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Sunday, December 22, 2013
December 22, 2013 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:29 PM :: 3254 Views

Nominees Sought for State Water Resource Management

Tax Policy Should be Equitable and Not Hinder Economic Growth

Obama Tees off with Hooker-Lovin Buddy (again)

SA: Obama spent the afternoon golfing with trip director Marvin Nicholson, White House chef Sam Kass, and longtime friend Bobby Titcomb, (busted by HPD in prostitution sting, 2011) wrapping up shortly after 6 p.m. with the sun already set.  (Obama golfs with Titcomb 2011, 2012)

read ... Titcomb

Progressives Launch Preemptive Strike Against Hannemann

Shapiro: The state Supreme Court has handed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann the last thing he needs as he plots a political resurrection — a stinging reminder to voters of what they don't like about him.

As reported by blogger Ian Lind, justices rebuked the Hannemann administration for a "particularly egregious" breach of due process for blacklisting two veteran stagehands from working at the Blaisdell Center or Waikiki Shell after they ran afoul of the mayor and his brother Nephi.

Eric Minton and Richard Stanley were working a 2007 Blaisdell benefit show where Mufi Hannemann sang when they drew Nephi Hannemann's ire for being unable to accommodate his last-minute demands to upgrade the sound system and move an intricately tuned grand piano and a 2,000-pound lighting structure....

In a Dec. 13 opinion, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned lower-court decisions in favor of the city and ruled that the unconstitutional denial of due process squashed the stagehands' ability to earn a living.

The justices returned the case to Circuit Court to determine damages, which could get expensive for the city; the plaintiffs are claiming about $730,000 in lost income, six years of legal fees and possible punitive damages.

It was typical of the bullying behavior that marked Hannemann's six years as mayor and wore out his welcome with voters, who smacked him with lopsided defeats in his 2010 run for governor and 2012 bid for Congress.

He's now considering a try for the 1st Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.

Few believe Hannemann could win a head-to-head race against a credible opponent, but in a crowded Democratic primary that's already drawn a half-dozen candidates, Hannemann's camp thinks he may have enough of a base left to sneak in with as little as 20 percent of the vote.

read ... Bye Bye Mufi

Star-Adv: Making Health Connector State Agency Will not Solve Sustainability Problem

SA: The disappointing performance of the exchange is Exhibit A in the case for radically restructuring the exchange.

Even more important, making the exchange sustainable will require a more streamlined operation. After all, some $204.3 million in federal grants now funding Hawaii's Affordable Care Act foray will be expiring by the end of next year.

At a recent legislative briefing, Matsuda said the Connector needs to sign up 50,000 people -- 10,000 individuals and 40,000 small-business workers -- by June 30 to be financially sustainable after its grants run out. Lawmakers said they plan to introduce bills to change the governance of the Connector to that of a state agency.

Critics have charged that the nonprofit was not subject to state sunshine laws, and that the lack of transparency concealed problems from the state and the taxpayers who ultimately would foot the bills.

In addition, the current structure was faulted because representatives of the insurance agencies sit as voting members of its governing board, an arrangement that clearly presents conflicts of interest. It would be wise for legislators to correct that governance error -- insurers can serve in an advisory capacity.

But simply reconstituting the Connector as a state agency would not solve the sustainability problem. The Connector functions by directing applicants to programs for which they qualify, whether it be Medicaid or the subsidies that were authorized under the federal Affordable Care Act.

It would make sense to consolidate these functions, either within the Department of Human Services or the Department of Health. The Connector ought to become not a separate agency but a division within an existing state office. The exchanges may be in a difficult period now, but as they become established they should occupy a more modest niche within state government, rather than prompting the creation of a whole new bureaucracy.

read ... Connector needs major restructuring

Blue Planet seeks to Clear the Path to Higher Utility Bills

IM: The Blue Planet Board of Directors and Advisory Board have always been top heavy with the rich, powerful and well-connected....

In 2008 HECO and the State co-signed the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) Energy Agreement. “This is more than a step in the right direction, this is a leap” said a Blue Planet press release issued on the day the agreement was ink. “Today's agreement represents transformative change.”...

read ... Clear the Path

Abercrombie Admin Turtle Bay Plan: Give Developers $40M, Let them Build Two Hotels 

SA: Phase I is the area around Kawela Bay and Kawela Point. Phase II cover the areas of Puna-ho'olapa marsh and Kahuku Point, as well as undeveloped open space surrounding the golf course. Phase III is the middle portion of the property near the existing hotel where two additional hotels and amenities are planned.

Phases I and II are included in the current agreed-upon conservation scope, while Phase III remains for future consideration based on the landowner's desire to further explore Phase III's potential to provide significant economic benefits to the community.

read .. Two More Hotels

Abercrombie Budget Fills Ag Dep't Pesticide Positions

SA: Gov. Neil Abercrombie's proposed supplemental budget includes funding to acquire prime Oahu agriculture land, invest in Molokai irrigation system improvements and the Waimea Homestead Community Agricultural Park, and fill state Department of Agriculture positions in pesticide, marketing and statistics programs.

Fortifying prime agricultural lands and infrastructure, and supporting local farming are critical elements for food security for our state. Agriculture must be a predominant theme in our sense of place.

We also must invest in people, by helping current producers find solutions for the challenges they face...

read ... Filling Positions to Satisfy Protesters

Kauai Attacks Seed Growers, Protects Tobacco Grower

KGI: The 50 pound boxes of tobacco make about 30 cigars, he said. An entire shipment can total 1,500 cigars at about $3,000 to $4,000 per box.

The cigars are shipped back from Nicaragua as orders are placed. The waiting helps offset a 40 cent per cigar federal shipping tax. A $2 state tax per cigar is applied to each cigar sold.

Drent is president of the Hawaii Cigar Association. As the only grower, he leads sellers and importers in shaping a voice on tobacco-related issues. He helped to draft Hawaii’s first premium cigar tax bill that would exempt premium cigars from a self-service tobacco display ban and reduce the state tax to 50 cents per cigar.

The Senate version passed 25-1 last session. The House version was deferred until 2014.

“The $1.50 per cigar we save on taxes would go to employ people to complete the fermentation process and make the cigars right here on Kauai,” Drent said.

read ... Kauai's Tobacco Grower

Methodist Bishop Overseeing Hawaii, Calif Offers Gay Marriage Pastor Job

AP: A United Methodist pastor from central Pennsylvania who was defrocked after officiating his son's gay wedding was invited by a California Methodist bishop to serve in her region in yet another sign of a split in the nation's largest mainline Protestant denomination.

Frank Schaefer said he is deciding whether to accept the offer from Bishop Minerva G. Carcano to join the California-Pacific Annual Conference. The region includes California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.

"I'm actually leaning toward it right now, but I can't make that decision myself because it involves my entire family," Schaefer said. "We are considering it very, very seriously."

Carcano does not have the authority to restore Schaefer's ministerial credentials but he said he would have most of the same rights and responsibilities as an ordained minister....

Carcano said in a statement on the California-Pacific Annual Conference's website that the church's position on homosexuality is wrong. Although the church accepts gay and lesbian members, it rejects homosexual acts as "incompatible with Christian teaching" and bars clergy from performing same-sex unions.

read ... Another Trick to Impose Gay Marriage on Your Church

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