Newly-Elected OHA Trustee Calls for Repeal of Act 195
House Republican Caucus announces new leadership for 2015
Can You Say 'Train Wreck'?
SHOPO Sues City to Block Release of Police Disciplinary Records
Ige Announces Seven New Appointments
Star-Adv: HART, DoTax Bungling Puts GE Tax Hike on Agenda for 2015
» How much will rail ultimately cost to build? Officials last month signaled that the project could run anywhere between $500 million to $750 million over budget, but that estimate comes before any bids have been submitted on key remaining construction contracts.
» What will the second half of the rail line heading into town look like? Those design-and-build contracts haven't gone out to bid yet.
» How will the transit system's annual operations costs be covered? Those costs would be at least $110 million starting in 2019, based on estimates given about four years ago.
» Will state lawmakers be convinced to lift the sunset on the general excise tax surcharge, and will all the GET revenues that have been counted on to fund most of the project come through? Despite lengthy consultations from state tax department workers, they still don't understand why the project isn't receiving more of those GET dollars.
In March, rail officials expect to open the first bids on their latest requests for proposals to build stations in West Oahu. Those bids will help indicate whether efforts at reining in costs in a hot construction market are working.
read ... Tax Hike Coming
Nothing Solved: 2014 Problems Carry over to 2015
SA: A review of some of 2014's most consequential developments shows that the state and its largest city frequently confronted crises of capacity. We know what many of us want — great education, a transportation system that delivers, a healthy economy and community — but often 2014 underscored the lack of a firm foundation for a healthy set of public assets.
There are weak points throughout the University of Hawaii budget, from the UH Cancer Center to Manoa's hobbled athletics department. Honolulu's rail system project, which surmounted numerous hurdles in the courts, will need a real push and a lot of plain luck to secure affordable construction contracts, given the workforce limitations of this community.
Many more questions loom.
- What will happen to the military presence in Hawaii, and can the state manage any transitional adjustments that will be required?
- Will the city's infrastructure sustain the explosion of development going on in Kakaako?
- Will the coming building boom in Kapolei create more traffic than the island can handle?
- Will the agricultural sector make even a modest comeback given the competition for land?
- Will there be enough homes for the middle class and provisions made to curb Honolulu's exploding population of homeless residents?
- Will any of this happen before the state's archaic computer systems implode?
Uncertainty on all these fronts was part of the public dissatisfaction that led to a change in occupancy at the governor's mansion.
(Keep the people in tumult and chaos so the political class may rule them.)
read ... A year to tackle 2014’s challenges
Anti-GMO Activists Take Aim at Legislature
SA: Following a tumultuous year that saw uprisings in three different counties, look for more unrest in Hawaii over the planting of genetically engineered crops in 2015.
But will the revolution finally come to Oahu?
Most definitely, says Ashley Lukens, program director for the Hawaii Center for Food Safety, which helped community groups in their campaign to establish a moratorium in Maui County on genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
"After the Maui election, I must have gotten 30 phone calls from some well-respected people who said, ‘We want to be next.' They said we want to make sure our residents are protected against the expansion of the agrochemical companies on Oahu," she said.
Lukens predicted the next high-profile battleground in Hawaii will be at the state Legislature, which meets the third week in January.
"People are really frustrated," she said. "This is not an issue anyone can ignore anymore."
read ... Morons
Media treating police chief’s wife with kid gloves?
ILind: Did you catch the story broadcast by Hawaii News Now last night which reported on a lawsuit filed against City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro for malicious prosecution?
The lawsuit was brought by one of the people charged in a case involving illegal gambling machines. The case was thrown out amid charges of prosecutorial misconduct.
According to Hawaii News Now, the lawsuit names Kaneshiro and two deputies, Jake Delaplane, who was involved in a couple of controversial prosecutions when he was working on Kauai, and Katherine Kealoha.
What was interesting to me was that the story only mentioned Kealoha by name at the end of the piece, and did not identify her as the wife of Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha. Both Kealoha and her husband are already embroiled in a public controversy over alleged misconduct in an unrelated federal case involving the alleged theft of Kealoha’s mailbox in Kahala.
The print rewrite of the story, posted along with the video on the HNN website, does identify Kealoha as the chief’s wife, but doesn’t mention her other recent legal woes, while going on at length about the controversies involving Delaplane....
read ... Media treating police chief’s wife with kid gloves?
Obama Library Would Cost UH Millions
AP: As Obama weighs a decision he'll announce within months, the University of Hawaii and the University of Illinois at Chicago are struggling to offer the upfront resources needed to offset the massive cost of building the library and presidential museum, expected to run close to half a billion dollars. The other two schools in the running, Columbia University and the University of Chicago, are both top-10 schools with a combined endowment of more than $15 billion.
The Obamas are expected to raise much - but not all - of the money themselves, so a university's ability to contribute will be a major factor. The Barack Obama Foundation, which is screening proposals and will recommend a winner to Obama, has asked each school in the running for explicit details about what financial and other resources they can bring to bear.
"Look, when it comes to raw fundraising prowess, we're not in a position to compete with New York and Chicago," said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, during a recent interview in his Honolulu office, overlooking the panoramic, oceanfront site that Hawaii has proposed for the library. "We bring different assets to the table. But if the question is who can raise more money, Honolulu's going to come in third."
read ... Money Pit
Kauai Rally Demands Water for Golf Course, not for Dairy Farm
KGI: In addition to outlining potential environmental threats and the cultural significance of the area, the two paragraph petition addresses Hawaii’s Public Trust Doctrine and the responsibility of public officials to preserve state resources — specifically water — for present and future generations.
