Entries for March 2015

...Kanaiolowalu's spending of OHA's rapidly depleting Trust is in excess of $4M.  But now, thanks to Grassroot Institute's open records request, we can discover where the money went....

The bill is now in the Senate, and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technology....

...if HB1471 passes we are looking at a total tax of $53.2 million, which is an increase of about 25%....

Hawaii Shippers Council President Mike Hansen interviewed on Think Tech Hawaii March 20, 2015....

...the legal procedure by which an individual or organization in Puerto Rico can request an administrative waiver from the Jones Act....

HB 169 would gradually raise the transient accommodations tax for resort time share vacation units to 9.25%....

...SB 717 will repeal the requirement that gasoline sold in the state for use in motor vehicles be composed of 10% ethanol....

...The current trend of increasing state and county revenues via various state tax increases and surcharges represents the sort of short-term planning that inevitably leads to economic troubles....

This is the sixth National Citizen Survey of Honolulu residents conducted for the City....

Our review covered 150 outstanding audit recommendations from 2004 to 2013....

More than 350 people participated in a planning workshop at McCoy Pavilion....

... “baseless, unreasonable and frivolous” ....

Only California (44%) has more households spending at least 30% of their income on housing....

A report on the top state issues of 2015....

Fukumoto Chang is right in that the interests of families may be better served at this point of the game with a vote of “with reservations” to keep a seat at the discussion table....

...Aumua Amata, who serves as the Vice-Chairman of the subcommittee, addressed Esther P. Kia’aina....

"...the poorest people, the people who most need the technology, may be denied access because of the fears and prejudices of those who have enough to eat....”

...the Commission has long-held that there is an exemption to Revised Charter of Honolulu Sec. 11-1041 for helping non-profit organizations with projects that the Mayor has officially designated as a project with community–wide benefit....

...an analysis of each new special or revolving fund proposed by legislative bills....

... Gender is an opinion ....

...only two in five principals (41%) say they can express concern or critique DOE policies and practices without fear of reprisal, retaliation, or being unfairly evaluated....

“To date Ormat has received at least $136,791,964.00 in 1603 payments through fraudulent and/or false 1603 grant applications....”

...they focused on promoting individual choice and personal responsibility, inciting fear of big government, threatening economic insecurity, and accusing public health scientists of manipulating data....

...The average interest rate on the tax-exempt bonds for new projects is 3.39 percent, the second lowest rate in modern history....

...Plenty of issues remain to be addres­sed, not least the safety implications of having kites weighing more than a tonne flying around on cables up to 310m long....

...subsidy programs assessed in each state....

De-Occupy asserted 14 causes of action but failed to succeed on any of them....

...Hawaii’s Supreme Court ruled decisively in favor of online travel companies....

SB473, is to be heard in the House Friday, 3/20 in the Committee on Labor and Public Employment....

... a provision in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Section 1603) allows companies to receive cash payments in lieu of tax credits for the installation of renewable energy properties ....

...union members accuse union leadership of cavorting with the Japanese Yakuza and the Chinese Triads crime syndicates....

Supporters are already working to build legislative and public support for the constitutional amendment in the 2016 legislative session....

...Comments must be post-marked, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered no later than Thursday, April 2, 2015. All comments will be kept confidential....

...A newly hired legal clerk at the Hawaii County Prosecutor's Office in Hilo can start working without the mandatory urine test, a federal judge ruled Friday....

...HB1329 has been assigned to EDT and WAM, though a hearing has not yet been scheduled....

I refuse to be intimidated by their hateful comments against me....

... The Hawaii State Constitution prohibits members of the Ethics Commission “from taking an active part in political management or political campaigns.” ....

... Schedule Q pays the “avoided cost” of oil ....

...Sand Should Return with Trade Winds....

...the Lava Tube dishonor is given for a lack of communication and keeping the public in the dark....

...scheduled for hearings this week....

Contracts with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) reveal hundreds of thousands of dollars in Kanaiolowalu “consulting” fees paid in 2012 and 2013 to Dwyer and Wong....

... Medical Marijuana; Dispensaries and Production Centers; Appropriation ($) ....

...0.25 per cent rate, beginning January 1, 2017. Amends the administrative fee for the collection of a county surcharge by the State....

... hundreds of little (and in some cases, not so little) pots of money sprinkled throughout Hawaii's departments, agencies, and other governmental units ....

"...the very discussion we are having now is illegal...." -- OHA Trustee Peter Apo January 14, 2015

...How Can the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Better Serve Its Beneficiaries?....