Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Monday, April 22, 2013
Oahu Biofuel Plant: Honeywell CEO to Face Questions
By Andrew Walden @ 3:27 PM :: 4180 Views :: Energy

Honeywell Corporate Leaders Face Criticism for National Debt Hypocrisy

Free-Market Shareholder to Ask What Happened to Millions in Green Energy Stimulus Dollars that Failed to Create Promised Job Growth

News Release from National Center for Public Policy Research April 22, 2013

Morris Township, NJ / Washington, DC - At today's annual meeting of Honeywell shareholders in Morris Township, New Jersey, a representative of the National Center for Public Policy Research plans to ask Honeywell CEO David Cote what his company did with millions of taxpayer-funded stimulus dollars that have not produced the green jobs or economic growth that company executives promised.

In 2010, Honeywell UOP took a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of President Barack Obama's stimulus bill. As part of the Obama Administration's larger green-energy agenda, the $25 million taxpayer gift was specifically allocated for a biofuels demonstration plant to be built in Oahu, Hawaii. The DOE and Honeywell claimed that the project would create 85 construction jobs and 40 permanent jobs per year; however, an April 2012 report by the Honolulu Civil Beat found that only about 10 permanent jobs were created.

"Honeywell took $25 million from hard-working Americans and created 10 jobs - a cost of $2.5 million per job. This type of corporate cronyism needs to stop," said National Center Free Enterprise Project Director Justin Danhof, Esq. "If the Obama Administration will not hold companies accountable once they dole out our money, it is up to citizens and shareholders to put a cost of doing business onto companies that squander these massive taxpayer gifts. Maybe next time Honeywell executives will think twice before they rob the public blind."

"President Obama's stimulus bill was a boondoggle of epic proportions. Built on empty promises of job growth and economic vitality, the only thing it increased was the national debt. We can now add Honeywell to the long list of Obama Administration green energy failures such as Solyndra, Fisker and A123 Systems. Honeywell owes an explanation to the American taxpayers for their contribution to the nation's debt woes," added Danhof.

Honeywell's CEO David Cote, who served on the Simpson-Bowles Debt Commission, has claimed to be deeply concerned with America's debt crisis. In a moment of stunning hypocrisy, Cote appeared on a November 2012 CBS Evening News broadcast and complained about the national debt calling it "ridiculous" and bemoaning that current outlays and entitlements will "crush the system."

"This is the classic 'do as I say not as I do' approach that pervades liberal corporate culture," explained Danhof. "What Cote really meant to say was, 'it is fine if his company wastes millions of federal dollars and contributes to the debt, just not other companies or federal programs.' The national debt is a serious issue and it will take serious leaders in Washington, D.C. to tackle the problem. What won't fix the system are unaccountable corporations who make empty promises and waste finite taxpayer resources."

A copy of Danhof's question at the shareholder meeting, as prepared for delivery, can be found here.

National Center executive director David Almasi is a Honeywell shareholder. Danhof is attending today's meeting as his proxy.

The National Center for Public Policy Research, founded in 1982, is a non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative think-tank. Ninety-four percent of its support comes from individuals, less than 4 percent from foundations, and less than 2 percent from corporations. It receives over 350,000 individual contributions a year from over 96,000 active recent contributors.

Contributions are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated.

-30-

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii