October 7, 2014 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

"Charging people extra for using less energy off the grid is unfair and will stifle investment in roof-top solar. HECO's plan should encourage not discourage this investment," said Michael Moore of Honolulu.

HECO proposed a $55 monthly fee for each residential customer — solar and nonsolar — starting in 2017, and an additional charge of about $16 for new photovoltaic customers. To offset the $55 fee, HECO would lower its charge per kilowatt-hour, which would benefit nonsolar customers the most. It would also charge a connection fee to new solar customers and decrease what it pays for solar power sent into the grid from rooftop systems.

read ... Just the Beginning

National Democrat Attack Ads Disconnected from Reality

Borreca: ...The disconnect on the Democratic side is also large.

The Democrats are running an ad about GOP candidate James "Duke" Aiona's opposition to abortion.

"In TV ads, he seems so reasonable. But the real Duke Aiona is troubling," says a woman in the spot. "Republican Aiona believes we should outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. Even when the health of the mother is at risk."

Aiona would not discuss the ad in an interview with Hawaii News Now, which first wrote about the ad, but in a statement, the former lieutenant governor said he wouldn't push the abortion issue.

"As a former judge I know how to maintain objectivity and submit to the rule of existing law. It's already been settled," Aiona said.

Ige has been supportive of Hawaii's legislation allowing for abortion.

Four years ago, Aiona's first campaign for governor was hurt by his strong pro-Christian stances as the Democrats tried to make it seem that Aiona wanted to turn Hawaii into an anti-gay marriage, anti-abortion theocracy.

While Aiona has downplayed the divisive issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage, he is running with a lieutenant governor candidate who is a senior pastor of New Hope Church, Elwin Ahu, who has strongly opposed gay marriage.

read ... National GOP, Democrats go negative in Hawaii ads

Good Politics for Pro-Family Candidates to Appeal to Broader Base

HNN: ... "For them this was smart politics,” said UH Manoa political science professor Colin Moore, an HNN political analyst.

Moore said there's a good political reason for these candidates not emphasizing their opposition to same-sex marriage.

"It does rally a certain base, a certain socially conservative Republican base, and you want to signal to them, but you also don't want to turn off voters who support that, who might be fiscally conservative but relatively socially liberal," Moore said. "They want to get socially conservative voters out to support them, but that's not really a way to win a general election here." ....

read ... Why Aiona, Hannemann didn't speak out on same-sex marriage

Teachers Union Axed Preschool Ballot Campaign to Avoid Breaking Hawaii Law

CB: ...The Hawaii State Teachers Association terminated its campaign to discourage voters from approving a constitutional amendment dealing with preschools last week after realizing it risked breaking the law by spending money on a ballot measure through its political action committee.

Upon realizing it faced a major problem, the HSTA quickly formed a “ballot issue committee” — “For the Future of Our Keiki” — and registered it with the Campaign Spending Commission last Wednesday. Such groups can only advocate for or against ballot measures like “Question No. 4,” which in this case is a highly controversial ballot initiative that would allow the state to spend public money on private preschool programs....

It’s still unclear what will happen to the roughly $142,000 the union’s PAC has reported spending on the ballot initiative, including nearly $141,000 paid to a production company to air the ad on local TV stations through November.

Nagasako said on Monday that the union is “still having the discussions” with the producer to determine what, if any, refunds it can get for the ad spots it purchased but will not use.

The commercial — which did air for two days on TV the week of Sept. 22, the day of the campaign’s high-profile promotional launch — cannot run without getting the union into potential legal trouble.

read ... Oooops

New Law Gives Hawaii Unions Even More Power

CB: A new law championed by Hawaii’s most powerful unions has tilted the balance in favor of organized labor in a critical arena, although the effects on employers — and possibly taxpayers — won’t be fully realized for a few years.

With little public fanfare, the Legislature last session passed a bill that changes how the governor appoints people to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board, a quasi-judicial agency that resolves labor disputes involving private and public sector employees and the organizations that represent them....

The board is comprised of three members. The public member, James Nicholson, serves as chair, Sesnita Moepono represents management and Rock Ley holds a seat on behalf of labor.

Until lawmakers changed the rules this past session, public employers and union reps could each submit names of people they felt the governor should consider for appointment. The names were ultimately just recommendations, leaving the governor with final say over who to appoint, as long as his choices were confirmed by the Senate. But both sides had an equal opportunity to make suggestions.

The new law now requires the governor to choose the labor member from a list of three names provided by the unions. Labor leaders and public employers can both suggest people to fill the management seat, but the governor is not bound to choose from either list.

State lawmakers easily passed House Bill 2496 after it was introduced by Republican Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson and eight Democratic reps. Only Republican Sen. Sam Slom voted against it.

read ... Even More Power

Rowena Akana Claims Akaka Tribe Supporters Outnumber 'These People' 3-1

HNN: Akana says 'these people' were so disruptive. Opposition is based on 'misunderstanding.' Bla, bla, bla.

OHA cronies continue to try to pretend that near-unanimous opposition shown at DoI Hearings didn't represent Hawaiians. She repeats lie that 125K people signed Kanaiolowalu Roll.

