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Letters to the editor
For Sunday, July 12, 2009
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 12, 2009
Turn over school to the homeless
The Department of Education has closed Wailupe Valley Elementary School. The board's Committee on Administrative Services recommended that the property be turned over to the city. This small school, with a little alteration, could supply simple housing for our homeless families, many of whom are working but cannot afford to rent apartments and so are living in their cars.
The school has bathrooms, a cafeteria and presumably a kitchen, which could be used communally. Tenants could share the cleanup and the maintenance of the grounds. Classrooms could be divided by cheap partitions. A bus stop is nearby, and there is parking for those with cars.
There certainly can't be any cheaper way to supply low-cost housing than to make use of a building that is readily available and in good repair.
Honolulu
No plan in place to cut hours for tutors
Diane A. Kingsley ("School leaders poised for cuts," Star-Bulletin letters, July 9) states that Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto and school officials have planned over the last seven years to reestablish 500-plus full-time educational assistants as part-time, hourly paraprofessional tutors. Her assertion is false. No plan exists.
Educational assistants and paraprofessional tutors augment student learning and are valued employees in the state Department of Education.
Personnel management branch director, state Department of Education
Rail system plan touts benefits
I would like to correct the misinformation about rail in Lawson Teshima's letter to the editor ("Pricey rail will take toll on taxpayers," Star-Bulletin, July 7).
One of the fundamental reasons for doing the proposed rail system is because it is cheaper to operate and maintain than a bus-only system that provides an equal level of service.
The Honolulu Rail Transit Project is affordable with our funding sources. No additional tax increases will be necessary.
The Federal Transit Administration has vetted and agreed with the financial plan in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which clearly spells out that the funds will come from the general excise tax surcharge and expected federal funding.
A great benefit of the rail system will be its ability to reduce traffic congestion between West Oahu and town by taking thousands of cars and trucks off the road each day.
The rail transit system will be environmentally sound by running on clean energy, encouraging people to get out of their cars and reducing the amount of emissions released into the air.
Director, city Department of Transportation Services
How to write usThe Star-Bulletin welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point (~175 words). The Star-Bulletin reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number.Letter form: Online form, click here |
Turn over school to the homeless
The Department of Education has closed Wailupe Valley Elementary School. The board's Committee on Administrative Services recommended that the property be turned over to the city. This small school, with a little alteration, could supply simple housing for our homeless families, many of whom are working but cannot afford to rent apartments and so are living in their cars.
The school has bathrooms, a cafeteria and presumably a kitchen, which could be used communally. Tenants could share the cleanup and the maintenance of the grounds. Classrooms could be divided by cheap partitions. A bus stop is nearby, and there is parking for those with cars.
There certainly can't be any cheaper way to supply low-cost housing than to make use of a building that is readily available and in good repair.
Honolulu
No plan in place to cut hours for tutors
Diane A. Kingsley ("School leaders poised for cuts," Star-Bulletin letters, July 9) states that Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto and school officials have planned over the last seven years to reestablish 500-plus full-time educational assistants as part-time, hourly paraprofessional tutors. Her assertion is false. No plan exists.
Educational assistants and paraprofessional tutors augment student learning and are valued employees in the state Department of Education.
Personnel management branch director, state Department of Education
Rail system plan touts benefits
I would like to correct the misinformation about rail in Lawson Teshima's letter to the editor ("Pricey rail will take toll on taxpayers," Star-Bulletin, July 7).
One of the fundamental reasons for doing the proposed rail system is because it is cheaper to operate and maintain than a bus-only system that provides an equal level of service.
The Honolulu Rail Transit Project is affordable with our funding sources. No additional tax increases will be necessary.
The Federal Transit Administration has vetted and agreed with the financial plan in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which clearly spells out that the funds will come from the general excise tax surcharge and expected federal funding.
A great benefit of the rail system will be its ability to reduce traffic congestion between West Oahu and town by taking thousands of cars and trucks off the road each day.
The rail transit system will be environmentally sound by running on clean energy, encouraging people to get out of their cars and reducing the amount of emissions released into the air.
Director, city Department of Transportation Services
How to write usThe Star-Bulletin welcomes letters that are crisp and to the point (~175 words). The Star-Bulletin reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Please direct comments to the issues; personal attacks will not be published. Letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number.Letter form: Online form, click here |
Today’s Edition
- Friends and associates join search for missing kayaker
- Legislators cancel party plans
- Teachers willing to return for restored furlough days
- Harbor officials eye fee increase
- Mammograms: Do I really need this?
- Thanksgiving Day events serve food to those in need
- Kokua Line: Insurance verification uses Social Security info
- Newswatch
- Police and Fire
- Australia's move on credit card fees may have lessons for U.S.
- At Iraqi museum, Google chief announces plan to put artifacts online
- Kona holiday fundraiser helps culinary students
- By Request: Help others and collect the year's best recipes
- The Electric Kitchen: Desserts offer options to usual pumpkin pie
- Pet Ohana
- Da Kine
- Got nutrients?
- Wahine advance to WAC final
- Medeiros catches on at slot
- Prep World: Jamora ready for Govs
- Prep World: Athletes of the Week
- Prep briefs
- Say and Look have Aiea and 'Iolani talking, watching wins
- Cincinnati rolls through Maryland at Maui Invitational
- Couples will play in Hawaii
- Local aces
- Hawaii Beat
- Scoreboard
- TV & Radio
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