OHA’s “New Body Politic” Will Exclude 77% of Native Hawaiians
But Shouldn’t We Do Something About the Two Gorillas in the Bar?
Kakaako Developers give $850K to Abercrombie, Buy HCDA Board
SA: Donors linked to contractors, developers and landowners involved with the increasingly controversial rebuilding of Kakaako have contributed more than $680,000 since 2009 to Gov. Neil Abercrombie's two gubernatorial campaigns, according to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser analysis of state data.
When donations from construction unions are included, the total swells to nearly $850,000 — or 11 percent of Abercrombie's overall contributions.
For just his current re-election effort, the governor has collected nearly $370,000 through December from individuals with ties to Kakaako contractors, landowners, developers and the state agency that oversees the rebuilding, according to the newspaper's analysis of campaign fundraising data.
Including contributions from the trade unions whose members benefit from such construction, the total tops $425,000. Abercrombie's campaign has raised roughly $3.4 million through December for his re-election....
Four of Abercrombie's Cabinet officials are on the nine-member HCDA board and the other five board members are Abercrombie appointees, giving him significant influence at the agency.
Over about the past two years, HCDA has approved eight mostly high-rise condominium projects. The more recent approvals have generated intense criticism from residents concerned about densely packed neighborhoods, overcrowded schools, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of parks, insufficient planning and worsening traffic.
It also has sparked legislative efforts — so far unsuccessful — to bring reforms to the agency.
As recently as 2005, Abercrombie, as a congressman, called for abolishing HCDA, saying the agency never had been accountable to area residents and was failing in its mission to make Kakaako a more vibrant place for people to operate small businesses, live and play.
But since winning the governor's seat in 2010, he has been a major promoter of the urbanization of Kakaako....
According to the Star-Advertiser analysis, employees and others with ties to Mitsunaga & Associates, an engineering and architectural firm headed by longtime Abercrombie supporter Dennis Mitsunaga, gave more than $132,000 to Abercrombie's two gubernatorial campaigns — the most by far among the companies in the analysis.
HCDA awarded Mitsunaga & Associates a $290,000 contract in 2011 for design work related to the pending renovation of the historic American Brewery building in Kakaako....
Lois Mitsunaga, the daughter of Mitsunaga and an engineer with the firm, was appointed to HCDA by Abercrombie in 2011. He has lauded her as being "bright, committed and a tremendous organizer bundler." Lois Mitsunaga said she is passionate about politics and enjoys playing an active role in her community. "The reason I do make donations to certain individuals is because I believe that individual has the potential to (hire us to) pave the way (or anything else that they want paved)...."
read ... Bought and Paid for
Mitsunaga's Make-Work Project Unstable, Unsafe
SA: Close Construction accused Mitsunaga & Associates of providing inaccurate drawings, which contributed to delays and created additional contractor costs that HCDA indicated it was unwilling to cover, according to the lawsuit.
The complaint also said Close Construction was directed to proceed with the project despite a structural engineer's instructions that work be halted because of safety concerns related to the instability of the building's exterior brick walls. The structure is more than 100 years old.
Noting Mitsunaga's position as vice chairwoman of the board, Close Construction alleges that HCDA's actions created the impression the agency was more interested in protecting Mitsunaga & Associates than the public's interests or in acting in good faith with the contractor.
Flashback 2013: HCDA Finally Decides to do Something With Building Vacant Since Statehood
read ... Mitsunaga's Make Work Project to Collapse?
Borreca: Obamacare Problem Bad News for Abercrombie This Week
Borreca: Hawaii is appearing on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's radar screen but not in a good light....
Issa's committee has parceled out the duty of investigating the Affordable Care Act to a subcommittee, which in its official web page lists the Thursday hearing as "Examining ObamaCare's Problem-Filled State Exchanges."
Issa's letter to Abercrombie is just as unconvinced that Hawaii is doing the right thing.
"It is clear that the Hawaii exchange has failed to live up to its expectations," Issa wrote.