Asked about possibility of additional delays, Akana says: "We are holding it open 'til January."

read ... HNN Interviews Rowena Akana

Djou Endorsed by the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association

Former Congressman Charles K. Djou issued the following statement on the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association endorsement:

"My team and I are honored to earn the support of the hard working people at Hawaii's auto dealerships," stated Djou. "If honored to represent Hawaii, I am committed to expanding jobs in our community through passage of a free trade pact between the U.S. and countries in the Asia-Pacific region."

Maui United Way Demands Anti-GMO Morons 'Cease and Desist'

MN: Maui United Way has written a "cease and desist" alleging trademark infringement to "Maui United," an anti-GMO group that has launched an advertising campaign in favor of the Nov. 4 initiative for a moratorium on genetically modified organisms in Maui County.

In a letter dated Oct. 3, Maui United Way President Laksmi Abraham demands that "Maui United immediately cease from using the word 'United' in any and all advertising campaigns, marketing materials and online social media and/or networking sites, and that Maui United adopt a different name that does not bear any similarity to or include the word 'United.'"

Abraham gives the Maui United group a Monday deadline for a "satisfactory response."

Otherwise, "it leaves us no choice but to seek any and all remedies available under the law, which may include treble damages and attorneys' fees and costs," she said.

Daily KOS: Anti-GMO Nuts Attack County's Largest Charity

read ... Cease and Desist

Anti-GMO Activists Discourage Young Farmers

MN: I have grown both conventional and GMO corn. My experience is that the GMO corn used no insecticides, less water and produced a higher yield than the conventionally grown corn. One hundred percent of my conventional corn had corn earworms. The GMO corn contains a Bt gene that kills the corn earworm when it consumes the corn. Bt is the same organic insecticide used in organic farming and that is sprayed on the plants.

I would like to see more young people enter farming of all types. Our agriculture and ranching are as diverse as Maui, and we produce a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and meats. But I fear that many young people will not choose life as a farmer if they are going to come under attack for practices they do not employ or have to answer charges and criticism that are not correct.

CB: Maui GMO Initiative: Do-It-Yourself Lawmaking

read ... Farmer

Anti-GMO Councilmen Find New Way to Attack Agriculture

KGI: Two Kauai County Council members will introduce a resolution Wednesday that would establish a committee to investigate the implementation of county laws dealing with the dedication of land for agricultural use.

Councilman Tim Bynum said it has become “overwhelmingly apparent” that a deeper look must be taken at what he says are numerous violations of county law by the island’s agrochemical industry and large landowners. Those alleged violations include landowners and their lessees failing to properly adjust real property taxes, resulting in what could be millions in unpaid liabilities, and obtain conservation plans for new operations.

read ... Morons Never Learn

UH student group votes 'no confidence' in Lassner, regents

SA: The Graduate Student Organization, which has about 50 members and represents 5,000 graduate students at Manoa, voted 31-2 for the resolution against Lassner and 33-1 against the board. The emailed vote was tallied Thursday.

GSO President Michelle Tigchelaar said the largely symbolic resolutions send a strong message after the abrupt firing of former Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple.

"It's very indicative of how disappointed we are in the way that they've led this university," Tigchelaar said Sunday. "We are still trying to get answers and improve things from within the university."

The move is believed to be the first time the group has voted no confidence in either the president or the board.

read ... No Confidence

Town hall meeting talks Superferry resurrection

HNN: A town hall meeting Monday night organized by two mariners' unions revisited the idea.

This comes four months after independent candidate for governor Mufi Hannemann announced he wanted to bring the Superferry back. He was one of the several speakers Monday night, most of which are for an inter-island ferry system, but also realize the hurdles that come along with it.

Proponents of an inter-island ferry system took the stage at the old Superferry terminal at Honolulu Harbor in front of a much smaller crowd than organizers were expecting....

According to our Star-Advertiser/Hawaii News Now – Hawaii Poll, 87% of voters think Hawaii needs an inter-island system, 11% said no, 2% said they weren't sure.

CB: Hawaii Superferry Talks Involve Bigger, Slower Boat With Gambling

read ... Town hall meeting talks Superferry resurrection

Nobody Wants Obama Beach

SA: Plans to rename Sandy Beach after President Barack Obama are being dropped by Honolulu City Council members after the idea met with a lukewarm public response.

"We've heard a number of concerns from members of the community," said Councilman Stanley Chang, who introduced Resolution 14-237 last week with Council Chairman Ernie Martin. "Given the facts we received, we don't think it's necessary to move forward."

KITV: Obama Beach? 93% Say 'No'

read ... Bye Bye Obama Beach

Abercrombie Plans Taiwan Junket

FT: U.S. Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Albio Sires (D-NJ), both co-chairmen of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, will visit Taiwan Oct.9-13, during which they will attend the national day celebration in the plaza in front of the Presidential Office Oct. 10, the 103rd birthday of the ROC, said Kelly Hsieh, director-general of the ministry's Department of North American Affairs, at a regular news briefing.

Neil Abercrombie, governor of Hawaii, will also come to Taiwan to attend the event, Hsieh added.

read ... Going Away Present

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