Bogus Study Debunked: Hawaii Teacher Salaries Above Average
Why ConAm Will Hurt Teachers and Keiki
The Cost of a Constitutional Convention
States Most Vulnerable to Identity Theft & Fraud--Hawaii 51st
DoH: Prepare Workflows for Optimal Suicide Experience Starting Jan 1
HSTA Tax Would Mean $5,000 Annual Rent Increase
SA: …Unless a tenant is a business, rent is not deductible and must be paid from after-tax income. For example, if the rate is set at $5 per $1,000 assessed property value and the rented property is worth $1 million (not too hard to imagine, since the single-family home median value is now $810,000), tenants would have to pay $5,000 more in annual rent than now. Assuming a 20 percent total income tax burden (federal and state), a tenant would need approximately $6,200 more annual gross income to cover the rent increase….
Related: Bogus Study Debunked: Hawaii Teacher Salaries Above Average
read … Tax would hurt renters and landlords, with no guarantees for education
Poll: Voters Want Term Limits For State Legislators
CB: A new Civil Beat Poll asked voters about five issues that have consistently failed to gain traction at the Legislature but could be considered in a constitutional convention.
…A solid 70 percent of likely Hawaii voters statewide would like to limit the number of terms senators and representatives serve in the Legislature.
Only 14 percent oppose the idea while another 16 percent say they either aren’t sure or that it just doesn’t matter to them….
voters support having a lottery (58 percent), conducting all elections by mail (also 58 percent) and allowing for statewide citizen initiative, referendum and recall (55 percent)….
The one issue that a majority of voters don’t support is recreational marijuana. Just 41 percent said they want to see pakalolo legalized…
read … Poll: Voters Want Term Limits For State Legislators
Voters Like The Idea Of A ConCon, They’re Just Not Going To Vote For It
CB: …Just 26 percent of likely voters surveyed statewide in a new Civil Beat Poll said they will vote “yes” on the ConCon while 46 percent will vote “no” and 20 percent are undecided. Another 8 percent said they didn’t plan to vote on the issue, and those so-called “blank” votes are the same as “no” votes.
But when when voters are given information about what a ConCon might actually entail, 47 percent of voters support it while 32 percent oppose it….
PDF: Civil Beat Poll October 2018 — Constitutional Convention
read … Voters Like The Idea Of A ConCon, They’re Just Not Going To Vote For It
Caldwell Exploits Federal Rail Deadline in Bid to get Tommy Waters Elected
CB: One issue that doesn’t seem to be brought up much by the candidates for Honolulu City Council District 4 is rail. (Because the district is anti-rail and the issue benefits neither incumbent nor challenger.)
Incumbent Trevor Ozawa has been accused by Mayor Kirk Caldwell of blocking City Council action that is critically needed to ensure that that the project retains $1.55 billion in federal funding. Challenger Tommy Waters is a political ally of the mayor, but didn’t respond to requests for comments about Ozawa’s involvement with rail or the possible use of property tax revenue to pay for it.
Ozawa assumed the second-most powerful position on the City Council as the Budget Committee chair in May. The new position placed him in the middle of a political battle over rail….
To meet ultimatums issued by the Federal Transit Administration, the council must decide whether it will allow city funds, most of which come from property tax revenue, to be used for the first time to build rail. That includes $44 million in general obligation bonds to cover administrative costs for the agency building rail, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, and another $134 million that the FTA projects the city will need to build the project beyond HART’s current $8.16 billion price tag.
Caldwell refused to commit to the additional $134 million the FTA is demanding, arguing HART should find the money on its own. But the mayor has held two press conferences in the last five months publicly begging the council to pass Bill 42 to lift a ban on using city funds for rail construction and Resolution 18-132, which authorizes the city to issue the $44 million in general obligation bonds for rail.
Last week Caldwell sent the FTA a letter asking for clarification on what the agency wants the city to do to meet the Nov. 20 deadline, and if the council approving the measures will suffice.
Both measures had stalled in Ozawa’s Budget Committee for months until Thursday. That’s when Council Chair Ernie Martin created a new Committee on Legislative Matters with himself as chair. Martin and Caldwell are often political opponents. Martin scheduled two legislative matters committee meetings and two full council meetings this week and next to hear Bill 42.
The new committee, which includes all nine council members, meets Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Should the committee pass the measure, a full council meeting will follow to vote on passing the measure out on the second of three required hearings. …
2008: Tommy Waters Asks House to Observe moment of silence "for the death of tort reform"
read … The Strange Intersection Of A Rail Deadline And City Council Politics
Hawaii Democrats Have Strayed Too Far To The Left
CB: …Both of our U.S. senators are from the Democratic Party. Recently Sen. Brian Schatz co-authored a bill referred to as the “Ballast Water Dump” Bill. Co-authored means he helped write it.
When it came to a vote in the Senate, Schatz and Sen. Mazie Hirono voted against the bill as did all other Democrats. This bill would have been good for Hawaii as it would help to preserve our harbors and island from dumping invasive species close to our shores….
