HB444 opponents to gather at Noon
Progressive Panic on Decision Day
Ilind: Could Abercrombie-Hannemann primary turn off Democratic voters?
But Democrats, if not careful, could find themselves in danger of repeating the 1986 Congressional election outcome, where enough Dems were turned off by the ugly Abercrombie-Hannemann primary that they didn’t unite around Hannemann in the general election, allowing the seat to go to Republican Pat Saiki. Let me rephrase that. I think it’s fair to say that voters were turned off by the relentlessly negative tone of Hannemann’s attacks during that primary campaign. And that’s what Republicans are hoping to see repeated in 2010.
read more
Former Board of Education member calls the board dysfunctional
“A lot of people just lose their way along the way. I think for some it's become a power trip," said Harimoto.
Harimoto has been critical of Toguchi in the past. He even called on Toguchi to resign after withholding information that then Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto was going to resign.
"The board should have been notified, the board should have determined what action to take, not the chair by himself," said Harimoto.
On the Furlough Friday issue, Harimoto says it might have ended earlier. But during Executive Session, he says Toguchi made decisions without consulting the board.
"By law I cannot disclose what happens in Executive Session but let me just say that some of us were entirely upset at how things happened with the Furlough Fridays," said Harimoto.
In the coming election, Harimoto will be pushing for voters to approve a ballot that calls for board members to be appointed, rather than being elected. He says appointed board members will be more accountable.
"I really believe in an elected Board of Education. That's the American way, but I think being on the inside I've seen that it doesn't work," said Harimoto.
read more
Cataluna: Aiona's fiscal accountability is not the answer (Must NOT audit DoE)
Aiona, the Republican front-runner for governor, released a policy agenda on education reform last week. Like Neil Abercrombie, he advocates giving principals more control of their schools' budgets and new accountability standards for educators. But the foundation of Aiona's plan is a call for a comprehensive, independent audit.
The Hawaii Republican Party holds onto this fundamental belief that misspent money is the one thing wrong with Hawaii public schools. It's as though they're sure that somewhere, someone is stealing or stashing all that taxpayer money. That would be the easy answer. If so, fixing the problem would be like patching a leak.
No doubt an audit of the DOE will find things. An audit of any large government entity is going to find problems.
(And that is why there hasn’t been once since 1973.)
RELATED: Duke Aiona unveils Education Reform Plan, Abercrombie: My “emanations” will make DoE serve students first
read more
Lingle fails to give credit where tax-hike credit is due
Democrat Borreca asserts that tax increases have solved the State’s budget problems and then complains that Lingle does not agree.
read more
CB: Furlough Fridays in the Rearview
A Civil Beat FOIA wins release of letters exchanged between Lingle and Toguchi over the Furlough Hostage Negotiations. The BoE censored parts of two letters which appear to deal with the question of who are and are not “essential employees”. This is the key to the entire negotiation because the BoE/DoE/HSTA position was that teachers would not go back to work unless all school employees went back to work.
read more
State Weighing Rule Changes for 2 Million Acres
Looking to build a windmill on your land up in the mountains? Hoping to truck in sand to stem the tide of erosion? These and many other land uses once barred by state law could soon become a reality….
Though the rules [pdf] were last amended in 1994 and the state has been looking at potential changes for years, time is of the essence….He said right now he has a "captive administration" — the rule changes have the support of his boss, department Chair Laura Thielen, and the Board of Land and Natural Resources.
The issues Lemmo has with the existing rules might be addressed by the proposed changes [pdf].
Tuesday's meeting was in some ways the end of many years of work, but it was also the beginning of the home stretch. Public informational meetings will be held on other islands until mid-July, and official public hearings will be held at six locations across the state between Aug. 5 and Aug. 19.
(This is a peek into the secret negotiations over HRS343.)
read more
City fined $1.7 million for dumping into Oahu stream
The dumping of thousands of tons of concrete into a Leeward Oahu stream could cost taxpayers $1.7 million in fines.
The state Department of Health issued the penalty last week after city workers discarded large concrete slabs into the bed of Mailiili Stream from February of 2008 to May of 2009. The City was fined for each of the 257 truckloads of concrete that was dumped into the channel.
(KHON wrote this entire story without using the term “Mufi Hannemann” even once. That takes skill.)
read more
SA: Airfare for homeless has merit
Great! Mainland governments can fly their homeless to Hawaii and then Hawaii can fly the homeless back. Free roundtrip Hawaiian vacation.
read more
State Dems gather in Kona
The Hawaii County Democratic Party's picnic was the place to see and be seen Sunday evening, as both Democratic candidates for governor, at least five candidates for lieutenant governor and a handful of local candidates stopped by.
read more
Kailua parade filled with political hype
"Abercrombie, he's our man, if he can't do it, no one can!"
Shaking hands and kissing babies.
"I met people I never saw before," said Kailua resident Faye Kim. "And then a few people shaking my hands I didn't know."
For most it's just part of the day's festivities...
"It's just part of a parade," said Kim.
For others, it was something the pooper scooper needed to address as well.
read more