As part of its lease with HDF, landowner Grove Farm Company has agree to provide the dairy with water from the Waita Reservoir. However, FOM argues that water belongs to the people of Kauai and that Grove Farm has no right to promise it as part of the lease.
“It’s not really theirs to sell,” Hammerquist said of the water from Waita. “And I think the Supreme Court decided that in the Kauai Springs case rather clearly.”
In February, the state Supreme Court sided with the County of Kauai by striking down a 2008 Circuit Court ruling that the Kauai Planning Commission “exceeded its jurisdiction” in denying Kauai Springs, Inc., a Koloa-based water bottling and distribution company, permits for its operation. It has been called a landmark decision for Hawaii’s Public Trust Doctrine.
In an email Tuesday, Grove Farm spokeswoman Marissa Sandblom said Waita Reservoir was built over a century ago to allow Koloa Plantation to expand sugar cultivation to dry lands at Pa’a and Weliweli. Recognizing that the Koloa area did not have its own rich water resources, Waita was developed to support agriculture in the region and was completed in 1906, she said.
“Grove Farm has maintained its water systems for many decades,” Sandblom wrote. “As a result, Waita Reservoir continues to serve numerous farming tenants in the region, such as the Haraguchi taro farm, as well as the Poipu Bay Golf Course and the Makauwahi Cave Reserve.” ....
In July, the same month that Kawailoa Development, LLP, owner of the nearby Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa and the Poipu Bay Golf Course, filed suit against HDF in 5th Circuit Court, the dairy announced it would gradually phase in its operations over several months, beginning with between 650 and 699 cows and eventually reaching the initial 2,000....
(Suggestion: Cut off water to the Golf Course.)
KE: Musings: Doctrinaire
read ... World Turned Upside Down
Anti-Smart Meter Activist Runs Kauai TVR
KE: Speaking of which, it appears that Ray Songtree, who spoke out so stridently against KIUC's smart meters, demanding more transparency and accountability from the utility cooperative, has an illegal multifamily TVR on the road behind the Wainiha store. According to his VRBO ad:
We have three spaces available, all for couples or possibly three adults or a small family in the one called Dawn Studio. All have private kitchen, private entree, private balcony, private everthing, internet (ethernet), and great views.
His FAQ link elaborates further on the illegal multifamily aspect: IS THIS ONE HOUSE OR SEVERAL? This is one long house with all rooms sharing view to south. Each space has a private entrance after coming up stairs (or elevator for elderly).
The revelation prompted a friend to note: Do as I say, not as I do. That’s the Kauai way.
But at least he's consistent in his paranoia, warning prospective guests:
Washer (with detergent included) and Dryer for laundry is located at top of stairs, beach towels, cooler, charcoal barbecue, iron and ironing board, hair dryer, dvd, cd player, cable tv, Ethernet direct internet, (wireless is dangerous, see www.bioinitiative.org If you have notebook or Ipad, we do not have dangerous wireless modem in house so you will not have internet unless you have an Ethernet port on your device) and beach equipment.
As Explained: Anti-GMO Activism Caused by Illegal TVRs?
read ... Another One
Defender of downsizing slams city effort
SA: The Army said it is pursuing a postwar reduction in its ranks that in a worst-case scenario would mean the removal of 19,800 soldiers and civilian workers on Oahu and $1.3 billion in annual soldier-related sales.
"There are differing opinions, and the differing opinion is that there are costs to the Army being here and that the mayor shouldn't be allowed to represent one opinion with public facilities and public personnel," said Makaha resident Al Frenzel, director of the Oahu Council for Army Downsizing.
Frenzel is a retired Army colonel who taught force structuring at the U.S. Army War College. The council, a nonprofit group, supports the turnover of Army facilities and land to the state....
A petition at Change.org had gathered 3,515 supporters as of Wednesday.
In addition to the people who have signed the online petition, paper signatures have been collected. To date, more than 8,000 people have signed the petition, Menor-McNamara said.
The U.S. Army Environmental Command reported that it received 111,297 submission, including letters and signatures, relating to the possible cuts at 30 installations.
Most were letters of support seeking to keep the Army presence.
The top submission was 34,618 form letters and signatures received for Fort Polk, La., followed by 21,950 for Fort Benning, Ga.
Frenzel, the downsizing advocate, noted that just 30 letters, some in favor of cuts, were sent in for U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii.
The Oahu Council for Army Downsizing has its own petition on Change.org, with 219 people calling for fewer soldiers.
read ... Downsizing
City employee alleges drinking at workplace
HNN: A longtime city refuse worker alleges that employees at the Pearl City baseyard were allowed to drink at the workplace during holiday events.
Cedric Williams, a refuse collection crew leader, said his supervisor also drank alcohol while he was on the clock and when he was being paid overtime.
"There's a lot of it," he said.
"It's rampant."
Williams alleged that workers held a Christmas Party at the baseyard more than a week ago where alcoholic drinks were served. He said he followed his supervisor that night and videotaped him driving before the manager was allegedly stopped by police in Ewa.
"(He) was leaving the yard wobbling. After locking up the gate, I followed him as he was weaving on the road," Williams said.
The city said it is investigating the allegations but declined to address the specific charges. City rules ban drinking on its premises.
Williams said he followed his supervisor because he had filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the city. That suit alleged that Williams was retaliated against for reporting his manager's alleged on-the-job drinking....
Williams said he's been placed on paid leave in retaliation for his complaints....
read ... Drunk
DLNR Employees' tribute to Aila
KGI: "Worked with the community to avert confrontation on a variety of cultural and resource issues...."
read ... Tribute
QUICK HITS: