Energy

Fifteen years ago, Hawaii had a combined obesity and overweight rate of 42.2 percent. Ten years ago, it was 49.4 percent. Now, the combined rate is 57.5 percent.

Recently, my own website and email were hacked into and meddled with. Sadly, numerous people have come to me since that incident with similar experiences. This is a widespread problem from which no one is guaranteed complete protection. 

Governor Neil Abercrombie signed into law a measure that recognizes Native Hawaiians as the indigenous people of Hawai'i. Act 195 gives the Governor the power to appoint a five-member Native Hawaiian Roll Commission that will build the foundation for self-determination.

“At first, we questioned the state’s call to relocate our services,” said Brother Sage of Ohana Family of the Living God Ministry, which is in the process of moving its services from A'ala Park to coordinate efforts with the Institute for Human Services’ shelters. “But after much thought and collaboration, we see the potential of benefits to the community that our change and transition in service will make. We are still fulfilling our mission of serving those who need our help while contributing to our collective goal of creating solutions to end homelessness.”

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011
• Senate: Confirmation of David H. Petraeus to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

...Those credits were then followed by the now infamous Act 221 tax credits that were designed to attract investment funds to underwrite the high technology industry as it was difficult for start-up companies to attract investors. But the generous tax credits made it more of a boondoggle than a true tax incentive that invited participation.... 

The start of July marks the effective date of the many bills that did become law this session. Below are some that might be of most interest to you.... 

Senate Bill 219 prohibits physically restraining inmates who are pregnant....

The only question is what will that HSTA courtroom victory look like?

The Abercrombie administration’s “last, best, and final” offer to the Teachers Union--which has now been unilaterally imposed--says nothing about implementing the 180-day school year....  The State’s contract also says nothing about implementing anything even vaguely resembling the teacher accountability requirements mandated by Race To The Top.

The continuing rise in the cost of living has not been offset by increased productivity: gross state product decreased by $2,363 per capita in 2009, the worst decrease in the nation.... 

“Hawaii is the most regulated state in the nation.” He described that it takes about 10-14 years to get a project in Hawaii from green field (non-urban designation) to completion. ...“Every delay adds to the cost of housing, as projects are all financed and the cost of those loans keeps accruing even though no development has actually taken place.” We all end up with higher housing costs as a result.

Did Wil Okabe and the rest of the Abercrombie lap-dogs running the HSTA accepted the State’s “last best final” offer in negotiations? Are they now engaged in face saving after the HSTA board slapped them down? That’s what Neil Abercrombie says….

The Hawaii Republican Party announced today that Executive Director, Dylan Nonaka, has left his post to launch his own political and public affairs consulting firm...

While Helm repeatedly stated the I Aloha Molokai position of NO to both the cable and the windmills, Ritte said right now his position is also NO but that could change if given the opportunity to negotiate and have his long list of benefits met. The list was so long that he did not have time to finish reading it.

Hawaii citizens are faced with a $500 million increase in taxes in the next 2 years to cover the $22 billion budget for the same period. It is clear the Hawaii government desperately needs to hear from commonsense taxpayers like you. That is why I am happy to introduce the co-chairs of AFP Hawaii, Jay McWilliams and Laura Brown.

A flotilla is determined to sail to the Gaza Strip this weekend in breach of Israel's naval blockade on the Hamas-controlled territory. This decision comes in spite of growing international pressure to stop the campaign, damaged ships and fewer passengers than expected. 

The Hawaii Meth Project today released findings from the 2011 Hawaii Meth Use & Attitudes Survey which revealed that, compared to a benchmark survey conducted prior to the launch of the Hawaii Meth Project, Hawaii’s young people are significantly more aware of the dangers of trying Meth and increasingly disapprove of trying the drug.

Emphasizing this, Gino Antoniello, VP, Transportation Systems and Equipment for SCOA explained: "Our protest--a first for us--was prompted by the conviction that our bid was improperly passed over in favor of another vendor with less experience and a questionable track record that lacked the proper legal qualifications to undertake a project of this scope."  ...Antoniello stressed that in starting down this protest path, the company did so with a readiness to go all the way.

ProPublica analyzed new data from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights along with other federal education data to examine whether states provide students equal access to programs — such as Advanced Placement or higher-level math and sciences classes — that researchers say will help them later in life.

Beginning on July 1, with the start of the new fiscal year, we must implement the state budget as passed by the State Legislature. This included 5 percent in temporary pay reductions from June 30, 2009 salaries and an equal contribution of health care benefits for state employees.

"If governors and legislatures had truly balanced each state's budget, no taxpayer's financial burden would exist," said Sheila Weinberg, Founder and CEO of the Institute. She continued, "A state budget is not balanced if past costs, including those for employees' retirement benefits, are pushed into the future."

