Legislature on track to violate state's legal spending limit
Some Winners and Losers in the 2023 Session
Worst State for Nurses -- Hawaii
He'eia: DOBOR Spews Filth into Harbor for Eight Years--Now DoH Grabs Control of Budget
Shakedown Schatz: Hawaii Deserves ‘Fairness’ On $1 Lease By U.S. Military Of 23,000 Acres
Hawaii gets low marks in business tax ranking
March 2023: Tourist Count Reaches 97% of Pre-Pandemic Levels
State lawmakers pass anti-nepotism bill — but it doesn’t apply to them
HNN: … both houses passed HB717, which bans nepotism, the hiring of relatives, by state employees.
It was inspired in part by former Rep. Ty Cullen, who was convicted of honest services fraud for taking bribes. He also employed several relatives in his legislative office, which was not an uncommon practice at the capitol, where trustworthy and loyal staff is highly valued.
But when the bill reached the Senate floor this morning, Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, speaking in support of the bill said, “Quick note, this is a Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct bill. I support the measure, except that I think exempting the legislature from this measure is the wrong move.”
That’s right. A bill inspired by nepotism in the legislature will not apply to the legislature.
After Keohokalole spoke all 24 other senators indicated that their “aye” votes on the measure was with reservations.
Senate President Ron Kouchi pointed out that the Senate Rules already ban nepotism, so a new law would not change their position.
The exemption for the legislature had been added to the bill by the House Judiciary Committee.
Chair David Tarnas (enter excuse here) ….
The law would bar any state employee from making employment decisions about a family or household member or contracting decisions involving a company owned or controlled by family….
CB: Senators Freak Out Over Nepotism Bill -- “One of the oddest came on House Bill 717, where 19 of Hawaii’s 25 senators voted “aye with reservations” on a bill prohibiting nepotism for employees working in the executive branch.”
read … State lawmakers pass anti-nepotism bill — but it doesn’t apply to them
2 Honolulu Council members urge rejection of salary hikes
SA: … On April 27, Council members Augie Tulba and Andria Tupola co-introduced two resolutions, 81 and 82, that, if approved, would either wholly or partially nix last week’s actions taken by the Honolulu Salary Commission to set the city’s salary schedule for the 2024 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
As adopted April 25, the mayor’s annual salary would rise 12.56%, to $209,856 from its current $186,432. Likewise, the yearly salary for the City Council chair — the seat that leads the nine-member panel — would rise to $123,288 from $76,968, a 60.2% jump, while an individual Council member’s salary would get a 64.4% pay bump to $113,304, up from $68,904….
SA: Perhaps the public then should look more critically at side gigs the members have.
read … 2 Honolulu Council members urge rejection of salary hikes
In Sixty Days Hawaii Public Housing Authority will need new excuses for stagnation
SA Editorial: … By the Hawaii Public Housing Authority’s own reckoning, the state’s shortage of truly affordable housing has been a growing problem for at least 50 years. In most of those years, the agency responsible for managing and maintaining public housing wasn’t granted a budget large enough to keep up with maintenance, much less add to the state’s housing stock.
All that is about to change, and quickly, under a moon-shot plan…
Planning multiple projects simultaneously with a private master developer…
Building and redevelopment would take place at nine low-income rental housing subdivisions. All of the 1,187 existing apartments at these sites — about one-third of HPHA’s current housing stock — would be replaced, and 10,880 units added….
After years of stagnation, HPHA is moving forward quickly now, as it should. Ouansafi said the master developer should be chosen within 60 days, and construction is expected to begin by the end of this year….
(IQ Test: Are you laughing?)
April 27, 2023: Feds Send $115.5 Million to Expand Broadband (First we wire public housing for wi-fi, then we tear it down?)
read … Back bold action on public housing
Sue Condo Developers? Legislators to override Green’s First Veto?
HNN: … a bill that would make it easier for condominium owners to sue developers over construction defects was revived by a senate override vote. The bill would remove a time limit on lawsuits over defective construction. It was opposed by the building industry and vetoed by the Governor. The senate voted unanimously to override the veto, which was Governor Josh Green’s first. The House could take a similar vote Thursday….
CB: Hawaii Condo Owners Aren’t Getting Much Love From The Legislature This Year
CB: Green’s First Veto Override: A Condo Bill That Could Increase The Cost Of Housing
read … Defects
No Presidential Primary For Hawaii
CB: … Among the many bills going down in flames with no explanation during the crazy “cattle call” in conference committee last week was Senate Bill 1005, which would have led to Hawaii having a Democratic Party presidential primary. We are one of only six states that do not have a state-run primary or caucus, and the other five are red states.
Like so many bills that died in the waning hours, SB 1005 did not have “release” from the money committees. No final figure was listed for the expenses that would be incurred by the state Office of Elections and the county clerks to run the primary. Like so many bills late in session, the dollar figures were intentionally left blank in the bill.
But estimates were that state and county costs would exceed $4 million per presidential preference primary, as it is called in the bill. Election officials were uncomfortable taking on the added election — which might have been held for the first time in April 2028 — in addition to the regular primary and general.
