Entries for 'News Release'

Abercrombie continues to oppose a comprehensive, independent audit of the Department of Education (DOE). Mr. Abercrombie has said the "last thing we need is an audit of the educational system," even after he was one of 19 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor a bill introduced last year in favor of an independent audit of the Federal Reserve (HR 1207). 

While many know Neil Abercrombie supports abortion, the extreme stances he has taken on parental notification and prosecuting criminals who harm fetuses during violent crimes are counter to the values of many here in Hawaii.  While in Congress, he voted against...

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today issued the following statement in response to comments made by an appointed member of a State legislative committee criticizing Hawai‘i’s use of federal stimulus funds. The committee meeting held yesterday was a clumsily disguised event to criticize the Administration a week before State elections.

According to Real Clear Politics, an independent political website that publishes daily election analysis and polling averages, the race for Governor is a “toss-up.”

This determination is supported by recent polls conducted by Rasmussen Reports, Aloha Vote and Public Policy Polling, all of which show the governor’s race to be a virtual dead heat with a mere 2 to 3 point spread.

“Duke is the best person to serve as the next Governor of Hawai‘i,” said Rep. Sagum. “He is a true leader with integrity and good judgment who is not afraid to make tough decisions, and he has bold plans that will move Hawai‘i forward; that’s why I am willing to cross party lines to show my support and help elect Duke as our next Governor.”

HONOLULU - Lynn Finnegan today issued the following statement after casting her early ballot for the 2010 General Election. Lynn was joined by her husband, Peter Finnegan, Honolulu Fire Department Captain, their parents and an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, many of whom represent Hawai‘i's large Filipino community.

HONOLULU -- Lt. Governor Duke Aiona today announced four of Hawai`i’s top financial institutions will be providing a benefit of over $1.3 million dollars for Hot Water, Cool Rates, a new solar water-heater loan interest-buydown program.

Suggested Positions on State Constitutional Amendments and Honolulu County Charter Amendments....

1. Shall the B.O.E. be changed to a board appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, as provided by law?

We recommend YES so that there will be accountability (resting on the governor's shoulders) within the B.O.E.

Honolulu, HI -- Hawaii Right to Life PAC has announced its candidate endorsements and recommendations for dozens of races statewide. Its selections are based on a comprehensive vetting of those running for office and in-depth personal interviews affirming each endorsed candidate’s commitment to pro-life values.

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has released a $1,500,000 capital improvement project grant that will go toward the building of a permanent Windward Clubhouse for the Boys and Girls Club of Hawai‘i.  Under a partnership between the Boys and Girls Club of Hawai‘i and the Department of Education, the facility will be located on the grounds of Kailua Intermediate School. 

NEW YORK , NY - President Obama is spending the next week crisscrossing the country in support of Democratic candidates before this year's midterm elections. While the president may do a great job of energizing the base, he may not be able to convert any Independents who have yet to decide for whom they will vote. Currently, two-thirds of Americans (67%) have a negative opinion of the job President Obama is doing while just over one-third (37%) have a positive opinion. This continues the president's downward trend and he is now at the lowest job approval rating of his presidency.

The Duke and Lynn Express kicks off today on Kaua`i, where the candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor will meet and talk story with supporters and undecided voters across the island, and will continue this week with stops on Maui, Hawai`i Island and O`ahu. The Duke and Lynn Express will feature sign waving, rallies, talk stories and special guest appearances.

Approximately 89 percent of Duke Aiona's total contributions were from Hawai‘i residents. Nearly 70 percent of his total donations were $100 or less, reflecting his true grassroots campaign.

Duke and Lynn's proposal of a College Tuition Assurance Program would guarantee a four-year fixed tuition rate for students entering the University of Hawai‘i and a 2-year fixed tuition rate would be guaranteed for those entering one of the University of Hawai‘i community colleges.

A poll released by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now shows Colleen Hanabusa in trouble. Across the board, she is struggling not only to make inroads with independent voters and younger voters but also struggling to seal the deal with her own party and union members.

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has released $140 million to the University of Hawai‘i for the construction of the new University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center. The funds were released as preparations get underway for breaking ground on the new state-of-the-art facility on Thursday, Oct. 28. 

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii, based in Hilo, have endorsed Republicans James “Duke” Aiona and Lynn Finnegan for governor/lieutenant governor.

As Governor, Duke Aiona will expedite contracts for approximately $946 million in approved state capital works projects over the next 18 months. He will also continue to modernize state airports, contracting approximately $2.3 billion over 15 years, and upgrade and expand our state harbors, contracting approximately $618 million over eight years.

"There's a difference between campaigning and governing, but our opponent is clearly more interested in the former than the latter.

"Our opponent has made promises to create new government bureaucracies and restore all public employee furloughs. Behind our opponents' plan is the fact that he would either cut more programs, raise taxes or fail to deliver on his promises."

"Now that the momentum of this campaign has shifted, our opponent is playing Washington politics in a desperate attempt to divert attention away from his inability to explain whether he will cut programs, raise taxes or fail to deliver on his promises to grow government at the expense of small businesses and working families. The Aiona-Finnegan Campaign and the RGA have fully complied with all applicable laws."

The telephone survey, conducted by ccAdvertising, showed Charles leading Hanabusa 44% to 35%, with a margin of error of +/-3%. The survey had 2,747 participants.

While Congressman, Neil Abercrombie voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.  When it passed he tried to repeal it.

In the pre-general reports filed yesterday, Djou reported $226,000 to Hanabusa’s $112,000 in the first two weeks of October. Djou outraised her by more than $50,000 in September.

According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, the tax burden for the average working family in Hawaii’s First Congressional District where Charles Djou lives would be $1,784 higher if tax rates are allowed to increase at the close of this year—if Congress does nothing, as it is currently poised to do.