“If the community does not want this project it will not go through,” said Pattern Senior Developer Christian Hackett. “And we will pack up and leave.”

From CNBC America’s Top States for Business 2011....

The Obama administration said Tuesday that it had shelved plans for a survey in which “mystery shoppers” posing as patients would call doctors’ offices ….

With fellow Rep. Mazie Hirono already in the race, it's hard to see how Hanabusa wouldn't compete for the same pile of votes and risk giving the nomination to DLCer Ed Case in the Democratic primary.

Since 2004 biofuels from crops have almost doubled the rate of growth in global demand for grain and sugar and pushed up the yearly growth in demand for vegetable oil by around 40 percent. 

"They did listen to our testimony about the contributions that military personnel make, and about how they are part of the community," said Tom Smyth, president for the Hawaii chapter for the Military Officers Association of America. "I'm very pleased it came out the way it did." …

Bachmann said she plans to win decisive early victories in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina on her way to the White House. She promised to follow that with a national campaign – even in the heavily Democratic state of Hawaii.

 The state’s plan to bring Hawai'i’s prisoners home include expanding prison space in the state, creating alternatives to incarceration and reducing recidivism through community-based programs.

Today, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii announced the publication of the 2011 Pork Report, an examination of state spending that reveals the depth of government waste and inefficiency that has contributed so much to the State’s economic woes.

House Bill 1134 repeals Part V of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act and Act 99, Session Laws of Hawaii 1994, relating to the future termination of the prepaid health care law. Further investigation is needed on whether approval of this bill would have unintended consequences to Hawaii’s Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) waiver.

HONOLULU – Lesley Jane Seymour, Editor-in-Chief of More magazine, will address delegates at Hawai‘i’s 8th annual International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC), taking place on September 20, 2011 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort.

Ms. Kauhane replaces retiring DHHL Deputy Robert Hall, who is leaving the department on July 1.

Jan Gouveia was the vice president for Executive Operation at (Al Hee's) Waimana Enterprises (no conflict of interest here, eh Neil?) prior to joining the Abercrombie Administration in December 2010.

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Confirmation of Leon E. Panetta to be Secretary of Defense
• House: Jobs and Energy Permitting Act of 2011
• House: America Invents Act
• House: Authorizing the limited use of the United States Armed Forces in support of the NATO mission in Libya
• House: To limit the use of funds to support NATO Operation Unified Protector with respect to Libya

“I don’t like the idea of the government snooping,” said Dr. Raymond Scalettar, an internist in Washington. “It’s a pernicious practice — Big Brother tactics, which should be opposed.”

Please come and join us in Makawao on Saturday, July 2nd for the Annual Makawao Paniolo July 4th Parade. TEA Party Maui plans to enter a patriotic float in the Parade....

The new contract, at a cost of $45.5 million a year, begins July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2014, (in other words, until the next gubernatorial election)....

The new fiscal year begins on July 1st with a mission to change the direction of Hawai'i....Last night we held a community forum at Washington Middle School.... Stay tuned for details about more upcoming forums around the state.

I have introduced resolution 11-109 to start the bidding process over again that could result in saving the taxpayers $250 million and put 150 residents here on Oahu to work building the rail cars.

Representative George Fontaine, HD 11, Kīhei, Wailea, Makena, talks with Peter Rosegg with the Hawaiian Electric Company and Maria Tome, Renewable and Transportation Energy Program Manager /Hawaii State Energy Office about Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.

We were doing a cleanup of Kea`au Beach Park along the Waianae coastline when past Councilman John DeSoto of this area gave a tour of what you see in the video....

Without policy changes, contributions to state and local pension systems in the United States would have to immediately increase by a factor of 2.5, reaching 14.2 percent of the total own-revenue generated by state and local governments (taxes, fees and charges).

Three Progressive schemes Hawaii legislators are trying to implement--and ten more they haven't thought of yet....  

• Raising the retirement age for certain new employees from 55 to 60 years old, and for most others from 62 to 65 years old
• Increasing the number of years for state employees to be “vested” to receive retirement benefits from five years to 10 years.
• Raising the employee and employer contribution rates

Substantial discussions took place at the marathon June 3rd Council meeting concerning the borrowing of more than a hundred million dollars (Bill 40) for the rail system due to offset cash flow problems with the rail project and sagging tax revenues. 

"I have asked all departments to work together in a deliberate and thoughtful process that will identify programs that may be affected. In recent weeks, our administration began discontinuing financial support of programs that are valuable but can no longer be sustained, such as Vanpool Hawai'i and the State Pharmacy Assistance Program. These cuts and others that follow will be difficult but the financial constraints we face allow for no other course of action."

Our office held the meeting on rail because I believe the public has not had an adequate forum to sound off on the project’s blunders.