After Kaka'ako Makai Debacle: 'OHA Shall Seek Decision Making Influence over All Land in Hawai'i'
Hawaii State and Local Taxes $7,332 per person
Fourth Hawaiʻi Commercial Rent Survey Shows Some Recovery
Honolulu $1 billion-a-mile rail boondoggle a warning to Biden ‘Build Back’ plan
Hawaii 2nd Best State for Children’s Health Care
2021 UH Legislative Update, including proposed budget cuts
Sacrifice? Unions Demand Pay Hikes ‘In single digits’
HTH: … About 65% of the county’s $590.8 million operating budget goes for salaries and wages, a figure that could increase as government negotiators undertake what Human Resources Director William Brilhante calls “the perfect storm” of collective bargaining, with contracts for all 10 of the county’s bargaining units ending June 30.
Brilhante, addressing the County Council Finance Committee during a special session Wednesday on the budget, said union negotiators seem to understand that state and county governments are in tough financial straits and, by and large, they aren’t asking for some of the big increases they’ve asked for in the past.
Still, he said, even the single-digit increases they want are more than the government representatives currently at the table think they can afford.
(Translation: HGEA, UPW, etal are demanding something below a 10% wage hike.)
“Our proposals are 0% raises, status quo going forward,” Brilhante said. “We’re pretty steadfast in that.”…
The county’s approximately 2,400 union workers generally operate under four-year contracts, but that might be reduced to two years as collective bargaining continues in the midst of an uncertain economy. Each county has one vote in the process and the governor has four….
Council members have historically simply approved the contracts, with some under the impression their role was ministerial.
There’s another reason as well, said Finance Committee Chairman Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder. “It’s political suicide you’re basically looking at,” opposing the unions, he said, citing repercussions he experienced during political campaigns….
Meanwhile: ‘Hawaii has recovered less than 50% of the jobs lost at the peak of the pandemic’
read … County Human Resources director says unions’ sensitivity to economy is ‘refreshing’
HB613: Federal COVID Money Must be Used to Fund HSTA Pay Hikes before any other purpose
SA: …House Bill 613, introduced by House Education Chairman Justin Woodson, cleared the House with no opposition and sailed through the Senate Education and Ways and Means committees with no one voting against it. It calls for using an unspecified amount of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to ensure school employees continue to receive their pay through 2023 and not for any other purpose.
The measure was supported by the Hawaii State Teachers Association, HE‘E Hui for Excellence in Education and the Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus….
(Translation: The sole purpose of the DoE is to make the payroll.)
read … Legislative bill leads to tussle over federal money for Hawaii public schools
HB1296: Raid Tobacco Funds to Balance Budget
TGI: … A bill that will disassemble the state’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Trust Fund has passed through the Hawaii State Senate and is now headed back to the House of Representatives.
The bill, HB1296, would credit an estimated $50 million to the state’s general fund on June 30, 2025, and though the bill would dissipate the fund, the bill is intended to help balance the state budget by pulling funding for the prevention tobacco programs through the Department of Health
Senator Donovan Dela Cruz of District 22 said the Senate included $7.3 million for fiscal year 2022 and the same amount for the fiscal year 2023 to continue tobacco prevention programs, which are funded by the trust fund. In a speech urging the passage of HB 1296, Dela Cruz said the programs could be more strategically funded….
HB1296: Text, Status
read … Reallocating money for tobacco cessation
Lawmakers should follow the ‘golden rule’ of budgeting
MN: … If state leaders ever hope to revitalize Hawaii’s economy, they need to follow the “golden rule” of budgeting: Make sure government does not grow faster than the economy….
read … Lawmakers should follow the ‘golden rule’ of budgeting
Hawaii is only wage-taxing state not to copy Internal Revenue Service in extending due date
SA: … The Tax Department announced its decision March 24.
Alika Ke-Paloma, a spokesman for the agency, said factors considered included whether the Legislature would amend state law before May 17 in ways to conform with recent federal tax changes.
Other factors included the cost to reprogram computers to accommodate a deadline change and the need to adjust forms, instructions, interest, penalties and statute of limitations issues arising with an extension.
“The benefit of a 30-day extension of time to file did not outweigh the issues that it would cause considering there are other alternatives including the appropriate waivers of penalties and interest,” Ke-Paloma said in a statement….
Kokua Line: How much of a percentage of state income taxes do you have to pay to qualify for Hawaii’s automatic extension on filing?
read … Hawaii is only wage-taxing state not to copy Internal Revenue Service in extending due date
Renewal of Maunakea master lease the top priority for new Institute for Astronomy director
HTH: … Doug Simons said when he assumes his post as director of the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy on Sept. 1, a great deal of his focus will be on the renewal of UH’s master lease for the Maunakea Science Reserve.