Noting that Hawaii was given $205 million in federal funds to set up the health insurance exchange but "has managed to enroll fewer than 5,000," Issa went on to warn that personal information submitted on the exchange may be at risk.
Letters were sent to Hawaii and nine other states before the hearing. Tom Matsuda, interim head of Hawaii's health insurance exchange, will attend the Washington meeting.
Issa pointedly said Hawaii's health exchange launched two weeks late, signed up the fewest number of enrollees in the country, had its director resign "due to ongoing development problems" and saw Matsuda "admit the exchange is financially unsustainable."
The Abercrombie administration denied that local residents' personal information was at risk, but for Hawaii, the week with the big dogs will not end with good news for the home team.
read ... Obamacare to Hit Abercrombie Hard
Geistling: Universal Coverage Does not Equal Single Payer
SA: When it comes to health care transformation that promotes high-quality care for all, the Abercrombie administration strongly supports the goal of "universal coverage."
This simply means that every state resident has access to health insurance that provides a meaningful level of benefits.
These benefits could be as a result of our state's time-honored Prepaid Health Care Act, via Medicaid or Medicare, through the military or Veterans Administration, or self-insurance.
The concept of "universal coverage" is often confused with the concept of a "single payer" system, where all health care is paid for by one entity, usually the government....
some of the requirements for the ACA insurance exchange which in our state is the nonprofit Hawaii Health Connector were not compatible with our small but advanced marketplace.
We are actively looking at the opportunities available to us through a waiver of some of the requirements in the ACA.
Starting in 2017, the law allows the state the flexibility to receive an innovation waiver to pursue alternate strategies....some of the requirements for the ACA insurance exchange which in our state is the nonprofit Hawaii Health Connector were not compatible with our small but advanced marketplace.
We are actively looking at the opportunities available to us through a waiver of some of the requirements in the ACA.
Starting in 2017, the law allows the state the flexibility to receive an innovation waiver to pursue alternate strategies to ensure all residents have access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.
This would require Hawaii to devise a plan that ensures coverage is at least as good, affordable and available as it is under the ACA.
In addition, any waiver developed would have to be presented to the public for comment, and the state Legislature would have to explicitly approve all provisions.
For more information about the Hawaii Health Innovation Plan, visit hawaiihealthcareproject.org.
News Release: As Health Exchange Implodes, Abercrombie Releases ‘Transformation Plan’
read ... Universal not Single?
Supporters march to extend health coverage to children with autism
HNN: More than 2,000 marchers turned out for an annual autism awareness walk to support legislation that would mandate health insurance coverage for children with the disorder.
There are 34 states that mandate health insurance coverage for autism. Hawaii could become the 35th state under Senate Bill 2054.
Many of Saturday's marchers include the families of children with autism, including 14-year-old Luke Pinnow, who was born on the Big Island.
Luke is also at the center of the measure, which has been nicknamed "Luke's Bill." His mother said they have paid a high price for his treatment.
"Everything that we can, we've paid out and done for him and we have nothing left, so we're really hoping that this does not happen to other families," said Geri Pinnow.
According to "Hawaii Families for Insurance Fairness," private treatments can cost up to $60,000 a year. Supporters said mandating health coverage won't add that much to insurance costs.
read ... Insurance
11.3% Spending Hike: Maui County Budget Out of Control
MN: Mayor Alan Arakawa's proposed $622 million budget is $63 million more than the current year's number for Maui County - a whopping 11.3 percent increase.
OK, everybody who got an 11 percent or more hike in your pay this year, raise your hands. Hmm . . . the only hands we see raised are the mayor's and council members'. If you'll recall, the mayor received a 19 percent raise last July and council members got 15 percent more....
The point is that while the mayor is trying to pressure the state to lift the cap on the counties' transient accommodations tax share by threatening more property taxes and higher fees, the basic problem is that county spending is out of control.
read ... Out of Control
Prius driving eco-lesbians take over Kona Chamber of Commerce
SA: Green is not only Holly Algood's favorite color, it's her way of life. She and her business and life partner, Eila Algood, live off the grid in rural Hawi on Hawaii island, creating their own energy with wind and solar. Many of the furnishings in their house are recycled purchases from thrift stores, lawn sales, Craigslist, eBay and the ReStore in Honolulu, which sells gently used home improvement products at discount prices.