Recently the president signed an executive order cancelling the waiver Hawaii had (the only state to have it) that allowed billfish to be sold. I have to ask, where were our senators when this was happening? It never made the news until recently — did you hear about it?…
Background:
read … Hawaii Democrats Have Strayed Too Far To The Left
How OHA Trustees Spent Their Allowances
CB: …Civil Beat obtained trustee expense reports from July 2016 to December 2017 through a public records request with the help of The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest. OHA resisted releasing these reports for several months, noting that the agency is under investigation by the state Attorney General’s office in the wake of the state audit. Hawaii News Now reported that OHA is also under investigation by the FBI.
In response to the audit, OHA put a moratorium on spending trustee allowances. An OHA ad hoc committee recommended capping the allowances at $7,200 each, Hawaii Public Radio reported last week.
Here is a summary of how each trustee spent their allowance….
Dan Ahuna--$120 to support a player in the 2017 Rainbow Warrior Football Elite Camp….$300 to help an individual attend the 2017 inauguration of President Donald J Trump….
Rowena Akana spent much of her allowance on telecommunications like Wi-Fi, phone and fax lines and an iPhone 7 plus. Her other expenses include:$1,000 to St. Augustine Church for the 2016 Ho’ohalia Gala ,$1,300 donation to a beneficiary….
Peter Apo -- $270 for Apo’s registration fee to attend the Stars of Hospitality Awards Gala in Waikiki … $250 two tickets for an Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame event …$200 for Apo’s registration fee for the Global Tourism Summit ..$300 Sisters Empowering Hawaii, four tickets …Donation for two beneficiaries’ registration fees to attend the Hawaii Tourism Authority conference….
Lei Ahu Isa -- $1,000 to a beneficiary’s medical expenses and $1,000 to another beneficiary….
Carmen Hulu Lindsey: …$1,000 sponsorship for the 31st Annual Ironworkers Scholarship Golf Tournament 2016, $1,000 sponsorship for the 32nd Annual Ironworkers Scholarship Golf Tournament 2017….
Trustee Kelii Akina has never spent his allowance and trustee John Waihee III did not spend any of his allowance during the period for which reports were obtained….
"I have recommended that the practice of individual trustees giving OHA funds directly to individuals and organizations be discontinued. The ethical problem is that such giving can influence voters and buy their favor. That's one of the reasons I have refused to use and have returned all trustee allowance funds provided to me." -- Statement released by Trustee Keli'i Akina
Background: OHA: Does Draft Audit Blow Blackmail Scheme?
read … How OHA Trustees Spent Their Allowances
Top Lobbyist Would be Dead if Assisted Suicide Were Legal
SA: … Terminal cancer patient John Radcliffe would’ve ended his life four years ago had medical aid in dying been legal.
But the 76-year-old longtime lobbyist and poster child for Hawaii’s controversial Our Care, Our Choice Act, often referred to as “death with dignity,” is not yet feeling the painful effects he anticipated while fighting the disease.
“I’m really lucky to be alive, but I should be dead,” said Radcliffe, who was told he had six months or less to live in 2014 and just finished his 70th round of chemotherapy ….
Meanwhile: Maui Police Department currently has five unclaimed bodies at the forensic facility
read … State prepares for new medically assisted death law to take effect
It stinks to high heaven: a raise for the managers of Hawaii County
HTH: …After the incomplete work that was done by the county and the Federal Emergency Management Agency “helping” the lava victims and not helping the toxic gas, ash and laze victims, it seems like the proposed raises should go immediately to support the businesses and help pay back the voters who have had to shell out plenty on hotel rooms, eating out and driving around like a maniac to their storage lockers.
Puna has suffered, and you guys in Hilo cannot smell the gases inside your air-conditioned offices that are still escaping from the ground out here.
FEMA gave practically nothing to individuals who applied, even in the lava zone, but for some ridiculous reason you gave $18,000 to mostly Johnny-come-lately homeless people to get them out of the park….
read … It stinks to high heaven: a raise for the managers of Hawaii County
Kim Names New Chief for Big Island Bus System
WHT: …Carreira spoke extensively about improved communication with not only passengers but also the staff she’s inheriting from Aranguiz.
Doing so, she said, will allow her to get a handle on the strengths, shortcomings and needs of a transit system plagued by a lack of functional inventory, trouble keeping up with scheduled bus routes and cash-handling practices so poorly managed that a legislative auditor was unable to say definitively whether the books were correct.
Beyond that, an early West Hawaii Today report noted strained relationships between Aranguiz and several disgruntled employees, which may have played a role in both the agency’s continued lack of effectiveness and Aranguiz’s ultimate departure….
Carreira has worked as operations manager for Roberts Hawaii Tours since 2012, and served as Kona operations manager for Polynesian Adventures before that, beginning in 2005….
read … Mayor names new administrator of County Mass Transit Agency
O’Hara withdraws resolution that would recognize animals as ‘sentient beings’
HTH: …I bark therefore I am?
Puna Councilwoman Eileen O’Hara introduced a resolution Tuesday recognizing animals as “sentient beings” but quickly withdrew it because of lack of support from other council members….