The lease for the 11,288-acre site — which hosts several of the world’s premier astronomical observatories — expires in 2033. A nonexclusive easement for the Maunakea Access Road, about 71 acres, also expires in 2033. The lease for the 19-acre Halepohaku facility expires in 2041.
“If we lose Maunakea astronomy, we’ll lose most of Hawaii astronomy. And then, in my opinion, everybody loses,” said Simons, whose appointment to head one of UH-Manoa’s most prestigious units became official at today’s Board of Regents meeting. “That, to me, would be a tragedy if we were to lose a field of science in which Hawaii has established a … leadership role on truly a global basis.”….
read … Renewal of Maunakea master lease the top priority for new Institute for Astronomy director
Hawaii’s Search For A New School Superintendent Could Take Nearly A Year
CB: … The state Board of Education has begun the debate over choosing a new leader for Hawaii’s public school system to replace the outgoing superintendent, whose term ends July 31, with a proposed timeline on the agenda at a meeting Thursday.
But first a decision must be made about an interim leader to oversee the 175,000-student school system as the 2021-2022 academic year gets underway in August.
A transition committee recommended that applications be solicited for a temporary replacement to give time for a search committee to develop a list of final candidates between December and February, with the permanent replacement selected by March….
read … Hawaii’s Search For A New School Superintendent Could Take Nearly A Year
Rolling Blackouts for Maui Too? PUC fears potential clean energy project delays could slow closure of MECO oil-fired plant
UD: … Hawaii regulators are raising concerns about Hawaiian Electric's (HECO) plan to retire and replace a 36 MW oil-fired plant on Maui by 2024, echoing worries they've previously voiced about the utility's efforts to transition away from a coal plant on Oahu.
HECO intends to replace the Kahului oil-fired plant with a combination of resources, including solar paired with storage, standalone storage projects, and the construction of a switchyard. But the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) head regulator said delays to those projects could necessitate keeping the oil-fired plant online longer than planned.
There's a possibility that a series of projects currently slated to come online in 2023 could experience delays, PUC Chair James Griffin said at a meeting Tuesday. "To me, this is just very much setting up a situation where higher probability than not to delay the retirement, which after all the years of planning, that's not our first contingency," he added…..
read … Hawaii top regulator fears potential clean energy project delays could slow closure of HECO oil-fired plant
Hawai’i Powering Past Coal Task Force -- Secret or Public?
IM: … Some members of the community have asked why there is so much secrecy surrounding the Hawai`i Powering Past Coal Task Force?
Why can`t the public attend the meetings, even if just to follow the issues and monitor what might happen in their communities?
The Powering Past Coal Task Force is dealing with an emergency, that the O`ahu grid may fail in 2022, or 2023, due to the delayed schedules for new projects designed to offset the closure of the 180-megawatt coal power plant.
The State Energy Office created the Powering Past Coal Task Force web page that includes Governor Ige`s Executive Order creating the Task Force and information on the international Powering Past Coal Alliance.
Task Force meetings are being held under the Chatham House Rule, where attendees can publicly say what was discussed, but not who said what, with the caveat that accidentally released confidential info stays confidential.
Wearing two hats, one serving on the Task Force, and the other writing this column, I have agreed not to discuss in this column what was discussed at Task Force meetings unless it has been publicly released by the State of Hawai`i or the Hawaiian Electric Companies.
The Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission held a Status Conference on April 13, 2021, to review Hawaiian Electric Companies plan to retire the AES Coal Plant held.
The Status Conference lasted 3 hours and 43 minutes. The conference is fully viewable on YouTube.
Scott Glenn, the Hawai`i State Energy Officer, gave an update of the Powering Past Coal Task Force. (YouTube at 23:15 to 28:15).
“Governor did initiate the task force. He signed an Executive Order. It`s Executive Order 2021-01.
read … Hawai`i Powering Past Coal Task Force -- Secret or Public?
Red light camera pilot program is moving forward on Oahu
SA: … Ten intersections were selected for the program, but that could change after additional engineering reviews, Kunishige said. They were selected based on crash history and red light violations. All are in Honolulu under a single court district.
The tentative list: 1) Beretania and Piikoi streets; 2) Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee Street; 3) Vineyard Boulevard and Palama Street; 4) Vineyard and Pali Highway; 5) North King and Beretania streets; 6) King Street and Ward Avenue; 7) Vineyard and Liliha Street; 8) Pali and School Street; 9) Likelike Highway and School; 10) King and River streets.
Act 30 notes that intense public opposition to “van cams” — the photo speed imaging detector system program — created by Act 234 and begun in January 2002, caused the Legislature to repeal Act 234.
Opposition was mainly because of public perception that the program was operated to maximize revenue for the vendor, Act 30 says. Also the vans on which the cameras were mounted were placed at locations that did not necessarily have a history of speed-related collisions. The vans were used to monitor areas with heavy traffic flow at lower speeds, allowing the vendor to issue the highest number of tickets in the least amount of time and cost.
