Energy

This new study explains how states can most effectively drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve the standard of living for their citizens.

Vanpool Hawaii has announced a new monthly rate of $985 per vanpool group, effective Aug. 1. For a vanpool group of 6 or 7 passengers, that equals a per-person cost of approximately $164 or $141 per month, respectively, or less if shared between more participants.

Why the sudden addition of broadband to the Big Wind cable?

President Barack Obama's health care law would let several million middle class people get nearly free insurance meant for the poor, a twist government number crunchers say they discovered only after the complex bill was signed....

In the below Abercrombie Administration news release—which we have annotated for clarity--there is no mention of any union officials meeting with the US DoE representatives here to evaluate Hawaii’s alleged progress towards RTTT benchmarks.

The key provisions of this act exempt broadband infrastructure improvements from state or county permitting requirements for five years.

Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) ... received $45,000 from her state's pension program in 2010.

...the Land Use Commission changed the land use boundaries from "urban use to agricultural use while affordable housing was being constructed on the property."

Starting with HB953, a big fat raise for DoE bureaucrats. 

the HECO Companies' proposed Biofuel Surcharge Provision clearly results in an increase in rates that triggers the contested case and public hearing provisions of HRS §269-16(b).

Recent Congressional Votes

• Senate: Ethanol subsidies amendment
• House: Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations, FY2012
• House: Agriculture Appropriations, FY2012

When Hawaii Reapportionment Commission members went into closed executive session during their June 15th meeting at the State Capitol, they discovered something rather disconcerting. A small recording device had been left on a chair and it was turned on, recording their every word.

There are 10 basic dimensions that account for the reasons that big projects succeed or fail.... 

Please be sure to join us for a public forum on June 23, 6 to 7:30 p.m., at Washington Middle School. In addition to words from and Q&A with the Governor and Lt. Gov., there will be brief presentations from Bruce Coppa on our efforts to improve the economy ....

what happens when sea level in the real world does not rise nearly as much as alarmists predict? If you are a NASA-funded gatekeeper of sea level data, you merely doctor the data....

The U.S. Department of Commerce has announced international visitors spent an estimated $12.3 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during April. This represents a 19 percent increase from April 2010. Travel and tourism-related exports have increased, on average, nearly $1.4 billion a month in 2011.

The Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC) will host the events in coordination with robotics supporters and community partners throughout the state, beginning on June 21 and running through August 28, 2011.

 Sunday 26 June, 2:00pm at the Naniloa Hotel's Polynesian Room in Hilo. Featured speakers are UH School of Law Prof. David Callies, author of the definitive book “Regulating Paradise” and Big Island real estate broker David Turner.

Moody's Investors Service placed the stand-alone bank financial strength rating of First Hawaiian Bank on review for possible downgrade....

The hot water backup system installation is a first step towards ensuring a permanent solution. The state budget for fiscal year 2012 includes $5.6 million in capital improvement funds for a long-term solution to the water heating system at Mayor Wright Homes.

the agreements appear to boost manufacturing exports above the overall trend while having no discernable impact on manufacturing imports....

Film tax credits fail to live up to their promises to encourage economic growth overall and to raise tax revenue....

Expansions of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are designed to extend access to high-quality medical care to all U.S. children. However, evidence suggests that the 37 million children covered by Medicaid-CHIP are less likely to receive specialty care than children covered by commercial insurance....

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a 20-year contract for Maui Electric Company to purchase 21 megawatts (MW) of wind power from Sempra Generation's Auwahi Wind project on the Ulupalakua Ranch in southeastern Maui. 

"$36,000 for improvements of reconfiguration to the cafeteria stage at Mililani Uka Elementary School"

Electric cars could produce higher emissions over their lifetimes than petrol equivalents because of the energy consumed in making their batteries....

The ahupua'a of Honolulu and Kapalama have been proposed as a future National Heritage Area (NHA) site, a permanent federal designation which was introduced in Congress as S. 359 and H. 1297.