Washington – Colleen Hanabusa's Washington friends already opened up the nation’s pocketbook once to bailout Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – the catalyst of the mortgage crisis – and now the mortgage giants may need anywhere from $73 to $215 billion in additional handouts just to keep afloat. The Democrats’ failure to reform and restructure the two companies is now going to cost taxpayers more money, further contributing the nation’s economic woes and signifying the spending problem that has become a signature of the out-of-touch majority.

“After evaluating the candidates in this race, we believe that Cam Cavasso will best serve the interests of hardworking Hawaii taxpayers by advocating the principles of lower taxes, less government and more individual freedom.”

"I congratulate my opponent on receiving this endorsement from our president; however, it does not change the fact that he would stall our progress on clean energy and hold us back from cutting by more than half our dependence on foreign fossil fuel by 2018, grow government at the expense of small businesses, and waffle on critical public education reforms." 

AFBI’s President Dick Patten praised Willoughby for signing the pledge, saying “By supporting estate tax repeal, Willoughby will help save local jobs and businesses.”

A recent study from the American Family Business Foundation found that repealing the Death Tax would increase nationwide employment by 1.5 million jobs.  In Hawaii alone, repealing the Death Tax would add over 7,000 new jobs.

Hanabusa believes that more government is the answer to every problem, even though the massive stimulus and government expansion into virtually every sector of our economy have failed.

"Behind our opponents' plan is the fact that they would either cut more programs, raise taxes or fail to deliver on their promises. They simply cannot provide the types of government programs for which they advocate without raising the cost of living for Hawai‘i's hard-working families and businesses."

"The people of Hawai‘i understand what it takes to recover from a storm like Megi, and we stand by ready to support our neighbors and family in the Philippines," said Lynn Finnegan. "Duke and I encourage Hawai‘i residents to extend a hand of support to our neighbors by donating their time or financial support to the Hawai‘i Red Cross and other organizations accepting donations for disaster relief designated for the Philippines."

"As if the lies from mainland special interests weren't enough, the local establishment has launched a smear campaign of its own. The group, called 'Working Family for Hawaii,' is really the Hawaii Government Employees Union, which is apparently too ashamed of its false ads to run them under its own name."

HONOLULU-- In her recent ad, Colleen Hanabusa boasts that she would have voted for the $26 billion state bailout bill that put Hawaii taxpayers on the hook for bailing out fiscally irresponsible state and municipal governments.

"After several polls have showed Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan surge in the polls, our opponent is ramping up his rhetoric and getting desperate.

"In addition to the usual lack of specifics and inability to show how he'll create job opportunities or pay for the promises he's making, our opponent flip-flopped again on the issue of an appointed school board and noticeably became agitated with Duke's specific, real solutions for the people of Hawai‘i.

Abercrombie finally admitted that he originally supported the ballot proposition for an appointed school board early on in the gubernatorial campaign before he changed positions during the PBS Hawai‘i Island Insights debate, where he voiced his opposition to the ballot proposition for an appointed school board.

However, Abercrombie again changed his position at the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce's candidate forum. He flip-flopped again to say, after being asked a second time in one night, that he supports the ballot proposal for an appointed school board.

Honolulu, Hawaii—An impressive 49 candidates from Hawaii in the November 2^nd election have have signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, promising to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”

From Cam Cavasso Campaign: Just two weeks ago, we sent you our roadmap to victory, analyzing the latest polling in the Hawaii Senate Race. At the time, our opponent, Dan Inouye, held a 36-point lead in the polls.  But in the latest poll released yesterday by Rasmussen Reports, Cam is closing the gap, narrowing Inouye's lead to just 13 percent!  The poll is also revealing because it shows several trends:

He voted against adopting the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, which worked for nearly two years to provide an accurate description of the September 11 attacks and identify the problems that led to the success of the attack.  

HONOLULU - The State is seeking nominations to the Commission on Water Resource Management.  A Nominating Committee will screen the applicants and send to the Governor the names of at least three individuals for one open position. 

Cam Cavasso focuses on addressing the chronic deficits faced by the U.S. Government by addressing Washington’s out-of-control spending and developing a fairer, simpler tax code that avoids the revenue volatility of the current income tax structure.

In 2004 Inouye won with 75% of the vote so this is quite a come down and a very good sign for Hawaii Republican candidates up and down the ballot.

Will we elect a leader like Neil Abercrombie who believes in pouring more money into an education system consistently ranked at the bottom of the states without investigating as to the reason why and where the money goes?

Citizens Against Government Waste named him “Porker of the Month” in August of 2009 for his constant reach into pockets of hard working Americans to fund useless, ineffective and sometimes even radical programs and ideas.” 

Worst of all, Abercrombie has consistently provided large taxpayer funded contracts to his friends in companies like Pacific Biodiesel, which also donate to Abercrombie’s campaigns.  

Former Democratic Congressman Neil Abercrombie and Republican Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona are now virtually tied in the race to be Hawaii’s next governor.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Aloha State shows Abercrombie picking up 49% of the vote, while Aiona earns 47% support.

"Mr. Abercrombie was asked point blank how he would find the $190 million he promised to government workers, but once again ducked the answer.

"This is consistent with our opponent's long-standing inability to specifically explain how he would fund his book of promises."

Abercrombie admitted that he does not support an appointed Board of Education, stating that it would not make a difference.

Duke Aiona, Governor Lingle and each of Hawai'i’s past living Governors - Governor Ariyoshi, Governor Waihee and Governor Cayetano - have voiced support for an appointed Board of Education. This bipartisan support for an appointed Board of Education shows that those who have been held responsible for education in Hawai‘i believe it would be a step in the right direction to improve accountability in our education system.