Entries for 'News Release'

Total spending by visitors who came to Hawai‘i in the first quarter of 2011 increased 16.9 percent, compared to the first quarter of 2010, to $3.2 billion. Total visitor days for all visitors grew 10.8 percent, and total arrivals rose 9.1 percent to 1,823,870 visitors, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.

Abercrombie signed the following bills into law today....

“Native Hawaiians, like the Maori and many other indigenous people around the world are resource-rich but concerned about exploitation,” says IDG Indigenous and Community Advisor Mililani Tra$k. 

Here it is! 

Apparently Abercrombie hasn’t met the nurses.  They have plenty of “accusations and confrontations.”

The revised state measure now calls for the establishment of a 9-member Native Hawaiian roll commission, which will appoint an interim council of 9 members to “commence the organization of a convention of qualified Native Hawaiians.”

"It is our hope that as we return to the bargaining table, the State Administration and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation take a realistic approach to bargaining a fair agreement with their nurses, or risk losing more staff because of the pay gap they are enduring.”

A total of sixteen measures have been enacted thus far.  The Governor has until July 12, 2011 to sign into law all measures that are passed out of the state Senate and the House of Representatives.  The Legislature adjourns on May 5th.

KEY QUESTION:  What will these four organizations and the Abercrombie Administration do with the information they receive about homeless individuals and homeless camps?  Will they attempt to bring the homeless into shelters or will they focus on feeding the homeless in place and “enabling” them to stay on the streets?

Pacific Office Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE Amex: PCE), a real estate investment trust owning interests in 45 office buildings primarily in Hawaii and California, reported today that it received notice from the NYSE Amex (the “Exchange”) indicating that the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards ....

Announcement from Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour....

Tony Santos, former resident of Hawaii, Farrington High School student, and past Mayor of the City of San Leandro, California, has been actively advising Hawaii lawmakers to kill off a proposal to establish Instant Runoff Voting on the county level.

 “I refuse to impose on my constituents the lethal combo of a fuel tax increase, a property tax increase, and a sewer rate increase while a whopping nine million dollars per year from the general fund is diverted to subsidize the game of golf .... "

Why should private sector struggling businesses become cash cows for an irresponsible Governor and spineless Legislature? 

Because the constitution requires that the Commission be constituted by May 1, 2011, the Supreme Court has only five working days to make a selection.

The ERISA Federal law of 1974 clearly stated that if Hawaii changed its health insurance law in any substantive manner, such as what is being proposed in HB 1134, then the Federal law would take over and Hawaii's health care program would no longer be in effect.

Today, the Honolulu City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 11-116 which urges the Hawaii State Legislature to defer action on House Bill No. 638, HD1 SD1 which would force the City & County of Honolulu along with the County of Hawaii to implement a new type of voting procedure during special elections called ‘instant runoff voting’ or ‘ranked choice voting’

Captain Cook Coffee Company, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Kauai Coffee Company (A&B), Kelena Farms, MacFarms of Hawaii, and Maui Pineapple Farms (ML&P)….  The EEOC asserts that the farms not only ignored abuses, but also participated in the obvious mistreatment, intimidation, harassment, and unequal pay of the Thai workers.

Fiscal 2011 Spending Agreement - Vote Passed (260-167, 6 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill to fund the government through the end of the current fiscal year. Based on the agreement negotiated to prevent a government shutdown, the bill provides $1.055 trillion in federal spending. The Senate passed the bill later in the day, clearing it for the president. 

Rep. Mazie Hirono voted NO.....(Hirono alone voted for Federal Gov’t Shutdown.)

Wednesday, April 20 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Hawaii State Capitol Auditorium 415 S. Beretania St.

Mayor Carlisle appointed retired union representative William Hong, current Corporation Counsel Carrie Okinaga, and First Hawaiian Bank Chairman Don Horner.

Working in the complex world of submerged electronics, students and their mentors created remotely operating vehicles (ROVs) which are driven from a control system above the water's surface.

In heart-stopping non-stop action, each of the four Hawaii teams competed with precision in the quarter final matches, but ultimately fell points short of playing in the semi-finals.