“First and foremost, I think humans have a stewardship, have a responsibility, have an obligation for health and well-being for an animal and animals in general,” said Kohala Councilman Tim Richards, who is a veterinarian, adding that animals are owed “respect and dignity.”
But he said the county would be getting itself into a “quagmire” if it gives them rights.
The measure says that animals have natural rights as sentient beings and that future legislation regarding animal control efforts should be consistent with the resolution. It says euthanasia of animals should only be used as a last resort and encourages live trapping of animals at county facilities.
O’Hara told the Tribune-Herald last week that the measure is in part intended to influence the county’s next animal control contract.
Critics of the Hawaii Island Humane Society, which currently holds the contract, say its euthanasia rates are too high…
read … O’Hara withdraws resolution that would recognize animals as ‘sentient beings’
County takes $100K grant from Atay assistant
MN: …Maui County officials terminated a $100,000 grant awarded to an executive assistant of Council Member Alika Atay for events celebrating Queen Ka’ahumanu’s 250th birthday and now will take over reviews and payments of $46,000 in outstanding receipts owed to vendors.
Office of Economic Development Director Teena Rasmussen discussed with the County Council Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday her plan to reimburse vendors after Atay’s executive assistant Brian Bardellini failed to provide missing documents and to answer questions….
Seven Hana residents testified before Tuesday’s meeting to defend their event and organizer Claudia Kalaola. Residents said vendors from the Hana event still have not been paid $6,000 and criticized Atay for his executive assistant’s management of the grant….
“Alika Atay has not once said mahalo to the ladies of the Ka’ahumanu Society or even say sorry for what we are going through to save our face,” Irene Pavau said. “Alika, nuff already. You did this to a benevolent Hawaiian society. Shame on you, what kind of Hawaiian are you.”…
Unresolved issues include Bardellini’s organization still not being DCCA compliant and Bardellini only providing 16 of the 44 checks he wrote, Rasmussen said.
She said a $380 laser printer, a two-way radio, a hard drive with images from the Hana event and purchased stock images have yet to be returned to the county.
“He’s refusing to return these items until we pay him for shipping and handling,” Rasmussen said….
With the grant terminated, Rasmussen’s office can now reimburse vendors directly after review. She told the committee that she has never terminated a grant in her eight years in the office and never had vendors call to say they had not been paid….
Council Chairman Mike White asked Rasmussen about the amount of money spent on marketing and media consulting, and how it compares to other one-time events. She said it was “staggering” considering the MACC event drew only about 550 people.
“Over $20,000 was spent on media and media consultants,” she said. “That’s just kind of unheard of.”…
read … County takes over grant from Atay assistant
Courts: Finding Hawaiian interpreters a ‘challenge’
MN: … On. Jan. 24, a Wailuku District Court judge issued a bench warrant for a Haleakala telescope protester who spoke only in Hawaiian when asked to identify himself to the court.
The decision sparked an outcry and led to the warrant being recalled and the state Judiciary to review its policies. A day later, the Judiciary said it would provide qualified Hawaiian language interpreters “to the extent reasonably possible.”
Since then, there’s been a slight increase in registered Hawaiian language interpreters, but the state still struggles to find them, and it doesn’t have the resources to create an oral exam that interpreters in most other languages must pass.
“It’s a difficult challenge for us,” said Debi Tulang-De Silva, program director for the state Judiciary Office on Equality and Access to the Courts. “We do want to support the preservation of language and culture and recognize that Hawaiian is an official language of the state. So we’re doing our part, but it is a challenge to provide it because we lack the resources.”
The state Judiciary system has close to 500 registered court interpreters, many of them in Spanish and Asian languages, such as Japanese, Mandarin and Ilocano. There are five registered Hawaiian language interpreters — three on Hawaii island and two on Kauai. Before Kaeo’s case, there was only one, an interpreter who specialized in the Niihau dialect.
“The interest just isn’t there,” Tulang-De Silva said.
Demand for Hawaiian language interpreters statewide “is very, very small,”she said. From fiscal years 2010 to 2015, requests for Hawaiian interpreters made up an average of 0.05 percent of all interpreted cases. During that time period, there were no requests on Maui. Tulang-De Silva said that Kaeo was the only defendant in Maui County to request an interpreter during fiscal year 2018, which ran from July 1, 2017, to June 30….
Recently, another case has highlighted the challenges of finding interpreters. Linda Henohea Linker, a Molokai resident who was issued a speeding ticket on Maui in July, said that her case has been delayed multiple times because of problems scheduling an interpreter.
Linker first appeared in court on Aug. 21 and requested an interpreter. The court provided one via telephone during her Sept. 11 hearing. However, Linker said that the interpreter “incorrectly translated what I was trying to say about two or three times.”
“That’s when the judge stopped court and asked for another date and translator,” Linker said. “I was asked to come back to court. I live on Molokai, and having to travel back and forth and having to set up arrangements for my keiki. . . . It’s kind of irritating to not have a translator considering ‘Olelo Hawai’i is a recognized language here.”
(She sure does speak English well.)
read … Courts: Finding Hawaiian interpreters a ‘challenge’
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