Hawaii putting bond investors in a world of hurt
Hawaii Grade C for Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Laws
HRA Backs Hawaii Concealed Carry Lawsuit
UH 'Scientists' Assemble Cavalcade of Global Warming Hysterias
A Smaller World
Women's March Founder: "Anti-Semitism, anti-LBGTQIA sentiment, and hateful, racist rhetoric part of the platform"
Grandstanding: Hirono Lawsuit Challenges Trump Appointment
OHA Money Grab Behind Star-Adv Push for Higher DLNR Land Rents
SA: … “They’re simply not doing their job,” said attorney David Kimo Frankel, who represented two Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners who successfully sued the department in 2014 for breaching its trust obligation over a Big Island lease. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs this year.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has been among those questioning some of DLNR’s revocable permit practices and the handling of specific cases.
“They’re outrageous, the individual cases we’ve looked at,” said Jocelyn Leialoha M. Doane, OHA’s public policy manager….
At the same time, Doane applauded improvements DLNR made in the wake of the Star- Advertiser coverage.
Several days after the initial stories appeared in February 2016, DLNR Director Suzanne Case announced the formation of a task force to recommend changes to the program, mirroring how DHHL responded to the Star-Advertiser coverage three years earlier.
By the end of June 2016, the DLNR board adopted the task force recommendations.
The sweeping changes were designed to improve transparency and accountability, including providing the public with clearer justifications on why revocable permits, rather than long-term leases, were being issued and whether the monthly rents were fair for the state….
(Transparency? As more money is sucked into OHA, it loses transparency.)
As Explained: Harbors Division Fee Hike designed to boost $77M OHA Slush Fund?
read … DLNR leaders dismiss warnings from employees
Telescope foes ask Hawaii high court to reconsider ruling
AP: … Opponents of a giant telescope planned for Hawaii’s tallest mountain are asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider a recent ruling upholding the project’s construction permit.
They filed a motion Monday saying the court should adopt the opinion of a dissenting justice. The motion says Associate Justice Michael Wilson was correct in saying the impact of the Thirty Meter Telescope on existing cultural resources must be considered….
Monday was the deadline to file a motion for reconsideration….
HTH: TMT opponents want high court to reconsider ruling
read … Telescope foes ask Hawaii high court to reconsider ruling
AG to Release Result of Investigation into HGEA-Controlled Lunatic Asylum
SA: The Hawaii attorney general’s office is wrapping up an investigation into the escape of man committed to a psychiatric hospital after being found not guilty by reason of insanity of a woman’s 1979 killing.
The attorney general’s office says conclusions from an administrative investigation will be released in about two weeks.
Randall Saito was captured in Stockton, California, days after walking out of Hawaii State Hospital last year….
A court hearing is scheduled Wednesday for escape and identity theft charges against Saito….
read … Investigation into Hawaii State Hospital escape wraps up
Did Hawaii Lawmakers Poison Their Relationship With Gov. Ige?
CB: As state lawmakers prepare their priority bills ahead of next session and Gov. David Ige crafts his proposed biennial budget, there are questions over how well the Legislature and his administration will work together to accomplish their goals given the bad blood that was spilled this election season….
There hasn’t been much, if any, communication between them since Ige went on to win. And there are mixed feelings about what this dispute will mean in the coming session, which starts in January, not to mention the next four years….
Some lawmakers, speaking only on background due to the subject’s sensitive nature, and political insiders have speculated that Ige’s appointments — department heads, agency directors, board members — could face a rockier road to approval in the Senate. Even if it only amounts to grandstanding.
They also wonder about the levels of funding for Ige’s pet projects, from modernizing the tax system to protecting watersheds. Or on the flip side, how much spending his administration will restrict for legislative initiatives.
Others aren’t particularly worried.
Some legislators and political analysts see the Legislature and Ige, who few if any view as a vindictive type, quietly putting the matter behind them.
They point out that the governor really has nothing to lose, being term-limited and unlikely to seek a higher officer, whereas many lawmakers have future ambitions that require a relationship with Ige that lets them procure a record of accomplishments to campaign on later.
“There’s one norm that always seems to play a large role in all these kinds of things and that is non-transparency,”….
