AUDIO: Ige Proud Of Abercrombie-Ige Agenda's Fiscal Mismanagement
Senator Ige Touts Broken Status Quo Instead Of Offering A Way Forward For Hawaii
News Release from Hawaii Republican Party
HONOLULU (September 23, 2014) - At the Hawaii Public Radio gubernatorial live forum on Monday evening, Senator David Ige merely promoted the Abercrombie-Ige policy agenda instead of offering any substantive plans to take Hawaii in a new direction. Although Senator Ige is proud of the last four years, families in Hawaii are looking for change while struggling with a soaring cost of living and one of the worst tax systems in the country.
"It is disappointing that Senator Ige seems so proud of the Abercrombie-Ige policy agenda that has seen Hawaii ranked as the worst place to make a living with one of the most unfair tax systems. Middle-class families in Hawaii cannot afford four more years like the last four, and Senator Ige doesn't seem to understand that." --Ted Kwong, Hawaii Republican Party Communications Advisor
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SEN. DAVID IGE: Thank you, Wayne. I would just like to talk about the fact that I'm the only one, only candidate here who really has served as the chairman of Ways and Means committee and actually had to balance the budget and make tough decisions about revenue enhancement or not, or cutting the budget. And clearly we have rejected the effort to raise the pension tax. We've rejected the effort to tax sugar and other substances. We have focused on living within our means. And we made tough decisions.
BACKGROUND:
Senator Ige Touted His Experience On Taxes And Spending As Ways And Means Chairman Since 2011 As A Chief Qualification For Governor. (Senator David Ige, Hawaii Public Radio Gubernatorial Live Forum, Honolulu, HI, 9/22/14)
ABERCROMBIE-IGE TAX RECORD
Governor Neil Abercrombie And Senator David Ige Have Passed Over $833 Million Of Tax Increases Since 2011. (Jorge Martin and Max Velthoven, "Tax Increases Enacted by Democrat Governors Since 2011," Americans for Tax Reform, 5/9/14)
A New Study Shows Hawaii Has The Second Worst Tax System Overall And The Third Most Overtaxed Middle Class. "Hawaii's middle class are the third-most overtaxed in the U.S., and the 20 percent of residents with the lowest incomes are the fourth-most over-taxed, making Hawaii's tax system second-worst in the U.S." (Erika Engle, "Hawaii's tax system the second-worst in U.S.," Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9/15/14)
ABERCROMBIE-IGE FISCAL RECORD
Senator Ige Admits His 2014 Budget Plan Has A $200 Million Shortfall. "I take full responsibility. We will be spending about $200 million more than we have revenues coming in, so the ending balance will be about $640 million." (Senator David Ige, PBS Insights Debate, Honolulu, HI, 7/3/14)
The Hawaii Council On Revenues Now Forecasts The State Will Have $100 Million Less In Tax Revenues. "The state will have more than $100 million less than expected to fund government programs and pay public workers over the next year, based on the Hawaii Council on Revenues’ latest forecast. The seven members had projected 5.5 percent growth for fiscal 2015, which started July 1, but they downgraded their general fund revenue forecast to 3.5 percent after a lengthy discussion Thursday. The governor’s office and Legislature rely on the estimates to prepare the state’s overall $12 billion operating budget." (Nathan Eagle, "Hawaii Takes a $100 Million-Plus Hit as Council Downgrades Revenue Forecast,"Honolulu Civil Beat, 9/4/14)
This Was The Fifth Meeting In A Row Expectations Had To Be Lowered, And There Will Potentially Be A Sixth. "It was the fifth quarterly meeting in a row that the council has downgraded its revenue forecast. Some members suspect they will be downgrading it again at their next meeting in December."(Nathan Eagle, "Hawaii Takes a $100 Million-Plus Hit as Council Downgrades Revenue Forecast," Honolulu Civil Beat, 9/4/14)
- "The council’s trend of downgrading its forecast started a year ago. The council lowered its forecast in September 2013, then again at its meetings in January, March and May when the growth rate dipped below zero to negative 0.4 percent." (Nathan Eagle, "Hawaii Takes a $100 Million-Plus Hit as Council Downgrades Revenue Forecast," Honolulu Civil Beat, 9/4/14)
RESULTS FOR HAWAII FAMILIES
A Recent Report Ranks Hawaii As The Worst State To Make A Living In 2014. “At the other end of the spectrum–and a different corner of the map–Hawaii ranks as the worst place to make a living in 2014, due to a cost of living that stands at 157% the national average and a poor work environment score.” (Kathryn Dill, “The Best And Worst States To Make A Living In 2014,” Forbes, 6/9/14)
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Aiona Leads HPR Debate With Innovative Solutions for Affordable Hawai‘i
News Release from Aiona Campaign September 23, 2014
An hour of live radio made for a “fast-&-furious” gubernatorial forum last night at Hawai‘i Public Radio (HPR). Duke Aiona focused on his innovative solutions for toppling Hawai‘i’s high cost of living in every critical-need area: Affordable Housing, Education and Homelessness.
FACT CHECK: Ige Taking Money from Education?
In a bold face-off, Aiona asked listeners to fact check his closest-polled opponent, David Ige on a claim of increasing the education budget. Aiona advanced his support of early education, currently a constitutional amendment seeking public funds for private preschools. He also pointed out the UPLINK pilot program he championed as Lieutenant Governor. UPLINK targeted at-risk middle school students with marked success. Aiona has also already rolled out an initiative for Early College Education.
FACT CHECK: Ige Taking Money from Pensioners?
As questions flew, one tweet reminded the interactive audience that Ige had introduced SB438 to actually tax pensions. Another tweet pointed out that when asked about priorities, Ige never once mentioned cost of living.
Meanwhile Aiona continued to hammer out his plan for affordable living, a plan that adds more monies to the Rental Housing Trust Fund without raising taxes. “Our goal,” Aiona stated, “is to reduce the cost of energy and create more affordable housing to help with the high cost of living.”
FACT CHECK: Homelessness Spikes in Abercrombie Administration?
Although Democratic Gov. Neil Abercrombie promised to decrease homelessness within 100 days shortly after becoming governor, it actually increased 30%. In contrast, Aiona’s initiative would immediately impact two-thirds of homeless: veterans, mentally ill and chronic drug abusers. And in the HPR forum he highlighted a key: Homeless Court is mobile and immediately gets people into needed programs.
FACT: Duke Aiona is Governor-Ready
Duke Aiona showed he is the only candidate with a substantive plan to break from status quo. He’s prepared to get Hawai‘i back-on-track after being ranked worst state to make a living this year. Aiona will restore the trust, respect and balance missing from state government for the past four years to provide a brighter future for Hawai‘i’s middle-class families and their keiki. In concluding comments Aiona spoke of spending time with one-year-old granddaughter, Riley: “I want to make [Hawai‘i] the best for her!”
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