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Tuesday, May 26, 1998

State lost, not saved, money in gas tax fiasco

Raymond H. Sato's May 20 letter saying the state actually saved money on the gas tax fiasco is absurd. Sato's rationale is to ignore the fact that the state squandered taxpayer money for 40 years.

When the error was discovered, the state got back three years of payments. If that was supposed to be money saved, then what does Sato call the 37 years of payments NOT returned?

The gas tax fiasco is more evidence that politicians are not capable of managing taxpayer money in these difficult times. Part of the problem is that the state thinks the fiscal crisis, now eight years old, started in 1995.

Brian Benton
Kailua
(Via the Internet)

Librarians agree with firing of Bart Kane

The members of the Coalition for Improved Libraries support John Mike Compton, Kelly King, Karen Knudsen, Ron Nakano, Noemi Pendleton, Keith Sakata and Winston Sakurai, the seven Board of Education members who voted not to renew Bartholomew Kane's contract as state librarian.

Since this vote, library employees have patiently been looking forward to new leadership and a spirit of cooperation and restored confidence that a new state librarian can provide.

In contrast, Kane's lawsuits against the BOE and others only serve to deepen the distrust and lack of respect that library employees have for him.

Indeed, his recent legal actions demonstrate that the best interests of the Hawaii State Public Library System are still not his highest priority.

Rebecca Bishop
Coalition for Improved Libraries
(Via the Internet)

Legislation would have helped small business

Fact: Hawaii is the only state in the nation that has not passed legislation which permits small businesses to raise investment capital of up to $1 million per year through an abbreviated process developed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1992.

HB 2470, introduced by Rep. Gene Ward this session, would have brought Hawaii into alignment with the rest of the country and improved the small-businessperson's ability to raise necessary capital from sources outside the state, which is so desperately needed.

The House did pass the bill, but it went nowhere in the Senate. The mindset of the Senate this past session has been appalling and disastrous to the recovery of the economy.

I give the Senate an "F" for its failure and lack of foresight.

Sanford W. Friedman
Small Business Consultant/Educator
(Via the Internet)

Cal Thomas defames the Prophet Muhammad

Whatever Cal Thomas thinks about "U.S. pressure on Israel" (On The Right Side, May 7) is his concern. My concern, though, is Thomas' cruel implication that the Prophet Muhammad was not a man of his word and, by further implication, that Muslims do not honor their word, either.

How shameful that Thomas must slander one of the great figures of world religion to back up his views. Can it be that present-day Israel and its spokespeople are bankrupt in morals and in mind? Distortions of history and an abusive tongue do not argue any case well.

Here, for your readers who may not know, is what Prophet Muhammad said in the context of telling the truth: "He is not of me who, when he speaketh, speaketh falsely; who, when he promiseth, breaketh his promises; and who, when trust is reposed in him, faileth in his trust."

With the above as an example of the "techniques of Muhammad," may more readers reflect and strive to see things as they really are.

Abdu Saboor

Seminars at mansion are learning opportunities

I recently had the pleasure of attending a seminar at Washington Place on osteoporosis. It was well attended, with a cross section of women from all walks of life. Our speaker, Dr. Richard Wasnich, was extremely informative and interesting.

The seminar was a great opportunity for us to learn more about our health, which, in turn, helps us to reduce the costs of health care. There was no charge for the seminar, making it possible for anyone to attend.

This is a caring, pro-active statement for women's health on the part of Governor and Mrs. Cayetano. I would really like to see them continue this so that more women can benefit from these programs.

Susan Kobayashi

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