The women drive hybrid Priuses; recycle paper, glass and plastic; and buy energy-efficient fixtures and appliances. They're growing produce and herbs in organic gardens and an aquaponics system, and use their food scraps in worm compost and as feed for their chickens.
"We're also converting 10 of our 34 acres from cattle pasture to a food and hardwood forest by planting 2,500 trees, including banana, fig, coconut, olive, kou, kamani and milo," Holly Algood said.
She is also Hawaii distributor for American Clay, which manufactures green building products, and is chairwoman of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce's SustAINAbility Committee, which promotes environmentally responsible business practices. She and Vivian Landrum, the chamber's president and CEO, are spearheading the Earth & Ocean Festival, now in its ninth year.
read ... A Caricature of a Stereotype
Hawaii Population Up 3.2% in 3 years
AP: Kauai population grew 3.6 percent, to 69,512 in 2013 from 67,090 in 2010. All four major county populations increased during that period with a state growth average of 3.2 percent to 1,404,054 in 2013. Maui increased 3.5 percent to 154,835. Honolulu County saw a 3.2 increase to 983,429, while the Big Island rose by 3.1 percent to 190,821.
The report found the growth of the residential population between 2010-13 was mainly due to a natural increase after recording births, deaths and migrations.
The total population change for Kauai from 2010-13 was 2,422.
This includes 2,860 births, or an average of 887 per year, between 2010-13, and an average death rate of 584, totaling 1,913 during the same period.
It also includes 1,100 new residents from outside the United States from 2010-13. This includes people from the Philippines and the greater Micronesia area. The domestic migration to Kauai was 338 during that time.
LINK: Census Tables Hawaii
CB: How Many Military Personnel Live in Hawaii?
read ... 3.2% Growth
Illegal TVRs Increase as NUCs are Lost
SA: In 1989, the door opened for a limited time to non-conforming use certificates (NUCs) on vacation rentals.
That was more than 25 years ago.
We have lost on an average of 40 NUCs every renewal cycle.
We started in 1989 with 2,235 transient vacation units (TVUs) and 141 bed-and-breakfasts (B&Bs).
Today there are less than half of the original NUCs remaining a recent count showed 810 TVUs and 48 B&Bs.
Meanwhile, recent data from the Internet site "Vacation Rentals by Owner" (VRBO) shows a total of 2,852 TVUs and B&Bs on Oahu, including in Waikiki and the rentals that still hold NUCs.
This makes TVUs and B&Bs less than 1 percent of the housing market, according to a recent census.
read ... Vacation Rentals
Maryland to replace $157M online health exchange with technology from Connecticut marketplace
WaPo: Like Maryland, Connecticut was one of the first and most enthusiastic states to embrace the idea of building its own insurance exchange rather than using a federal site to implement the law's sweeping changes in health care coverage.
But unlike Maryland, where the system crashed within moments of booting up and has limped along ever since, Connecticut's exchange has worked as smoothly as any in the country.
Maryland is not alone in having deep-seated problems with its health marketplace. Technical issues have plagued Oregon, Minnesota and Hawaii.
AP: Health law legacy eludes Obama as changes sink in
read ... Connecticut
Stanley Chang Will Join House Progressive Caucus
KOS: As Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) is quitting her House seat to challenge the sitting Democratic senator, she leaves behind a race in shambles. Of the three front-runners only one (Stanley Chang) has stated that he plans on joining the Progressive Caucus if elected.
read ... Stanley Chang
Hanohano: Nobody Offended if I use word 'Jap'
Shapiro: And the quote of the month … from Rep. Faye Hanohano after House Speaker Joe Souki reprimanded her for racist remarks: "It was so funny because even if I used the word ‘Jap,' you know, which is prevalent in my, you know, local community, everybody understands but they don't get offended." What she lacks in charm she makes up for with ineloquence.
read ... Justifying bad behavior and forging on is just fact of life
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