and class conflict.

The target of the Bush conspiracy is not a cabal of deranged foreigners, who could be taken care of by competent and honest intelligence and police work. The target is you and me. The motives are common greed and uncommon lust for imperial power.

The daily revelation of additional violations surely crosses the line. It is past time to impeach George Bush and his puppet master, Dick Cheney, for high crimes against the nation.

SHOPO

CHIEF CORREA SHOULD BE GETTING SUPPORT

As a Hawaiian, I was very proud when Boisse Correa was selected to be Honolulu's chief of police. When a local boy makes good, we should give him 100 percent of our support.

What SHOPO is doing right now reminds me of the 'a'ama crab. Every time the 'a'ama crab climbs to the top of the pile, the other crabs try to pull him down.

Hang in there, Chief!

KAHALA AVE.

MARATHON FOLKS DID A GREAT JOB OF CLEANUP

The 2005 Honolulu Marathon is just about over. It is 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, and there are still a couple of stragglers on Kahala Avenue and Kala Place — with three miles to go!

But the best news is that the cleanup crew has just gone by. Five or six cheery young men with pushcarts and rakes and plastic bags — all wearing bright orange and yellow tops — accompanied by two huge trucks well-laden with the cleanup trash of paper cups and yellow sponges, etc. Kahala Avenue has never looked cleaner. A couple of hours ago, believe me, it was a mess. And they did it all with great dispatch.

And they put all the red "safety systems" signs in piles where they can be picked up later.

My hat is off to the Honolulu Marathon Group.

PROTECTION ESSENTIAL

MIDWAY IS A NATIONAL TREASURE

If you think you have been to a place with lots of birds, but have not yet been to Midway, then you cannot imagine what a lot is.

Albatross are everywhere, as far as the eye can see. Also known as gooney birds, these inhabitants of Midway Atoll cover nearly every piece of ground, nesting their eggs and filling the air with the sounds of clapping beaks and birdcalls.

At dusk, the skies are filled with petrels returning to their burrows from a day of fishing. Large green sea turtles and monk seals haul out to bask in the sun on the beaches, while schools of fish dart through the clear ocean water.

While exploring the lagoon, a 60-pound ulua gets up close and personal. Returning on the boat at sunset, a pod of spinner dolphins chase the bow to show off their speed and grace, leaping and spinning into the air.

If there were ever a place on Earth you wanted to see remain unchanged forever, this is it. You really have to see it to believe it.

This is just what Gov. Linda Lingle and a delegation of 18, including myself, did. We traveled to Midway with a remarkable team of high-ranking U.S. officials to see firsthand the precious resources that make up the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and understand the necessity of preserving them.

This visit provided a window into the importance of preserving the fragile and unique nature of these islands as habitats and breeding grounds for a host of unique species.

In September, Gov. Lingle created the Northwestern Hawaiian Island Marine Refuge and set aside all state waters as a limited access, no-take marine protected area. This created the largest marine conservation area in the history of the state, protecting 1,026 square miles of coral reefs from the shoreline to 3 miles offshore.

Midway Atoll is the only island in the chain that is not part of the state but located in federal waters. Its fantastic wealth of natural resources and rich history from the late 1800s with guano mining, to the Battle of Midway and now to today make it a national treasure.

Gov. Lingle has stated her desire to increase environmental preservation efforts and seek similar levels of environmental protection for the federal waters surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands through a strong and lasting partnership among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Sanctuaries Program and the state of Hawai'i.

While there has been a history of these agencies working together, the trip forged additional agreements on the creation of an overlay of protections that may allow for additional federal and international cooperation and co-management.

We agreed that the state of Hawai'i should join in the federal environmental impact statement process as a cooperating agency to demonstrate the partnership we share with federal agencies. We also agreed that the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands should be designated as a World Heritage Site to ensure global protection.

There is more Gov. Lingle will be doing in the future, including strengthening our partnership with the federal government to preserve the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and reaffirming the state's position for a sanctuary.

JUNE JONES MUST GIVE BACK OUR COLLEGE ATMOSPHERE

My wife and I have decided to attend the Hawai'i Bowl on Saturday even though UH will not be in it. We had attended every Aloha Bowl and Hawai'i Bowl, but this year we had not renewed our tickets. We didn't care to watch the team from Manoa in their black uniforms that would not truly represent the image of Hawai'i in a nationally televised bowl game.

This team, because of its coach, June Jones, has lost its appeal with many longtime fans who were the ones who supported the "Rainbows" for a long time. The team colors and logo that were "Hawai'i" for decades were removed and replaced with NFL flavors. The famous and lovable "Hawai'i 5-O" fight song was gone, and the true Hawaiian Warrior mascot was replaced by a pugnacious South Seas "Warrior." The school band and cheerleaders have just minor roles now.

In short, there's no college atmosphere in Aloha Stadium for UH home games. It is what the fans miss.

Take the large attendances at UH men's basketball and women's volleyball games, where there's electricity in the air with college atmosphere erupting. The culture of the local people is supportive and caring. They will be there for those who need help and they were there even when the team lost games. But when longtime traditions are taken away, people will stay away.

In the '60s, '70s, '80s and early '90s, the people loved the "Rainbow" team, win or lose, because it was their college team. Today you don't know whom this team represents. Attendance has dropped and will continue to decrease if things are not brought back. And it's not just because of the ticket prices. They will return when June Jones gives back the college atmosphere.

My wife wanted to be certain that the present UH Warrior would not be any part of Saturday's bowl festivities. Many women feel the same. When it was assured that he was not, she said "Let's go to the Hawai'i Bowl."

We urge everyone who can to join us. It will be a good game between two competitive college football teams. Aloha Stadium will be filled with wonderful college feelings and atmosphere. There will be the bands, cheerleaders, mascots and supporters from those college teams, things that we wish we had.

So, don't miss out. Come out and support the Hawai'i Bowl and enjoy yourselves.