Last week's Stryker article may mislead people about the economic impact of military expansion. The Army admits in its environmental impact statement:

• The Strykers are "expected to have less than significant beneficial effects on population, employment, income and business volume," Page 5-234.
  
• "The proposed action might create a high demand for certain goods and services that could result in short-term shortages and price increases," Page 8-233.
  
• Bringing 2,000 more people here "is expected to increase demand for on- and off-post housing," Page 9-61.
  
• "535 acres of actively cultivated pineapple" and 220 acres of agricultural land in Kahuku will be converted to "permanent structures, which would be an irreversible land use change," Page 4-7.

Also, local taxpayers may pay to educate military dependents. Federal impact aid covers only 20 percent of public education costs in Hawai'i. Already, we pay $190 million for the 30,000 dependent students here. Seven hundred to 1,000 more students of parents who pay no local taxes means we will pay $6.5 million more for education (Page 4-100).

I am not anti-American. I just believe in informed decision-making. News must be balanced. Strykers pose scary threats to public health. Read it: www.sbcteis.com.