BUDGET SQUEEZE

HIGH GAS PRICES HAVE CUT OUT LIFE'S FRILLS

Dear Extracurricular Activity:

Gas prices will soar above $3 a gallon and I will pay it because I have places I absolutely have to be. I am sorry to say that you did not make the list of necessary destinations.

Unfortunately, what used to be my extra spending money is now part of my gas budget. So, I apologize in advance to you, the fast food restaurants, movie theaters, video rental companies, games rooms, malls and any other establishment that counts on my extra spending money to survive; I just can't afford you anymore.

LANA'I

HELP! PRICE OF GASOLINE HAS INCREASED TO $4.20

I would like to let everyone on all the other islands know that the gas price on Lana'i jumped between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 by 52 cents. On Aug. 31, the price for regular was already at $3.57 a gallon. The next morning, the price had risen to $4.09. This is for regular gas, not premium; add 30 cents more for that price. Regular gas on Thursday was $4.20.

Why are they charging us more for gas they already bought and was on a barge heading here? If you can help us in any way out from under this monopoly either with a story or at least acknowledge this problem in your paper, the people of Lana'i and I would thank you.

HILO CASE

RUTLEDGE SENTENCE SHINES BY COMPARISON

In the Aug. 26 article about Tony and Aaron Rutledge and their plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department, we learn that under the plea agreement, Tony would serve five years probation and Aaron one year probation, down from 93 and 53 years in prison respectively.

In the same newspaper on page B3 in the Around the Islands section, there's a brief from the Big Island, "5-year sentence for welfare fraud."

"Hilo — A Pahoa woman has been sentenced to five years in prison for theft after she concealed income and forged documents to qualify for $11,000 in welfare benefits, a deputy prosecutor said.

"Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura sentenced Mary M. Soriano, 41, on Monday for the theft of food stamps, cash benefits and medical benefits."

What's wrong with this picture?

HAWAIIANS

PROGRAM OPPONENTS ARE MISSING THE FACTS

Under the banner of democracy, Ken Conklin, H. William Burgess and others of their ilk try yet another tactic at stopping Hawaiian programs. They call for a popular vote to decide whether or not the Akaka bill should be adopted. At they same time, they continue to harangue against such programs because they say they are unconstitutionally discriminatory.

The fact is, the Hawai'i public voted on an amendment to the state Constitution (1978) that supported the recognition of Native Hawaiians with the adoption of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Do these men respect that democratic exercise of the public? Certainly not. They instead are attacking OHA as unconstitutional.

The Constitution sets aside to the U.S. Congress the authority to recognize the political relationship with native peoples. Congress has exercised such authority over and over again with Native Americans, without challenge. Do these men respect the constitutional mandate as applied to Native Hawaiians? Certainly not. They attack the Akaka bill as undemocratic because the bill is not being voted on by the general public.

Wonder what is meant by the phase "they speak with forked tongue"?

BENEFITS

HAWAIIANS MUST MOVE FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD

Your letters from Thurston Twigg-Smith and Oswald Stender are illuminating and lead us to some clearer thinking.

Recent letters have pointed out that Hawaiians are in a horrible state of affairs: families broken, violence, crime, malaise, poverty, etc. There are many prime examples that the more a state tries to take care of its people, the more those people turn to losing the desire to care for themselves.

The Hawaiian people have many wonderful advantages in a culture in which many don't want to, or can't, participate. I feel sorry for their plight and wish something could be done. Unfortunately, history proves that giving advantages over the rest isn't now, and never will be, the answer.

Preserving, being proud of and remembering the best of a past Hawaiian culture are vital. Forgetting about balancing favoritism, special schools and kingdoms is mandatory. All residents of Hawai'i moving forward together as citizens of the state of Hawai'i, United States of America, is the reality.

Let's have faith that the few real Hawaiians left will pick themselves up, understand the value of a good education and rise to the occasion in this wonderful free country of ours.

PREPAREDNESS

O'AHU DESERVES PUBLIC TALK ON DISASTER PLANS

Considering the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina, I am concerned about the state of preparedness on O'ahu.

Would it be possible for emergency managers from state and county civil defense and FEMA to appear on a public access TV program to discuss the plans that are in place for O'ahu in the event of a large-scale disaster?

First responders as well as representatives of our vital electric and water utilities and the petroleum industry should also participate.

Many important questions could be addressed such as interagency communications, the number of shelter spaces, the island's food supply, emergency healthcare and the estimated time to rebuild our infrastructure.

We deserve to know what is planned for our protection and what each of us needs to do to lessen the impact of such an event.

SPENDING

MAYOR'S VOW FALLING SHORT ON RAIL TRANSIT

The mayor ran on a platform of budgetary scrutiny, telling voters that he would not sanction new spending unless it could be demonstrated that (1) there was a need for the new expense, (2) the city could fund it and (3) it could be maintained without putting us deeper in debt.

I do not see any of these criteria being met with regard to the rail transit issue.

It appears there are other, less expensive alternatives that should be investigated before committing millions to rail transit. It has not been demonstrated that we can maintain such a system without considerable extra tax dollars.

Unfortunately, it appears that the mayor's statement was merely campaign rhetoric.

BIKE LANES

BICYCLE RENAISSANCE NEEDS PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

O'ahu is an island where bicycles can be used to get from point A to point B here because A and B are close together. Honolulu, which is even smaller, would be less congested if even some people took the time to pedal.

The reality is that the bicycle renaissance is not just a question of getting lazy people out exercising. It's a question of providing bike lanes and about building a public awareness of other presences on the road that, instead of clogging thoroughfares, actually reduce the amount of steel on the road and pollution.

Bikes can happen. The reform needs to be islandwide and education-based.

Regarding the Sept. 2 article "Stop, look — and learn those rules": If people are "confused" about the concept that automobiles are supposed to stop at crosswalks when pedestrians are present (as well as that jaywalking is also a crime that can cost people lives), the transportation philosophy needs to be revised by the people who give drivers their licenses. Concepts such as these need to be crystal clear in order for the people to feel safe sharing the road.

CHURCH

SHAKA SIGN TO DA MAX

I believe that the truth is Lippy got the shaka sign in the following way: Every Sunday Lippy was one usha at the Saint Augustine open-air church in Waikiki. Da alta boyz wud greetum wid one "easy brah" sign, and Lippy wud say, "Wow dat one real shaka sign." Das da trut. Ax any alta boy from dat time dat still stay alive!