Ex-CFO: I was fired to keep Legislators from Seeing OHA's True Budget
Legislators introduce dozens of tax hike bills
Labor unions push lawmakers to drop GET on groceries
Best Areas for STEM Professionals--Honolulu 81st
Vaccinated!
Hawai'i Rental Assistance Program Distributed Most Per Capita in 2020
Hawaii 9th-Most Reliant on Sales Taxes
Let’s Rethink All-Mail Balloting
Survey: Half of State Wants COVID Vax
Employers Must Fill out DoH Survey to get Vaccine for Workers
SA: … Some frontline essential workers — beyond emergency first responders and health care workers already prioritized — are being vaccinated now, during Phase 1b, at events sought by their employers or industry associations, according to the health department.
The department wants to hear from businesses, government agencies and other organizations with essential workers so that it can allocate vaccine supplies. It posted a survey online to gather information, at 808ne.ws/1bsurvey. Or employers can find the link at hawaiicovid19.com/ vaccine/.
We’ve heard from numerous readers whose work puts them at heightened risk. They should point their bosses to the survey. Individual workers can’t fill it out themselves.
The survey includes links explaining what types of workers qualify as essential; it’s a broad spectrum. In general, these are people who must work on-site (not from home), in close proximity to other workers or customers, and whose jobs are vital for society to function normally. For example, about 500 employees at the state Legislature qualified, even though the Legislature is largely closed to the public during the pandemic.
The state doesn’t have enough vaccine to cover everyone eligible for Phase 1b at this point. However, the survey responses will help officials organize the allocation now so they’re ready when more supplies become available….
Meanwhile: How and when to get vaccinated in Hawaii
read … Online survey gauges vaccine needs for essential workers in government, private sector
HPD Chief Shakes Up Covert Intelligence Unit After Years Of Scandal
CB: … The Intelligence Enforcement Unit was at the center of the Kealoha conspiracy as well as a more recent surveillance operation that targeted a political appointee….
A secretive intelligence unit within the Honolulu Police Department known for its long history of scandal and corruption is undergoing a new transition, according to internal documents obtained by Civil Beat.
Chief Susan Ballard recently reassigned oversight of the Intelligence Enforcement Unit to HPD’s Investigative Bureau, meaning it will no longer be under the direct supervision of Deputy Police Chief John McCarthy and will include more layers of oversight from other commanders within the department….
For decades, the IEU was known as the Criminal Intelligence Unit. The CIU handled some of the department’s most sensitive investigations related to drugs, terrorism and organized crime, and reported directly to the chief’s office.
Over the years, though, the unit gained a reputation as the chief’s own personal goon squad. Some of its members were also arrested — and in one case killed in a gangland-style execution — after crossing over into criminal conduct.
The most recent CIU controversy involved Ballard’s predecessor, Louis Kealoha, who’s now headed to federal prison after he and his wife, Katherine, a former city prosecutor, used the unit to frame a family member for the theft of their mailbox.
When Ballard was appointed to replace Kealoha in 2017, she promised to reform the unit….
read … HPD Chief Shakes Up Covert Intelligence Unit After Years Of Scandal
Pono Hawai’i Defending the Hawaii auditor’s office
SA Editorial: … State Capitol watchers can expect fireworks from all corners over the budget debates, including on behalf of the state Office of the Auditor. Helping to fend off expected cuts there is former lawmaker Gary Hooser of the nonprofit Pono Hawai‘i Initiative.
Hooser has dispatched emails to drum up support for state Auditor Les Kondo, linking to contacts for each legislator. And the progressive advocate also urges people to ping House Speaker Scott Saiki about the minimum wage. Let the battles begin ….
read … Defending the Hawaii auditor’s office
Mayor identifies affordable workforce rentals as a top priority
HNN: … Rick Blangiardi’s first piece of legislation as Honolulu’s mayor calls for grant money to help fund more affordable rental units.
What makes this plan different is the units would be constructed or remodeled specifically as workforce housing ― renters making close to the area median income.
”The gap” is what Christine Camp, president of Avalon Development Company, calls that group.
“This is the gap which funding isn’t available,” she said.
Camp said while there are many federal and state programs for the very low income, there are few housing assistance programs for workforce households, or those making between 80% and 100% of the area median income. That’s $71,100 for a single person and $101,600 for a family of four.
“You’re looking at teachers, you’re looking at policemen, you’re looking at people that want to be in housing but it’s very difficult in Hawaii for them to be affordable,” said Anton Krucky, executive director of the City Office of Housing.
If Bill 1-2021 passes, $10 million would be set aside for 1,100 units.
Property owners or developers could request grant money, up to $9,000 per unit, to remodel or construct the units….
Bill 1-2021: Text, Status
KITV: Affordable housing project opens, but state needs more
read … Mayor identifies affordable workforce rentals as a top priority
‘Vancouver Tax’ doesn’t work in Vancouver—but facts never stop the Kauai Council
TGI: … With one in eight homes on Kaua‘i empty, a bill attempting to incentivize filling these vacancies passed through the Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday.
(Editor’s Note: This is called the Vancouver Tax. It doesn’t work in Vancouver.)
Bill No. 2814, first introduced by councilmember Luke Evslin by request of the administration in late November 2020, amends the county’s code relating to real property taxes by reducing the minimum assessed value for the “residential investor” tax class from $2 million to $1.3 million.
“The intent of this bill is not to create another revenue source or generate revenue for the county,” County of Kaua‘i Finance Director Reiko Matsuyama said when the bill was introduced last year. “It is really to create more housing and throw the vacant homes into the housing pool for long-term rentals.”
The residential investor tax class applies to vacant properties that are not rented on a long-term basis valued at or above the reduced $1.3 million rate. There are just over 400 properties at the $1.3 million level affected.
The residential investor tax rate in 2020 was $9.40 per $1,000 net assessed valuation. The residential rate was $6.05. If signed, the ordinance will take effect until the 2022 tax year, with rates to be determined in the coming months….
Reality for those few who can grasp it: Debunked: Vancouver Tax’ Does Nothing to Ease Rental Crisis
read … Vancouver Tax
Punahou School fires teacher after sexual abuse allegations
KHON: … Punahou School announced on Wednesday, Jan. 27, that a teacher was fired after allegations of sexual abuse against a former high school student were investigated.
In a letter to parents, Punahou says it first became aware of the allegations in November, 2020. The incident was reported to the Honolulu Police Department while the school investigated the allegations.
Punahou said, the allegations were later found to be credible and the teacher was subsequently fired. Court records show the teacher has not been charged in relation to the case….
read … Punahou School fires teacher after sexual abuse allegations
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