Letters to the Editor - Hawaii Editorials

On Wednesday the City Council pulled a fast one at the urging of city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell.

[willie]

"A lottery might help fund schools"

Be very careful of lottery promises.

I know of several states that promised 100% of lottery profits would go to education...and they are. The problem is any money from the lottery means that an equal amount does not come out of the general fund so the schools get no additional funds, they just come from a different source.

A better solution...fix the way the school system works and reduce the costs rather than trying to figure out how to keep funding a losing poor system. A good start would be a meaningful audit of the current system, I think it would be a real eye opener to all taxpayers.

[Hey ya never know]

A state lottery could provide funding for an endless amount of educational resources. With a few hundred million dollars a year, schools will be able to provide amore productive learning environment for every student. Examples of the many benefits of extra revenue are after-school programs, smaller classrooms, more teachers, higher teacher salaries, having computers in every classroom, and sending students from low income families to college.

[Hawaiian Republican]

Re: "A lottery might help fund schools," Edward H. Lewis, Kailua.

Edward,

A state lottery to throw more money at the public education system here is unnecessary. There is no correlationship between increased funding of public schools and student achievement.

The national average expenditure per student is $9,389.

Idaho, the state you cited with a lottery, only spends $6,338 per student (well BELOW the national average) and ranks #22 out of 51 (all states and Wash DC).

Washington DC, which ranks dead last in the national rankings, spends $13,848 per student (far ABOVE the national average.

Minnesota, which ranks #1, spends $9,180 per student (a little BELOW the average).

How about Hawaii? Hawaii spends $9,897 per student, but ranks #49 out of 51.

Creating a state lottery to throw more money at a public school system that is already broken is not going to improve our schools. It will merely deepen school ineffeciencies and ineffectiveness. We're sending plenty of money to the schools already. Fix the system before throwing any more money into the wind.

[Hammers Time]

Mr. Hammers' letter highlight the annoying ringing of cell phones at the movies, exceeded only the by the stupid who fail to turn off such cell phones or even more stupid that answer such calls or, as Barak would say, "stupider" people that continue to carry on such conversations as if to say "hey, everybody, look at me, I so important I gotta talk to my mommy in the theatre on this cell phone."

Stupid people born every day, and looks like a few of them went to the movies too.

The rest will be on the road this morning getting in my way, because they are unable to drive a vehicle, or they will be working for the City and County of Honolulu, blocking traffic too.

[Akukae Bill]

The stupid lottery bill.

For stupid people.

Lots in Hawaii. See above.

Thank GOD there are still a few smart People around that know it is all about hard work, rather than taking advantage of People's greed where some think you can get something for nothing.

THAT is the same quality that allows con-men to take advantage of whole bunch of People, cheating them out of their life savings.

You want to be stupid. Go all out stupid. Move to Las Vegas where the stupid People dwell.

Better yet, jump on the Hawaiian Airlines plane with that Portagee lady the LIE that "everybody in Hawaii Loves to gamble."

Beat it.

[Hawaiian Republican]

Hey ya never know wrote:

A state lottery could provide funding for an endless amount of educational resources. With a few hundred million dollars a year, schools will be able to provide amore productive learning environment for every student. Examples of the many benefits of extra revenue are after-school programs, smaller classrooms, more teachers, higher teacher salaries, having computers in every classroom, and sending students from low income families to college.

One would think, but let's look at two of the issues you mentioned: smaller classrooms (pupil-teacher ratio) and teacher salaries.

The National Average on these two are 15.3 and $46,593, respectively.

In Idaho with a #22 ranked school system: 18 and $43,390.
In Minnesota with a #1 ranked school system: 16.7 and $48,489.
In DC with a #51 ranked school system: 13.9 and $61,195.
In Hawaii with a #49 ranked school system: 15.9 and $51,599.

How is it the two school systems with the smaller pupil-teacher ratio and larger salary ranked so much lower than the two school systems with the larger pupil-teacher ratio and smaller salaries?

[Hawaiian Republican]

Akukae Bill wrote:

The stupid lottery bill.
For stupid people.
Lots in Hawaii. See above.
Thank GOD there are still a few smart People around that know it is all about hard work, rather than taking advantage of People's greed where some think you can get something for nothing.
THAT is the same quality that allows con-men to take advantage of whole bunch of People, cheating them out of their life savings.
You want to be stupid. Go all out stupid. Move to Las Vegas where the stupid People dwell.
Better yet, jump on the Hawaiian Airlines plane with that Portagee lady the LIE that "everybody in Hawaii Loves to gamble."
Beat it.

Nevada, where gambling revenues pour into state coffers, ranks #41 in the national school rankings. It spends $6,897 per student, has a pupil-teacher ratio of 19.4, and an average teacher salary of $44,426. With all their gambling and lotteries, they're not doing much better than Hawaii.

[Bud Wiser]

Hey, Pat, at least you got to see the movie. I stopped going to HIFF after the time I went to watch a film only to be told they couldn't show it because it never came in. Hello? Hasn't anybody heard of FedEx? Didn't the organizers see the film ahead of time? Why didn't they just hang on to the copy they saw? Your experience and mine are both so typical of the incompetent bumbling that passes for standard procedure in Hawaii.

Also, note to "Hammers Time": it sounds like the problem was not so much cell phones ringing but people using camera phones to pirate parts of the film. That's why they were also banning cameras (which don't usually take calls).