State government workers currently get 13 paid holidays, 21 days of paid vacation and 21 days of sick leave each year.  And in 2012 they will get 14 days vacation—since government workers don’t have to work on election day.

“On top of these 55 paid days off a year, Gov. Abercrombie has given HGEA workers 9 more days of paid administrative leave,” Rep Gene Ward of Hawaii Kai pointed out.  “This equals 64 days, or almost three months a year.”

Dozens of Hawaii elementary, middle and high school students will take their robotic creations to the next level this weekend, by fully submerging them underwater....

Hawaii’s VEX Robotics students will join more than 570 robotics teams representing 14 different nations to compete for the World Championship.

Hawaii has one of the highest State Tax Rates in the United States, and yet the State Legislature is considering many new increases in taxes including income, excise, and other fees.  Are you Taxed Enough Already?

If we pass this measure today, we will have our "foot in the door" to start taxing the pensions of all our seniors. We may end up taxing pensions at $10,000 or $5,000 or maybe at no threshold at all. If we returned to the Governor's original proposal of a $37,500 threshold, it will be harmful to our low-income seniors. 

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul D. Ryan made the following statement after listening to the President’s speech on deficit reduction....

Berg’s proposed resolution – adopted unanimously in the Council's government affairs committee two weeks ago – was voted down six to three amid concerns that most council members found the timing of Berg’s “message sending” resolution too risky ....

"This resolution is intended to empower the City Council to reverse the astonishingly twisted priorities of the administration and the misguided transit team."

“Our concerns have only intensified following our debriefing meeting with the City last Monday and as we thoroughly reviewed the documents that were made available to us."

• Senate: Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011
• Senate: To ban EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions
• House: Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011
• House: Net Neutrality Disapproval
• House: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011

Obama declared the damage sustained from the March 11, 2011 tsunami a major disaster, which enables the State of Hawai'i to receive federal funding for repairs

The new agreement with the HGEA will increase state labor costs by at least $65 million a year, the House Republican Caucus announced. And the agreement gives state workers up to 9 additional paid days off of work per year.  This comes on top of 13 days paid vacation and 21 days of sick leave per year.

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced that more than 50 Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) have been initiated as part of his New Day Works Projects to create jobs and stimulate the economy....

Hanabusa, Hirono oppose House continuing resolution which keeps the federal government operating and ensures federal employees will receive a paycheck, including those of our military men and woman serving in harm’s way ....

 A poll done for the Daily Kos by Public Policy Polling showed that Abercrombie is down to a 48% approval rating. This is after receiving almost 58% of the vote last November.  In addition, this poll seems to have under-sampled Republicans ....

Details of the two-year contract from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2013 include:

• An equal contribution (50/50) for public workers’ health benefits between public employees and the State and county governments 
• A 5 percent reduction in base pay for public employees without furlough days or layoffs

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald appointed Lanson K. Kupau, Melanie Mito May and Dean E. Ochiai to the District Court and Catherine H. Remigio to the District Family Court of the First Circuit (Oahu).

The HTA forecasts moderate growth in total scheduled nonstop air seats to Hawaii in the second quarter .....

Rep. Gene Ward (R-Hawaii Kai – Kalama Valley) today issued a warning to the public not to believe the latest threats by the Senate as well as the Hawaii’s public labor unions that an increase in the general excise tax (GET) is the only option on the table.

Lingle froze most state hiring, put a stop to state travel and told her department heads to refrain from non-essential equipment purchases and supplies.

Urging Abercrombie to do the same, House GOP also recommended Abercrombie delay his proposed budget increases, which would bring the state’s two year operating budget to $23 billion.

Despite the efforts of the American Association of Retired Persons, Rep. Barbara Marumoto and dozens of individuals, bills to tax pension income continue to progress through the Hawaii State Legislature.

The Department of the Attorney General released its annual report detailing state firearm registration statistics for Calendar Year 2010.

 Hawaii led the nation in the number of businesses owned by Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders in 2007, according to new findings from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Survey of Business Owners.

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Kaua'i Councilman Derek S.K. Kawakami to represent House District 14 in the State House.

• House: The HAMP Termination Act of 2011
• House: Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act
• House: FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011
• House: Government Shutdown Prevention Act