Energy

The legislature voted to impose almost $521 million in new taxes on residents and visitors. It was just one in a flurry of moves that will slow economic recovery and lead to greater job losses.

Most troubling was that legislators did not have to raise taxes on our businesses and hard-working families. Our Administration provided them with a credible alternative to closing the state’s budget gap without raising taxes, cutting essential services or laying off government workers.

Hawaii could add 7,000 new jobs at no cost to taxpayers if the federal estate tax were repealed, according to a new analysis by SmartBusiness Hawaii (SBH) and the SBH Entrepreneurial Education Foundation.

Contrary to popular opinion, Indian reservations have a history in Hawaii. An Oct. 12, 1999, article in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin describes the 1995 efforts by corrupt trustees controlling America’s largest charitable trust — Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate (KSBE) — to evade state and federal oversight. And not without reason: trustees’ salaries were over $1 million per year. KSBE money, along with trustees’ personal funds, had been invested in a pornographic website. Spending on the Kamehameha School was being cut. One trustee was running rampant in the school, micromanaging teachers and administrators. The trustees’ self-dealing and their investments with Goldman Sachs — at the time headed by current New Jersey Democratic Governor John Corzine — had brought losses of $264 million in 1994 alone. Investigators were starting to ask questions. Hawaiians were beginning to protest. The trustees’ plan? Get the IRS and the state attorney general off their backs by moving KSBE’s legal domicile to an Indian reservation.

"...we now have a government that we cannot afford....

"I cannot support raising taxes because it would cause further hardship for families, businesses, and the overall economy.

"We have two options:  we can continue to tax and spend to pay for a government that we would like to have but can no longer afford, or we can take the steps necessary to create the government that we need and are able to afford.

"...delaying bills until July, instituting a statewide furlough plan, and scaling back free Medicaid benefits to low-income adults – will allow us to avoid deeper cuts in education, environmental protection, public safety, and other core services the State provides."

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle and State School Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto today announced Hawai‘i’s participation in a nationwide program led by the states to ensure public school students have the knowledge and skills they need to compete in the global economy.

Governor Lingle and Superintendent Hamamoto have co-signed a Memorandum of Agreement that commits Hawai‘i to participate in the process of developing a common core of state standards that are internationally benchmarked.

North Korea is for the third time since 2006 preparing to launch a long-range Taepodong-2 missile from its base along the western shores of the Korean peninsula near the Chinese border.  Both previous tests were reportedly aimed at Hawaii. 

Governor Lingle will address the people of Hawai‘i on the Administration’s plan to close the budget shortfall.  The address will be carried live on line at 1PM today.  Four links are available to avoid website overloads.

Here is video of the latest Islamist riots in Athens.  The excuse: something about Koranic verse being written on a piece of paper torn up by an Athens police officer.  The date:  May 29, 2009 (Gregorian).  The fall (and looting) of Constantinople to the Ottomans was ...(drumroll please)... May 29, 1453 (Julian). 

Of course this is just a coincidence.  Really.  Certainly nobody would ever do such a thing in Hawaii.

“I will be meeting tomorrow and throughout the weekend with my staff to identify options to close the immediate shortfall projected by the Council on Revenues, as well as our projected $500 million shortfall in the fiscal 2010 – 2011 budget period that begins July 1, 2009.
“I will address the public at 1:00 p.m., Monday, June 1 on television, radio and webcast to discuss these options and to outline our path to economic recovery.”

Canadian Shona Holmes had a brain tumor and was told by her government health care agency to wait 6 months for treatment.  In Canada she had no choice.  The government had spoken.  So Shona mortgaged her home and came to the United States for immediate treatment--that saved her life.

Links to Memorial Day commemorations across the state...

At the Chinese border city of Yanji, 130 miles (200 kilometers) northwest from the test site, an emergency siren sounded shortly before 9 a.m. when officials thought an earthquake occurred. A receptionist at Yanji's International Hotel said she and several hotel guests felt the ground tremble.

Aziz Poonawalla of Madison, Wisconsin May 19 writes: “Naturally, there are some (conservative, Republican) people who see this as dhimmitude incarnate. This fellow for example ... intones seriously, 'the muslims are laughing'. Why, yes, we are indeed.”