The Treasury acquired the shares this year as part of the Hawaii-based bank holding company's recapitalization. The stock was trading around $29 a share at the time of the Treasury's investment...and closed Tuesday at $14.13.... The stock is down 64% in the past year.

The downgrade reflects the state's minimal financial cushion against risks inherent in an economy dominated by the volatile tourism sector following the depletion of previously large balances as well as the state's significant and growing long-term liabilities.

...the state of Hawaii has temporarily suspended many general excise tax exemptions. The suspended exemptions include certain transportation and maritime support services such as stevedoring. This means that the state will tax carriers for a portion of the cargo costs that had previously been exempted, and the cost to carriers serving the state will increase.  Effective July 10, 2011, Matson will implement a General Excise Tax Arbitrary to recover these extra costs.

According to Christoph Gabler, Senior Vice-President for AEGON USA Realty Advisors, LLC, the Towers at KPT are the first phase of a 1,025 community being redeveloped by the Michaels Development Company in partnership with Vitus Group and the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

Despite governmental mandates for renewables, if their electricity production is converted to equivalent tons of oil, then their share is only 1.3% in 2010....

Please join me this Wednesday evening, June 15th, from 7pm to 9pm, for a very important town hall meeting at the brand new Ewa Makai Middle School in Ewa Beach....

Under the law, all children are required to be proficient in math and reading by 2014—a standard that could leave three-quarters of U.S. schools labeled as failures, leaving them at risk of losing federal funding.

Senator Slom addresses a luncheon at the Hawaii Venture Capitol Association – May 26, 2011 at the Plaza Club, Honolulu Hawaii. The subject: State budget, deficit, spending, taxation, economy, more.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s statements against the Pro Bowl last Thursday revealed the severity of the vision deficit facing our state.

• Effective immediately and until further notice, all new Fannie Mae foreclosures in Hawaii must be commenced as judicial foreclosures.
• Effective immediately, all pending Fannie Mae non-judicial foreclosures in Hawaii that have not proceeded to sale should be dismissed and converted to judicial foreclosures.

Abercrombie’s bizarre attack on the Pro-Bowl is part of Progressive Democrats’ ongoing war against Mufi Hannemann, Dan Inouye, and the “old-boy” Democrats. And this is not Abercrombie’s first attack on Mufi’s new base in the Hawaii tourism industry....

The Oahu Advisory Council of the Reapportionment Commission will meet Wednesday June 15 at 8AM in the State Capitol Conference room 329. Public testimony will be accepted.

The Naval Air Museum Barbers Point (NAMBP) will be hosting Hawaii Youth Challenge Graduating Cadets for a time of exploring real aircraft, beginning at 1300 through 1530 on Monday, June 13, 2011.  

“since taking office six months ago, Tax Director Fred Pablo has reviewed the department’s operations and noticed unusual reporting in monthly tax revenue reports. Pablo immediately addressed these concerns by conducting and completing an internal investigation and analysis of the revenue reports.”

Will Hawaii be saddled with the second-rate already failed ACO/Medical Home scheme promoted by Gov Abercrombie? The Washington Post is already debunking this failure before we start:

The Democratic candidate for governor was always a loud-mouthed hippie who had all the answers. I didn't forget....

Growing evidence from both sides of the Atlantic indicates that performance models based on wind data often promise levels of generation substantially above actual wind power output.

Sorting through different groups and deciding who to include, or who not to include in consideration for representation, I believe should be a non-issue. All should be included.

Hawaii’s per pupil expenditure climbed to $12,399 in 2009, ranking it as the 11^th highest in the nation, according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report. This new rate marks a 12% increase compared to the previous year.

Some Democrats have advocated counting rapists, child molesters, pimps, drug dealers and other convicted felons and prison inmates but not counting the military personnel who put it all on the line to defend America.   The final decision was postponed until the next meeting.