Hawaii Kai resident Randall Yanagi said he wanted to know what the rules are and what the appeals process is.
“If someone is crossing illegally, and you stop and you’re in the middle of the intersection making a left turn, the camera goes on and click,” he said, adding that “your license plate” is captured. “I think there are a lot of bugs in this,” Yanagi said.
But a DOT spokeswoman said Yanagi’s assertion is inaccurate. She said photo enforcement will not activate if the vehicle is stuck in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red. Instead, the cameras will not activate until the light is red, and they will detect who crosses the “stop bar” after that, she said.
Yanagi said in 2009 he was driving in Northern California where there were stiff fines at intersections. “I would slow down on every light I approach,” he said, and added that there is a definite possibility of more accidents if people slow down….
Big Q: Do you favor Oahu’s red-light camera pilot project, targeted to start in late summer?
read … Red light camera pilot program is moving forward on Oahu
Kauai Police Chief’s Rising Star Began To Fall Last Year, Job Reviews Show
CB: … Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck spent the last two years building community goodwill and fixing problems within his department….
PDF: Report
read … Kauai Police Chief’s Rising Star Began To Fall Last Year, Job Reviews Show
Some Department of Health vaccine appointments going unfilled on Maui
MN: … For about a week now, appointments have gone unfilled at state Department of Health vaccine clinics in Kahului, mere months after people once waited hours in line to get a shot and were sometimes turned away as demand overwhelmed the clinic.
With Hawaii receiving more shipments and Neighbor Island vaccines now open to all residents, supply is currently outweighing demand, at least for the Maui District Health Office….
At a recent clinic on Friday, only about half of the DOH’s 900 vaccine appointments were taken, Pang said at a county news conference that afternoon….
Pang said Tuesday that he has already heard from officials on Kauai and Hawaii island, along with DOH’s Maui partners, such as Minit Medical, about interest in the vaccine going down.
“It’s hard to get people to want to make an appointment,” he said.
Pang attributed this to “vaccine hesitancy” and also pointed out that those who really wanted the vaccine were already part of the priority groups in the first phases or have already signed up for their shots….
DOH hosted a clinic at King Kekaulike High School Saturday morning, with about 500 vaccines administered and appointments filling up in four hours.
Pang said the number one reason people came out was because they wanted the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine that was being offered at the clinic. They also came because the clinic was closer to home and held on a Saturday morning….
While some vaccine sites struggle to fill appointments, Maui Health said its clinics at Maui Memorial Medical Center and at the Haleakala Ballroom of the Grand Wailea are holding steady.
“We are fulfilling our available appointments and have opened our appointments up through May for both clinic sites to encourage all eligible Maui residents to get vaccinated,” spokeswoman Tracy Dallarda said Monday.
Maui Health averages about 5,000 vaccines per week and has seen an increase in South Maui appointments since the clinic moved from the Kaiser Permanente office in Kihei to the hotel on March 31. Since then, appointments in South Maui have gone from about 150 to 200 per clinic per day to more than 500. Clinics are held Wednesdays and Fridays and have been filled, Dallarda said….
read … Department of Health vaccine appointments going unfilled on Maui
Hawaii Sees ‘Startling’ Increase In Number Of Children Facing Hunger
CB: … The data, collected via the U.S. Census Bureau’s “Household Pulse Survey,” is the topic of a new report from the University of Hawaii which found nearly half of Hawaii families with children reported struggling to pay for meals as of March.
“The rates were roughly in the 10% ball park pre-COVID, and they’re close to 50% currently,” said Jack Barile, the interim director of the University of Hawaii Manoa’s Social Science Research Institute. “The majority of people facing food insecurity now are facing it for the first time or in recent history, so that’s kind of startling.” …
PDF: Report
read … Hawaii Sees ‘Startling’ Increase In Number Of Children Facing Hunger
Kalihi man resorts to desperate measures without unemployment
KITV: … Without money for more than three months, a 33-year-old Kalihi resident is battling to keep a roof over his head and food on the table…
read … Kalihi man resorts to desperate measures without unemployment
Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting at Nuuanu home
CB: … At about 8:10 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call about a man attempting to break into a residence on Coelho Way, according to preliminary information circulated by HPD’s criminal investigation division to other department officials.
An officer who responded was “immediately assaulted by the suspect,” the incident summary states, and the officer fired a round from his weapon but “appears to have missed the suspect.”
Another officer arrived and fired two rounds, striking the man in the right chest and left abdomen, the summary said.
The man was taken to The Queen’s Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 8:56 p.m., according to the summary.
One of the officers was also taken to the hospital. Hawaii News Now reported that someone was taken from the incident to the hospital with facial injuries and is in stable condition….
read … Honolulu Police Shoot, Kill Break-In Suspect In Nuuanu
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