About a dozen lawmakers donated more than $42,000 to Hanabusa’s campaign for governor. Aside from the four lawmakers who hosted a fundraiser for her, Sens. Michelle Kidani, Glenn Wakai, Clarence Nishihara and Gil Keith-Agaran and Reps. Henry Aquino, Ryan Yamane and Scott Nishimoto gave Hanabusa money.
Ige, by contrast, received about $16,000 from state lawmakers, including Souki and Reps. Kyle Yamashita, Mark Hashem and Matt LoPresti (oh well) and Rep. Gregg Takayama….
read … Did Hawaii Lawmakers Poison Their Relationship With Gov. Ige?
$17M—300% Sewer fee hike advanced
WHT: …Monday a County Council panel unanimously advanced a bill almost doubling sewer fees over the next three years. Bill 210 now goes to the Environmental Management Commission before coming back to the council for two more votes.
Mayor Harry Kim, addressing the council, said he realized his administration has asked the council to raise taxes and fees a lot lately….
The fee hikes would bring in an extra $17 million over the three years. They would start March 1, if approved.
Kucharski wants to add 10 new positions…
“No one can accuse me of being gun shy when it comes to raising taxes,” Chung said. “People who have sewers next to their properties … they’re bearing the burden of protecting the environment. … That’s why I think it’s appropriate to have some subsidize with property taxes.”
Chung suggested a “clean-water surcharge” on everyone….
Currently, $7.5 million of the $12.9 million operating budget for sewers comes from user fees. About $3 million comes from the general fund and the rest is made up with fund balance and reserves, according to county budget documents.
The current $27 monthly fee for single-family and multi-family residential units would increase to $39 monthly on March 1, $46 monthly in 2020 and $52 monthly in 2021, (192%) under the plan. Nonresidential rates would increase from $22 monthly to $50 monthly March 1 to $59 monthly in 2020 and $66 monthly in 2021…. (300%)
VIDEO: Sewer Rate Hike Proposed In Hawaii County
read … Sewer fee hikes advanced
We’re Number One! Construction underway in Iwilei for largest hygiene center in the nation
HNN: …Construction is well underway on the largest hygiene center of its kind in the nation and it’s in Iwilei.
The center, which will serve Honolulu’s homeless population, will be on the first floor of a four-story building in Kuwili Street and will have showers, laundry services, kennels, a mail service and even a bed bug-zapping machine….
The center will also give the homeless access to outreach services and potentially permanent housing. (Sure.)
The city bought the building back in 2016 for $6.3 million and construction alone will cost about $10 million….
The hygiene center will be the second one on Oahu. The first one opened in 2015 in Chinatown (created a homeless vortex) and is much smaller….
read … We’re Number One!
New location discussed for Waianae homeless
SA: … Discussions are under- way to move the 270-person homeless encampment next to the Waianae Small Boat Harbor to unspecified, privately owned land farther mauka, and to erect wooden “tiny homes” for its residents. …
Borge said she continues to welcome advice from Hawaiian sovereignty leader Dennis “Bumpy” Kanahele, who runs the nonprofit organization Aloha First and is helping Borge navigate Pu‘uhonua o Waianae’s move….
During a break in the conference, Borge declined to offer specifics about a potential move for the encampment because many of the details still need to be worked out and money needs to be raised.
But if all goes well, Borge hopes to have details locked down by mid-2019…
read … New location discussed for Waianae homeless
Soft on Crime: 10 Convictions out on the Streets Does it Again
SA: …Prosecutors charged a 59-year-old man in connection with a burglary in Mililani.
David C. Young was charged Sunday with first-degree burglary. His bail is set at $50,000.
Police said a male suspect later identified as Young entered a home and took property belonging to a 39-year-old woman at about 8 p.m. Saturday.
Young has a criminal record of 10 felony burglary convictions, misdemeanor assault and petty misdemeanor harassment….
read … Soft on Crime
Time For Honolulu To Finally Decide On Natatorium’s Future?
CB: …The city proposes a plan for a new pool and restoration of the fabled but crumbling World War I memorial in Waikiki….
The city is now welcoming public comment until Dec. 24 on the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed project. A final EIS could come as early as September….
read … Time For Honolulu To Finally Decide On Natatorium’s Future?
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