Democrat Poll Shows Abortion Lies Work: Ige 45, Aiona 33, Hannemann 10
Kakaako Developer Rushes Approval Before Abercrombie Appointees Exit HCDA
Djou Emphasizes Critical Need for Bipartisan Congressional Delegation
Congress to Consider Internet Sales Tax After Election
Thousands Rally for Aiona-Ahu
CB: Several thousand believers filled the lower level of the Neal S. Blaisdell Center on Friday night to cheer and sing in blissful unison. They stood and clapped and raised their arms toward the sky. Their faces glowed with love and grace and humility.
The occasion was not an Elton John or LeAnn Rimes concert, or Disney on Ice or Cirque Du Soleil. There was no scent of burning marijuana in the air, no sipping from secret flasks of favored beverages.
No, Friday at the Blaisdell was a gathering for God — and for Duke Aiona and Elwin Ahu.
Next Rally, Hilo Oct 20: http://www.webelievehawaii.com/
Totally Related: Democrat Poll Shows Abortion Lies Work: Ige 45, Aiona 33, Hannemann 10
read ... Aiona and Ahu, at the Blaisdell
Last Minute Dog Whistle: Takai Tags Djou with 'TEA Party' Label
SA: Takai again attempted to tie Djou to tea party Republicans who some have blamed for divisive partisan politics that have prevented Congress from getting any work done. Djou has characterized the attacks as nothing more than petty name calling, repeatedly referring to the current climate as "poisonous."
Takai also addressed charges by Republicans that he has changed his position on some issues since he first took office, saying that throughout his career as a state lawmaker his political views have been shaped by his life experiences.
"I think that as a good leader, especially in the Legislature after 20 years, acknowledging and making shifts in judgment is OK," Takai said. "I think it's important to acknowledge responding to your constituents and over time constituents, as well, change."
He then shifted the focus, painting Djou as an obstructionist aligned with tea party Republicans whose values and priorities do not match those of traditionally Democratic Hawaii. He said Djou has voted against omnibus budget bills at every level of government throughout his career.
"That is not a centrist. That is actually an obstructionist," Takai said. "It's easy to just say no, but what that means is: every single item in that budget, you're saying no to."
Totally Related: Democrat Poll Shows Abortion Lies Work: Ige 45, Aiona 33, Hannemann 10
read ... Djou, Takai revisit issues of political affiliations
Ige, Tsutsui Blocked Hanabusa Senate Control
SA: When Colleen Hanabusa moved from state Senate president to Congress in November 2010, insiders at the state Capitol were predicting that veteran senators from her leadership faction would take control of the chamber. But late one night, an interesting photo started circulating on Facebook and Twitter of a beaming Shan Tsutsui and David Ige.
The young Tsutsui and his allies would take the Senate presidency, while Ige and his faction would control the Senate Ways and Means Committee, an unexpected alliance that snatched power away from seasoned, politically savvy contenders....
Some Democrats wonder privately whether the soft-spoken Ige and the easygoing Tsutsui, while a departure from the stormy Abercrombie, have the political toughness and communication skills to command the state....
Tsutsui, who as lieutenant governor has promoted after-school programs for middle-schoolers, said he has spoken with Ige about ensuring that the No. 2 position is more than just largely ceremonial. He also said he is not committed to keeping an office on Maui, his home, but would like to continue outreach to the neighbor islands. (Translation: With Abercrombie gone, Tsutsui would finally move to Oahu.)
read ... Enemies
Rail Contractor Makes Way for Station Re-Bid
SA: Nan's move to withdraw and not pursue legal action, rail officials say, frees the agency handling the project to move forward with new bid requests for those stations, splitting them into smaller groups of work in the hopes that the new bids will come in far less expensive.
However, in its original Sept. 15 protest letter, Nan's president called it "ludicrous" that breaking up the work into smaller pieces would yield any significant savings.
"Unless there is a major reduction in scope and/or a redesign, the mere repackaging of this project will not reduce cost and is not a valid reason for canceling this project" under state procurement law, Nan Inc. President Fooney Freestone told the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, which is overseeing the rail system's completion, in an 11-page letter.
But Nan withdrew its protest in a letter Thursday, citing HART's value as an important client.
The firm said, however, that it had spent about $200,000 to prepare its bid. It also stated that "numerous suppliers and subcontractors" were also "severely impacted" by HART's move to cancel the bids....
On Thursday, Grabauskas lauded the company's decision. "I think that they've taken a high road in their response by pulling back on the protest and allowing us to do what we're trying to do, which is retool the contract to bring down costs. I hope that they, among others, will participate in a re-compete."
After those first bids came in 60 percent above what HART had budgeted for those stations, the rail authority consulted with local contractors on ways to fix its request and hopefully get lower bids, he said.
"We can't control the red-hot market but we can maybe control some other factors," Grabauskas said....
Nan had bid $294.5 million to build the nine stations, while Nordic PCL bid $312.3 million and Hensel Phelps bid $320.8 million. HART, meanwhile, had budgeted some $184 million for the work, including contingency. The other two firms did not file protests, rail officials said.
read ... re-bid
Solar Scammers Angered by Plan to Cut Electric Rates
SA: The plans represent the utility's second attempt to chart a new course for advancing the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative and meeting other objectives. In April the PUC rejected HEI's Integrated Resource Plan submission, seeking ways to align its business model with "customers' changing expectations and state energy policy."
