Ige's Second Suit Against Trump: 9th Circuit Says Chin is Faking it
Hawaii became a U.S. Territory July 7, 1898
Ige Reappoints Three to LUC
IT Project Stripped out of DOTax after decade of influence buying, psychosis, and bankruptcy
Legislature Schedules Special Session to Hike Taxes In Late August
CB: The Hawaii Legislature has scheduled a special session Aug. 28-Sept. 1 to try again to reach a deal on funding the remainder of Honolulu’s 20-mile rail project, now estimated to cost $10 billion.
Senate President Ron Kouchi and House Speaker Scott Saiki sent a memo out Friday asking lawmakers to refrain from out-of-state travel during that week.
“Negotiations between the Senate and House have occurred for some time and are ongoing,” the memo says. “We are optimistic that the lead committee chairs have held, and will continue to hold, productive discussions.”
The special session’s purpose is to address rail financing and Honolulu’s adherence to its grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, according to the memo.….
read … Tax Hike Coming
Caldwell Discovers New Trick to Hike Property Taxes on Farmers
KHON: …Paul Ito’s land in Waimanalo has been used for agriculture for decades.
He told KHON2 he normally paid $3,000 in property taxes, but when he got his latest property assessment in December, he owed more than $17,000 for the same pieces of land.
In order to get a tax break, farmers must dedicate their land for agriculture use every five or ten years. Ito said he’s received letters in the past reminding him it’s time to file that paperwork again. However he said this time around, he didn’t receive it.
Ito said he’s leased out his land to other farmers over the years, and has included their information, as required, in city paperwork.
“I called up the Real Property Assessment office and I said ‘how come this is, you know what happened?’ and he said ‘well your dedication expired.’ I said ‘how come you guys didn’t send it to us?’ He said ‘we sent it to the tenant.’ I said ‘why send it to the tenant when the land owner is the only one that can dedicate the land?'”
It turns out the letter was sent to a farmer whose name was on submitted paperwork but no longer leases land on the property.
read … Caldwell
Board: Fired warden created a hostile work environment, but should get 2 years back pay
HNN: A civil service appeals board has reinstated the former warden of Kulani Correctional Facility, even though it said it found credible evidence that she created a hostile work environment.
The state Merit Appeals Board also ordered the state to pay Ruth Forbes about two years in back pay, worth anywhere between $170,000 and $290,000.
The state fired Forbes in December 2015, following a 10-month investigation.
And onlookers say the reinstatement is bizarre. …
read … Back Pay Giveaway
Soft on Crime: Hawaii BB Shooting Suspect Walks, Molests Child
KHON: Daniel Womack was arrested and charged with assault and terroristic threatening after a BB gun shooting spree in 2009, but a judge dismissed the case because a bench warrant took too long to be served.
After checking with the prosecutor’s office, sheriffs, and HPD, we couldn’t get a straight answer for the victim.
Since then, we’ve learned that HPD was supposed to serve the warrant.
The victim, Francine Sapla, testified in court in 2009 during a preliminary hearing for Womack.
Then he failed to show up for another hearing, so a judge issued a bench warrant addressed to HPD.
The case was later dismissed because the warrant was not served in a timely manner.
When we asked HPD why it took so long and what efforts were made, a spokeswoman told us that the records do not reflect why the warrant was not served.
We checked the records at Circuit Court and learned that Womack was arrested and eventually convicted in 2012 of sex crimes in Florida. He is now a registered sex offender.
Records show he was convicted of two counts of sexual battery and the victim is a minor….
“It sounds like something went terribly wrong. She deserves answers,” said Honolulu police commissioner Loretta Sheehan.
Sheehan says the commission normally gets complaints about officer misconduct. This is a bit different, but she adds that the public has a right to know what happened.
“The criminal justice system has failed a member of the public,” Sheehan said. “The police commission offers a public forum for her to come and find out why this happened, and to try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
After we brought the case to the police commission, we then asked Sapla if she was willing to file a complaint and testify. She plans to be at the next meeting on July 19….
Meanwhile: 11 Months Jail for Rape of 91-year old
read … Soft on Crime
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