The first commenter on Poonawalla’s blog post identifies himself as Hawaii IIO webmaster Abdul Rashid Abdullah.  The Islamic Information Office (IIO) website is tied to the Hawaii-based Muslim initiators of the “Islam Day” resolution. 

The next morning “Indira” comments: “Nice work, that is also September 11 on the Julian calendar, no wonder you are laughing at kufr.” 

Currently, cars exiting the Middle Street tunnel must merge onto the H-1, which creates an extreme bottleneck as cars traveling eastbound on the H-1 slow down to allow the incoming traffic.  This project will increase traffic capacity through the Middle Street merge and Vineyard Boulevard by adding a fourth continuous lane, eliminating the need to merge. The additional lane will also add a second exit lane to the Vineyard Street off-ramp.

More recently still, CAIR has demanded that Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner step down, for the "crime" of co-hosting a conference on free speech at which Mr.Wilders spoke. Lawsuits charging "defamation" continue to plague people who speak out against radical Islam and terrorism, including ongoing cases against Iranian-American researcher Hassan Daioleslam, Americans Against Hate founder Joseph Kaufman, and Hawaii Free Press Editor Andrew Walden. By and large, these events, and others like them, have not made the front page of any major newspaper, or been featured on broadcast television, if mentioned at all.

When the Star-Bulletin and Advertiser write about "ethical lapses" of public officials without actually describing the lapses it is a sure sign that a good story is lurking below the surface.  Of course that is the case with MRC Greenwood, one of the two finalists selected from 600 applicants for the job of UH system President. 

This hidden story involves money-grubbing lesbians, a $30,000 dog run paid for by the UC system, former Communist Party vice-presidential candidate Angela Davis, and one suicide.  Questions Hawaii reporters should be asking Greenwood include:  "If hired, will UH be expected to also hire Ms Goff and/or your son?"  and "Will you speak up in favor of  administrators arranging cushy high-paying jobs for their lovers at UH--or was that just a UC thing?"

Rebounding from their 2008 election drubbing, Hawai`i Republicans have recruited over 500 new members -- and it showed at the State GOP convention meeting at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott May 16. Among over 300 delegates and guests were about 100 attending their first convention.

Since the legislative session ended on May 8, my Administration has been carefully analyzing the 250 bills passed by the State Legislature. As Governor, I have until July 15 to sign the bills into law, veto them or let them become law without my signature. We encourage the public to provide input on the bills that are still under consideration by e-mailing gov.policy@hawaii.gov , faxing 808-586-0006 or calling 808-586-0034.

The caucuses replace Hawaii Republicans' former convention-based system of voting for Presidential-year RNC delegates. Backers of the caucus system pointed to the opportunity to recruit thousands of new Republicans as the competing Republican Presidential nominees campaign in Hawaii and encourage their supporters to vote at the caucuses.  The Hawaii Republican caucus will be held on the third Tuesday in February.

Advertiser: Republicans urged to unite: GOP challenged to gain seats in 2010 election by sticking to core beliefs

AP: Hawaii Republicans elect 36-year-old as new leader

KGMB: Hawaii GOP Elects New Leadership For 2009-2011

KITV: Lingle: It's Time For Younger Republicans To Lead, Aiona Says Democrats Are 'Party Of No Ideas'

In response to the www.HawaiiFreePress.com article “Hawaii ‘Islam Day’ secretly marks September 11” UH Manoa Department of Religion professor James D. Frankel today writes:

“Andrew Walden has uncovered no secret or nefarious conspiracy to honor the deplorable terrorism of September 11, 2001. The 12th day of Rabi ul-Awwal will fall on September 24, 2009, but will be on September 13 next year and September 2 the year after that.”

Frankel is dead wrong -- and has exposed an utterly stupendous ignorance of his own field of study.

Had Professor Frankel bothered to look at an Islamic calendar he would have discovered that the Islamic lunar calendar’s “12th day of Rabi ul-Awwal” fell on March 9, 2009 and will next year fall on February 26, 2010.

"States that adopt new taxes on high-income earners are ones where policymakers are persuaded to ignore concerns about long-term economic growth in favor of a short-term budget fix that avoids deep spending cuts."

The word "al-Taqiyya" literally means: "Concealing or disguising one's beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies at a time of eminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from physical and/or mental injury." A one-word translation would be "Dissimulation."

The Story of Stuff highlights the very extreme left’s Greenpeace view of America. Essentially it tells the story of how America is not a nation to be proud of, and in fact, your child should be ashamed for living in it. For example: after implying that the radios for sale in Radio Shack are assembled by 15 year olds in Mexico, and by purchasing one, you contribute to the exploitation of the third world and the eventual end of the Earth....

I was one of those Ron Paul supporters employed in Rep. Pine’s office.  Your comment implies that I am in favor of government getting involved with religion.  I do not.  I believe government should have no place in supporting any religion.  On the other hand I do not support government officials equating Islam with terrorism.  Equating Islam with terrorism shows the ignorance of some people who refuse to take off their blinders. 

HCR 100, the Islamic Holiday Resolution passed by the State Senate (22-3) on Thursday, May 7, is insensitive to patriotic Americans of all religions, outrageous, and an embarrassment (once again) for the State of Hawaii.

This resolution (which does not have the force of law) proclaims September 24 as Islam Day in Hawaii. How insensitive, no matter what the original intent, can anyone get, selecting a holiday just 13 days following the 911 Islamic terrorist attack on America? Is it just me that feels the stunning inappropriateness here?

Hawaii Rep. Kymberly Pine, R-Ewa, is way off base in chastising Sen. Sam Slom, R-Hawaii Kai, for his comments regarding the proposed Islam Day.  To honor a person or generic group of people like kupuna or Tartans is one thing – honoring a religion like Islam, as the House and Senate did in HCR 100, is totally inappropriate.

HONOLULU Thursday, May 7 – Governor Linda Lingle today, joined by hundreds of individual taxpayers, businesses and visitor industry leaders and employees, vetoed four bills that would raise taxes on residents, visitors and businesses, cause further job loss, and delay our economic recovery.

Combined, the four bills would extract a total of $94.3 million in 2010 and almost $126.2 million each year thereafter out of the economy.

HONOLULU – As part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s comprehensive process of reviewing legislation passed this session by the Legislature, Governor Linda Lingle is encouraging the public to provide input and comments on 250 bills.

From email distributed by the Islamic Information Office of Hawaii:

Islam day HCR100 Resolution was on the agenda yesterday (Wednesday). Senator Hemmings (Republican) gave a hate speech in opposition talking about the 10% of Islamic terrorists who want to kill Americans. The gallery was filled with the red shirts that are opposing HB444, the Civil Unions bill who all stood and applauded in support of Senator Hemmings speech against this Resolution. It was disgusting.

In just two days from now, on Friday, May 8th, the 2009 legislative session will come to a close. The budget passed by the Legislature in conference committee late last Friday evening takes $566 million out of the pockets of our visitors and residents, in an attempt to balance the budget. Last Friday, legislators also voted to extend the legislative session by two days so that they would be in a position to attempt to override my vetoes of tax increases without having to call a special session.

Tomorrow, on Thursday, May 7th at 3:30 p.m., I will follow through on my promise to veto these tax measures because they would further erode our already weakened economy, cause greater loss of jobs, and discourage visitors from coming to Hawai`i.

I would like to invite you to join me at a rally to oppose a number of legislative bills that will raise taxes on the people of Hawai`i, hurt our economy and stall job creation.

Governor Lingle will veto the measures at the rally. 

Please join us at the State Capitol on Thursday, May 7, at 3:30 p.m. to express your opposition to this legislation and send legislators a strong message that their responsibility is to the public, not special interests.

Hawaii has no Christianity Day, no Judaism Day, and no Buddhism Day--but Hawaii's Democrat Legislators have decided to violate the "establishment clause" of US Constitution -- for Islam. 

Affirming that their desire to submit to Islam supercedes their adherence to the sacred principles of the US Constitution, by a 22-3 vote the Hawaii Senate approved House Concurrent Resolution 100 which designates September 24, 2009 as Islam Day.  The State House had earlier approved the measure.