It's not to say that HECO hasn't changed some of its tune in response to the criticism. The improvement plans do lay out a means for boosting the accommodation for clean energy on the grid, promising to triple the amount of solar energy and cutting customer bills.
But as long as Hawaiian Electric continues to put money in its own generation of power as opposed to becoming much more oriented around power distribution, it's hard to see how things will change fundamentally.
read ... Core changes needed at HEI
If Amendment 4 Fails, Preschool Becomes 20-Year DoE Project
SA: If the amendment fails — a majority of at least 50 percent of votes plus one vote is needed to pass — "it means that the state can only work within the public sector to create state-funded preschool classrooms," Weisenfeld said.
That route is expected to take significantly longer than a mixed-delivery system.
"The state even estimated that if they had to go the (Department of Education-only) route, it would take at least 20 years versus if the state can contract with community-based preschools and use infrastructure that's already there, it could service 80 percent of 4-year-olds within four to five years," said Deborah Zysman, executive director of the Good Beginnings Alliance.
read ... HSTA vs Amendment 4
Carlisle: After Abercrombie Disaster, Should Star-Adv be Endorsing Candidates?
CB: ...how on earth could Star-Advertiser Publisher Dennis Francis and his Editorial Board endorse Neil Abercrombie?
More significantly, should Dennis and his minions be telling voters who they should vote for rather than reporting the facts and sticking to straight news coverage rather than endorsing candidates? ....
...we have no idea what Abercrombie told the Editorial Board to convince them to endorse him because Dennis and his Editorial Board lack something they praise but do not practice: transparency.
Since we are about to have a general election — and more candidate endorsements — it would be a great idea for the sake of transparency for the Star-Advertiser to provide the following information:
• What did the candidates say verbatim to the Editorial Board?
• Were the candidates’ statements recorded or not? If not why not?
• Does Francis have power and control over the members of the Editorial Board? Can he hire and fire them? Can he “suggest” or decide who should be on the Editorial Board? Does he decide if members of his Editorial Board get raises and/or promotions and/or other benefits?
• Are decisions on endorsements reached by the democratic process of voting? If so what are the numerical breakdowns of the vote?
• Should Francis even be present at the Editorial Board?
read ... Minions
After Killing 8, Pflueger Sells Acreage to Facebook Billionaire
KE: The Star-Advertiser initially reported that Jimmy Pfluegger, trying to beat a state foreclosure action, sold 380 acres to Koa Kea International LLC, which in turn was to convey a portion of it to Pilaa International LLC and West Beach Kauai LLC. Pacific Business News, meanwhile, has all 380 acres going to Pilaa International — Zuckerberg's holding company — for $50 to $56 million, with Koa Kea acquiring additional land at Pilaa from Pfluegger. And Forbes reported that Koa Kea — owned by Colorado gas and oil executive Gary Stewart — bought 10.8 percent interest for $6.04 million.
But then, Forbes also reported Zuckerberg is offering $1 million each to “two dozen families who own 'kuleanas' on tiny plots of landlocked land. Kuleanas are basic, even ramshackle huts, many without electricity, which have been passed down through families over generations. They are generally used as rustic weekend or vacation spots.”
read ... Pflueger gets Away
Honolulu's construction cost increase tops the U.S.
SA: Honolulu construction costs rose 3 percent in the third quarter, higher than in other U.S. cities tracked by property and construction consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall....Some of the recent cost increases are associated with a lack of skilled workers to support increased demand, particularly in Honolulu and New York City, the study found.
read ... Lack of Workers
Muslims: Kick Military out of Hawaii to Make Way for Homeless
AJ: Kyle Kajihiro, a board member with the nonprofit group Hawaii Peace and Justice, blamed military expropriation of land in Hawaii for contributing to the homeless problem.
“The stark contrast between the landlessness of Native Hawaiians and the vast amount of land occupied by the military is symbolic of the injustice of Hawaii’s military-political economy,” he said.
While Chun Oakland is generally supportive of the military presence, she said that if proposed military cuts mean a downsized presence in Hawaii, it could free up thousands of housing units.
HNN: Street vendor claims sit-lie law being used against him
read ... Enemy Propaganda
Mating Season of Endangered Snail Prevents HPR Liberals from Raising Funds
SA: "Generally there's a fatigue," he said. "People are weary of bad news … and there's been one thing after another, with no real relief in sight."
...To make matters worse, HPR-1 and HPR-2 fell silent on Oahu's North Shore and for Kauai residents on the eve of the pledge drive, diminishing the stations' ability to get the fundraising message to potential supporters.
Hawaiian Electric Co. lines that normally power the stations' equipment atop Oahu's Mount Kaala were damaged by a recent storm, and generators that had been powering the equipment ran out of fuel. Complicating matters was the mating season of an endangered snail species that lives in the area, requiring HPR and HECO to coordinate repairs with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
read ... Beaten by Snail
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