ARTICLE INACCURATE ABOUT CITY PROJECT

The May 24 article by Sean Hao, "Honolulu police firing range $5M over budget, 3 years off schedule," was littered with inaccuracies. For example, the article failed to explain that the firing range is one phase of a two-phase project, which also includes a classroom, office, and training simulation rooms. Neither phase is "over budget."

Change orders to the first phase total $863,528, nearly half of which is due to increased material and labor costs.

This is well within the contingency amount of $1,139,587 that was budgeted. The second phase was estimated to cost $2.5 million, but the winning bid was $1,908,801, or $691,199 less than expected. There have been no change orders to this phase.

Craig Nishimura | Director, Department of Design and Construction

ONLINE ELECTION

GLITCH MAY HAVE CAUSED LOW TURNOUT

I recently read the article on the low voter participation in the online/telephone election for the Neighborhood Board. The problem may lie within the computer system and not with voters' apathetic attitudes.

My mother, who lives alone, recently wanted me to place her choice on my computer when I arrived at home that afternoon. Her online code was entered and accepted. I attempted to place my code and candidates into the same home computer. Lo and behold, my PC would not accept, nor allow me to enter the Web site. It kept going back to the homepage of the voting site. Fortunately, my day off from work was on that Friday. I took a bus ride down to City Hall and placed my vote on the provided computer. My code was accepted. Others who encountered this situation may have given up in frustration. Needless to say, a little basic road testing by the staff before the elections is in order here.

Michael Nomura | Kailua

SWINE FLU

EARLY PREVENTION WORTH THE COSTS

Now that the governor, the leaders of the state Department of Health and the CDC realize through experience how difficult it is to stop the swine flu in its tracks, you can bet they're now thinking they should have put more effort into preventing its introduction into our beautiful islands in the first place.

When you compare the expense of stopping a deadly virus from entering our state by the use of temperature scanners and the economic damage being done due to the loss of tourist dollars, it becomes pretty clear that the cost of the additional equipment and personnel at our ports and airports would be negligible.

Actually, the revenue loss from just one day of the lower visitor counts we are now experiencing would probably pay for the necessary equipment. They are obviously being penny wise and pound foolish.

Julie Parker | Honolulu

SUPERFERRY

BANKRUPTCY FILING A SHAME FOR US ALL

The Superferry bankruptcy filing is something all citizens of Hawai'i should be ashamed of.

A small minority was allowed to destroy their business, and the majority are the poorer for it. Having been a customer numerous times and enjoying every trip, their loss has cut our trips to Maui to one or two times per year.

I believe the Superferry was of far more benefit to the state than the proposed mass-transit boondoggle, and would rather see the state figure out a way to bring back the Superferry than support the proposed rail.

Chuck Vowell | Waialua

TERRORISTS

HEMMINGS IGNORANT ABOUT RECENT HISTORY

State Sen. Fred Hemmings is quoted in the Advertiser ("Hawai'i's Islam Day resolution stirs passions here, on Mainland," May 31) "It's the old cliche: Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslim." Sen. Hemmings appears to have forgotten about Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols and the Christian abortion clinic bombers.

Sen. Hemmings as an elected official might be expected to be better informed about recent history. As a Republican, well, this kind of thing is expected of them.

Ken Berkun | Kailua

NATIONAL DEBT

ABERCROMBIE, PEERS NEED TO GET SERIOUS

I just received an e-mail from Congressman Neil Abercrombie, extolling the virtues of the "Credit Cardholder Bill of Rights," which is currently under consideration by the U.S. Congress.

Rep. Abercrombie stated that credit card debt is nearing $1 trillion in the U.S. While that's not the healthiest of situations, at least it represents purchases made by consumer choice, under credit card agreements agreed to by both parties.

On the other hand, our national debt is more than $11 trillion, and many times more if including unfunded liabilities such as Medicaid and Social Security. And this debt represents purchases made "on our behalf" by members of Congress — purchases that, in many cases, we didn't want or need. When are Rep. Abercrombie and other members of Congress going to get serious about addressing this most severe problem of national debt?

Or are they simply willing to pass it along to our children and grandchildren, long after they've left office?

Jamie Story | President, The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

BELLOWS SHUTDOWN

ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY KEY TO BEACH CLOSURE

I received a letter from the City and County of Hono-lulu asking me to reconsider allowing public access to Bellows Beach in the following weeks. While I appreciate their concerns, I am responsible for the short- and long-term protection and sustainment of Bellows Beach and the training areas for both current and future generations of all its users.

As good stewards of the environment, we at Marine Corps Base Hawai'i will, with the help of our partners, take actions to help prevent abuse of the 'aina and ensure the safety of all who use this area. These include setting up traffic and parking measures that will better allow for safe and enforceable parking, better marking of campsites and camping regulations, marking of fire pits, and increased enforcement of existing Honolulu beach and park regulations. These actions must be taken before we can safely return to public access at Bellows Beach.

I am taking these actions based on my concerns for the environment and public safety, as well as the concerns voiced to me by members of the community. Thank you for helping me to bring these concerns to your readers.

Col. R.D. Rice, USMC | Commanding officer, Marine Corps Base Hawaii