[Hey ya never know]

Hawaiian Republican wrote:

<quoted text>
One would think, but let's look at two of the issues you mentioned: smaller classrooms (pupil-teacher ratio) and teacher salaries.
The National Average on these two are 15.3 and $46,593, respectively.
In Idaho with a #22 ranked school system: 18 and $43,390.
In Minnesota with a #1 ranked school system: 16.7 and $48,489.
In DC with a #51 ranked school system: 13.9 and $61,195.
In Hawaii with a #49 ranked school system: 15.9 and $51,599.
How is it the two school systems with the smaller pupil-teacher ratio and larger salary ranked so much lower than the two school systems with the larger pupil-teacher ratio and smaller salaries?

Point well made. My discussion was not based on statistical analysis. It was a broad generalization if the lottery monies could be handled in a responsible manner and funneled where they are supposed to go. I am aware of the regressive nature of a state lottery and how it would target the poor for a quick fix.

[Fisherman]

Akukae Bill wrote:

The stupid lottery bill.
For stupid people.
Lots in Hawaii. See above.
Thank GOD there are still a few smart People around that know it is all about hard work, rather than taking advantage of People's greed where some think you can get something for nothing.
THAT is the same quality that allows con-men to take advantage of whole bunch of People, cheating them out of their life savings.
You want to be stupid. Go all out stupid. Move to Las Vegas where the stupid People dwell.
Better yet, jump on the Hawaiian Airlines plane with that Portagee lady the LIE that "everybody in Hawaii Loves to gamble."
Beat it.

Thanks. That sure was an 'upper' to hear such honesty first thing Monday morning.

[Stumpy]

What I remember about Vegas is the pitiful old ladies sitting at the slot machines in every convenience store, quietly feeding their social security money into the pockets of the gambling tzars.

[Islandboi]

Edward H. Lewis of Kailua has a good point about lotteries and the good they can do when properly used. That is the key "properly used." Does anyone in the backwards, union managed state of Hawaii Nei think we could manage a lottery? No way. Too many union bosses would be taking out all they can grab for their unions with "management fees" and related expenses. Other bosses would say that with the lottery money coming in their workers need a "Catch Up" pay increase. Others would say time to renogiate the contract, increase union bennies. On and on and on. In a short time the lottery would be running a deficit, doing nothing for the state. Just another day in the Nei.

[wendell]

Hawaiian Republican wrote:

<quoted text>
One would think, but let's look at two of the issues you mentioned: smaller classrooms (pupil-teacher ratio) and teacher salaries.

The National Average on these two are 15.3 and $46,593, respectively.

In Idaho with a #22 ranked school system: 18 and $43,390.
In Minnesota with a #1 ranked school system: 16.7 and $48,489.
In DC with a #51 ranked school system: 13.9 and $61,195.
In Hawaii with a #49 ranked school system: 15.9 and $51,599.

How is it the two school systems with the smaller pupil-teacher ratio and larger salary ranked so much lower than the two school systems with the larger pupil-teacher ratio and smaller salaries?

Where is California ranked? It has a huge lottery, minimum payout $7 million, at times going over $100 million. Also, it has revenues from Indian gaiming casinos.

[RJN]

Do most of the teachers in Hawaii graduate from the School of Education at UH?

[Fisherman]

willie wrote:

"A lottery might help fund schools"
Be very careful of lottery promises.
I know of several states that promised 100% of lottery profits would go to education...and they are. The problem is any money from the lottery means that an equal amount does not come out of the general fund so the schools get no additional funds, they just come from a different source.
A better solution...fix the way the school system works and reduce the costs rather than trying to figure out how to keep funding a losing poor system. A good start would be a meaningful audit of the current system, I think it would be a real eye opener to all taxpayers.

"The problem is any money from the lottery means that an equal amount does not come out of the general fund so the schools get no additional funds, they just come from a different source."
>The other major Oahu paper has an article today that says that is what Lingle did with the Education Stimulus funds.

[willie]

wendell wrote:

<quoted text>
Where is California ranked? It has a huge lottery, minimum payout $7 million, at times going over $100 million. Also, it has revenues from Indian gaiming casinos.

I think the fact California pays with IOU's should tell you something. Does not really matter how much is coming in if you end up spending more than you get.

[wendell]

willie wrote:

<quoted text>
I think the fact California pays with IOU's should tell you something. Does not really matter how much is coming in if you end up spending more than you get.

The state's off issuing IOUs now, but the budget's still screwed up.

Well, what can you expect from a Dem controlled state? Dems here have absolutely no clue on how to manage finances.

However, I do admire the state treasuer, Bill Locklear, a Dem, who testified before a state house/senate finance committee. He pleaded with the committee, to just not do anything, and even talk to the Republicans on tips on how to control spending. And he emphasized his request with a big "PLEASE!"

It was actually funny.

[Hawaiian Republican]

wendell wrote:

<quoted text>
Where is California ranked? It has a huge lottery, minimum payout $7 million, at times going over $100 million. Also, it has revenues from Indian gaiming casinos.

Wendell, because you asked....California school system ranks #38. Spends $8,267 per student, has a pupil-teacher ratio of 21.3, and average salary of $59,345.

[Hawaiian Republican]

wendell wrote:

<quoted text>

...Indian gaming casinos.

That reminds me of another fine example of how gaming can "solve" social/educational problems. The Indian reservations are all fine examples of how these types of problems go away with gaming. Fine educational institutions on all those Indian reservations.

/end sarcasm.

[alice]

Hey ya never know wrote:

A state lottery could provide funding for an endless amount of educational resources. With a few hundred million dollars a year, schools will be able to provide amore productive learning environment for every student. Examples of the many benefits of extra revenue are after-school programs, smaller classrooms, more teachers, higher teacher salaries, having computers in every classroom, and sending students from low income families to college.

true..many states already do this. But organized crime would be the loser so they won
t allow it.