The Governor’s Web address can be viewed starting:  4:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The address may be viewed at:  www.hawaii.gov/gov

“This is a slap in the face to me, my mother, and the citizens of Hawai'i who expect our government to rise to protect them,” stated Melanie McLellan, foster daughter of Karen Ertell, who was brutally murdered and raped allegedly by her 15 year-old neighbor, Vernon Bartley.

HB 1404, which was gutted and replaced with new language, emerged this  morning with an increase in the state's General Excise Tax in an unspecified amount thought to be between one  half and one percent on top of the current 4 percent (4.5 percent on Oahu).

Today HB1404 isscheduled to have a conference committee hearing at 5:30pm in room 309. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2009/hearingnotices/CONF_05-01-09_FIN1_.HTM

HB819, "Karen's Law," will be heard today at 3:30pm in conference room 229. "Karen's Law" has passed out of both the House and the Senate and is now sitting in conference committee.

Although the bill has been heard three times, an agreement over the final draft has yet to be made. If Karen's Law does not pass out of committee today, tomorrow will be the final deadline for the bill to pass out so that it may be voted on by a joint Legislature.

Please help us by getting signatures on the petition and bring them to the prayer rally on Sunday.  We will also be gathering signatures on Sunday.  If you have not done so already, please click the link below to send an email to your Senator asking him/her to stand firm against pulling the bill from committee.  Those of you who reside in Manoa, please encourage people to contact Senator Taniguchi and encourage him to remain firm in his commitment to leave the bill in committee.

When this subject came up last week in the House Judiciary Committee, an amendment to the hate crimes bill that would have excluded pedophilia from the definition of sexual orientation was defeated by Democrats along party lines, 13-10.

Rep Joe Bertram’s 30-year friend Mark Marcantonio isn’t the only convicted child molester helped out by the Maui Democrat. The Legislative staff directory for 2007 shows that Bertram hired convicted child molester Leon Rouse as a Legislative Aide for the 2007 Legislative session.

If your senator or representative is on the committee, it is imperative that you send them a message today urging them to keep health care out of reconciliation.  They are meeting THIS AFTERNOON, so time is of the essence.  By far the most important two are Kent Conrad and Allen Boyd, Democrats who have been skeptical about using reconciliation. 

Due to the state’s projected $2 billion revenue shortfall and decreases to the DLNR budget, it was not known when funds would be available to make repairs to reopen the road and park. The infusion of community volunteer energy made it possible for the park to be reopened sooner.

Thursday May 7 2009 State Capitol Auditorium 6:30-8:00 PM

HB519HD1SD2, includes the following section of the bill, which adds the provision of bringing women home first (On page 3, Section 2 (c), line 16): (c) The director of public safety shall return to Hawaii all women inmates that are detained or incarcerated in out-of-state prison or correctional facilities by December 31, 2011…”

Senate hikes Hawaii hotel room tax

Cataluna: Legislators need pay cuts, not retirees

Hawaii Legislature passes tax hikes on income, cigarettes

Tobacco settlement fund shift criticized

Democrats confident of prevailing on taxes 

Karen’s Law will be heard in conference committee Wednesday at 3:00pm in room 229. Please send testimonies in support of HB819....

My goal and commitment to you in 2010 is to help elect a Republican Governor, a member of Congress and more Republicans to the legislature, council races and Board of Education.  As Party Chairman, I will work to ensure that Republicans contest all Legislative seats so that Hawaii voters have real choices on election day.

With a Hawaii County internal investigation of Internet abuse by employees beginning to heat up as a political issue, perhaps the same people who chose to ignore now-mayor Billy Kenoi’s fundraising on behalf of Mafia murderer Malu Motta will become interested in questions about Kenoi’s possible campaign use of government computers, email accounts, office space, and telephones.

Before a boisterous crowd of approximately 20,000 in the Georgia Dome, the four Hawai‘i teams got down to business at the “Super Bowl off Smarts,” which started yesterday and wrapped up today.  They competed with close to 350 other teams from Brazil, Canada, Israel, Mexico, the Philippines and the U.S. mainland.  The competition challenged the students to use their critical thinking skills and knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to maneuver robots they built themselves around a playing field.

The Legislature’s brief argues that the court’s ruling has “dangerously undermined” the Legislature’s constitutional authority to craft precise laws that reflect its policy choices....