O'AHU PRICES

STORY ON ‘OVERVALUED’ HOMES WAS MISLEADING

Your story, "O'ahu home prices considered 'extreme'" (June 20), is misleading — O'ahu homes are not overvalued, especially when there is an overwhelming demand in the market.

This article was based on a report released from National City Corp. and Global Insight. Using federal government data, the study concluded that homes in the Honolulu market are "overvalued" by 45 percent — an inaccurate statement.

The report calculated home values by homogenizing housing features across all U.S markets and failed to take into account the unique market situations of each city.

Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Honolulu has a finite amount of land to quench the high demand for housing. Other factors, such as Hawai'i's tourism-dominated economy, strong military presence and international attraction make the value of a home the price of living in paradise.

Additionally, there is no way a buyer could purchase land and build a brand new home in Hawai'i for less than $350,000 — and who would want their home valued so low anyway?

The idea of an overvalued home is a myth — the value of a home is what someone is willing to pay for it.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

POLICE OFFICER IGNORED SEAT BELT REQUIREMENT

I stopped a Honolulu police officer as he drove out of the Wal-Mart parking lot.

I mentioned to the officer that he was driving without a seat belt on. He laughed at my comment and drove off.

TRANSIT

PROJECT WILL TAKE FROM POOR FOLKS, GIVE TO RICH

Honolulu's rail project is Robin-Hood-in-reverse — taking from poor and common folks, giving to the rich.

Wealthy buyers of high-end real estate projects planned for Kapolei and other transit-oriented developments stand to benefit from tax credits, exemptions, abatements and direct subsidies.

To sell a budget-busting rail project, the mayor chides people to walk, bike, drive one car less per family, stay home and play in the neighborhood. But taking longer to get where you want to go is impractical when you're working two or three jobs to make ends meet.

Home ownership in Hawai'i is rated second-lowest in the country (after Washington, D.C.).

The Wall Street Journal reported that our homeless problem is due to housing rents being the steepest of any state and the scarcity of public housing.

Socially engineered out of home and car ownership, is that what Hawai'i's citizens get for paying the overall highest tax rates and high cost of living?

STORE LOCATIONS

WALGREENS SHOULDN'T TRY TO BE NEXT TO LONGS

Hey, Walgreens! How about competing by giving us a choice?

Offer some different products, different services, different hours and different locations.

This thing with Longs doesn't have to be mean-spirited or stupid; it can be real capitalistic competition, and maybe we all can win by having two drug stores to go to.

Maybe even one closer to home.

CITY GOVERNMENT

BUILDING-PERMIT OFFICE NEEDS MAJOR OVERHAUL

Have you tried to pull a building permit lately in Honolulu? Ah, then you understand.

This department is severely broken. With lines forming at 3:30 a.m. for a chance at a coveted number, 1-20, it's more like a free giveaway than a city office.

Once inside, the line moves at a snail's pace until the clock strikes the magic hour, then, it's game over for that day.

If you were so unfortunate to hold the next number, you have just fed the city meters for a day and wasted your time.

Mayor, stop daydreaming about the governor's mansion and mass transit. Fix this mess.

The department is in need of a major overhaul. In the four days I spent trying to navigate this mess, I was surprised that the police are not regularly called in.

The Honolulu Building Division is a disaster that serves only those on the payroll.

INTERISLAND

TRAVELERS ARE ENJOYING CURRENT LOWER AIRFARES

Thank you Eric Daido from Mililani (Letters, June 19). You took the words right out of my pen.

All this talk about "buy local" is just that — talk.

Check out the next sale at Wal-Mart or Kmart and see how many people are buying local.

No doubt the airline fares will go back up, but for now I'm going to enjoy the savings. Aloha and Hawaiian airlines have been bleeding Hawai'i dry for years.

With go! Airlines on the scene, more locals are traveling to the outer islands. If Aloha and Hawaiian can't take the competition, then maybe they should GO!

TRASH

CURBSIDE RECYCLING MUST BE IMPLEMENTED

During the last election, Charter Amendment 4, mandating comprehensive curbside recycling, passed with 75 percent of the vote.

It is now June, seven months later, and what do I read on the front page of The Honolulu Advertiser on June 20? That our city is in pursuit of deals to ship trash to the Mainland and/or expand the Waimanalo Gulch dump.

There is no mention in the article, or by the city, that Hono-lulu should join 10,000 other cities across the Mainland in having comprehensive curbside recycling, which by city Recycling Coordinator Suzanne Jones' estimates, would divert 40,000 tons of mixed recyclables and 90,000 tons of green waste annually from residential refuse.

This would then leave about 160,000 tons of refuse for pick-up. So, please contact the mayor's office and your City Council members to remind them that this is just not just a good idea, but the law.

STATE ASSISTANCE

WHY ISN'T THERE MORE OUTCRY OVER MEAL CUTS?

It is unconscionable that Meals on Wheels state assistance is being dropped.

Maybe I missed it, but I'm stunned that there's not a meaningful response from our state representatives or the governor's office, nor more of a public outcry to continue minimal assistance for a program that feeds the elderly poor.

I commend The Advertiser for its Page One article on the program and the concerned citizens who have written letters to the editor asking what our state officials are going to do about it.

July 1 is when state-assisted funds run out and it's just a week away. Are we all going to just ignore the situation?

ALTERNATIVES

ONE GRAFFITI SOLUTION: PAINT MEANINGFUL ART

One person recently said that the answer to our graffiti problem is to raise the price for spray paint and the fine.

I can sort of understand the fine for graffiti, but the price for spray paint? It's bad enough that I have to show my ID just to get some paint at City Mill. People use spray paint for things other than graffiti. I use it for art projects all the time.

The answer to our graffiti problem is neither raising prices for spray paint nor obsessively painting over it with three ugly shades that make graffiti look comparatively attractive.

We need to educate young people, provide alternatives to street art for older kids and maybe work on city beautification.

A large blank, dull tan wall begs to be repainted; even I feel like taking a can to those sometimes.

Parents, get kids in the community together and paint a meaningful mural.

ABU GHRAIB CASE

GEN. TAGUBA SHOWED INTEGRITY IN PROBE

Regarding the editorial on the New Yorker magazine article about Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba: At last, an American military man shows the courage and integrity to expose the Bush administration for what it is.

IRAQ

PAPER JUST GLOSSES OVER THE ENEMY'S BARBARISM

Your continuing concern about the "inhumane actions" and "torture" at Abu Ghraib (Editorial, June 19) are never matched by similar concerns for the truly inhumane actions of our enemies against our own guys (like beheadings, dragging bodies, etc.).

Your sympathy clearly rests with the enemies of the U.S. Why do you distort our guys' actions into something they are not and you gloss over truly barbaric actions by our enemies?

Only one answer makes sense — you hate America.

TRANSIT

CITY EFFORT TO ELIMINATE BUS OPTION IS DISHONEST

The Advertiser has reached a new low in its coverage of the rapid-transit issue by not telling us about the city administration's recent refusal to include the bus alternative in their environmental impact studies.

Several months ago the City Council decided that bus technology should be considered as one of the options for the proposed fixed guideway, but now the city administration, in a dishonest, backdoor maneuver is trying to eliminate the bus alternative, even though it is probably the best solution. Express buses can circulate on existing streets, then ride on a fixed guideway. That would provide more convenient, faster and cheaper transportation than a train, which few will ever use.

This is the most expensive government project in our history with profound impact on our finances, traffic congestion, land use, visual pollution, and quality of life.

Yet, many in the public have shown alarming misunderstanding of the various merits of alternative solutions, as shown by the frequent, misinformed, pro-rail letters you print.