Hawaii has the same four electoral votes as New Hampshire, so having a presidential primary would hardly impact the Electoral College unless a presidential election was super close. But it would no doubt have attracted national campaigns and media coverage.
“Our vote will help to decide who shall be our President,” Democratic Party of Hawaii Chair Dennis Jung argued in his testimony. “How cool is that? How important is that? It is very cool. It is very important.”…
read … No Presidential Primary For Hawaii
HMSA execs saw big pandemic pay raises as workers lost their jobs
SA: … Mugiishi took over as HMSA’s CEO in February 2020. His total compensation, including salary and bonus, rose from $2.5 million in 2021 to $3 million in 2022, an 18.6% increase, according to financial filings. His 2022 compensation included his $1 million salary, plus a $2 million bonus.
Gina Marting, HMSA’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, had a similar pay boost during that period. Her total compensation went from $902,402 to $1.08 million, a 20% increase.
Janna Nakagawa, the company’s executive vice president and chief administrative and strategy officer, saw a 26% increase in compensation. Her combined salary and bonus rose from $788,287 in 2021 to $995,633 in 2022.
David Herndon, HMSA’s executive vice president and chief business operations officer, saw a more modest increase of 3.7%, with his total compensation rising to $817,361 last year.
Jennifer Walker, the company’s senior vice president for data and analytics and general counsel, saw a nearly 20% increase in compensation. Her combined salary and bonus totaled $737,689 in 2022.
The pay increases for HMSA’s top officers are even more stark when compared over two years. Their combined salaries and bonuses increased 48% from 2020 to 2022….
SA Letter: HMSA execs’ pay raises go beyond bad optics
read … HMSA execs saw big pandemic pay raises as workers lost their jobs
Hawaii could become first state to offer debt repayment to all medical professionals
HNN: … Over the last 10 years, the Hawaii State Loan Repayment Program has helped about 90 people working in nonprofit, government and rural health care with their student loans.
Now that program is going on steroids with $30 million over the next two years and the potential to help thousands of health care professionals, according to program Director Dr. Kelley Withy at the University of Hawaii Medical School.
“We believe that we can fund probably 3 to 400 loan repayment contracts in year one, and then going up from there,” Withy said….
Withy said they want every eligible worker to apply for the program and if there are too many applicants each applicant will get a little less money, rather than restrict enrollment….
read … Hawaii could become first state to offer debt repayment to all medical professionals
Your Hawaii Home Insurance Rates Have Probably Gone Up. Here’s Why.
HB: … Denise Fleming got a shock while going through her mail after a three-week vacation: The price for the homeowners insurance on her single-family home in Kailua had gone up nearly $300 from last year, a 37% increase.
Her insurance agent blamed the increase on the higher cost of construction materials.
She is one of many Hawaiʻi homeowners paying double-digit increases on the costs of insuring their houses and condominiums. Other homeowners find their longtime carriers refusing to renew because of their roof’s age, while many condominium owners have to double or triple their insurance coverage to meet their associations’ new requirements….
read … Your Hawaii Home Insurance Rates Have Probably Gone Up. Here’s Why.
80 new pre-school sites identified throughout Hawaii
HNN: … With $200 million already allocated by the state legislature to assist in the goal of opening 460 new pre-k classrooms by the year 2032, it's an ambitious undertaking already making notable strides transforming educational equity throughout the the islands.
"We thought we would open a bunch of classrooms in August of 2024. But in working with the Department of Education and many of the principals we're able to open a year ahead of schedule," Luke continued. "In fact, we're meeting our budget goals. Instead of spending a million dollars per classroom we're spending about 500-thousand per classroom. So we're opening 11 in August of 2023, and more to come in 2024." …
read … 80 new pre-school sites identified throughout Hawaii
More Homeless Mayhem: 2 reindicted for attempted murder of infant
MN: … The two defendants were initially charged in 2021 for attempted murder of the boy, who was hospitalized after suffering bleeding in his brain, extreme malnutrition and other injuries that a doctor believed were caused by “abusive trauma.”
Quirk told police she and Rosete had been dating and that they were living in his car and staying in a carport at his mother’s residence in Wailea.
Quirk also told police that Rosete had abused her son, but she didn’t report it because she was afraid of Rosete.
Rosete had also been charged with abusing Quirk.
The child’s abuse came to light on April 30, 2021, when Quirk and her grandmother were at a Kahului restaurant when a server offered to call 911 because Quirk’s baby was turning blue and had bruises on his face.
Quirk initially refused, but the server followed Quirk to the parking lot, where she agreed to a call for an ambulance….
read … 2 reindicted for attempted murder of infant
HPD’s use of force is rare, but increasing, UH study finds
SA: … The police officers union panned a University of Hawaii study that showed use-of-force incidents involving Honolulu Police Department officers increased from 706 in 2010 to 2,646 in 2021 while police leadership and commissioners continued to review the findings….
… The report is based on the “data set that summarizes all use of force reports submitted by Honolulu police in 2021, and HPD’s unpublished use of force reports for each year from 2010 through 2021,” according to the study. HPD’s use-of-force procedure requires officers to fill out detailing the incident and why they employed the level of force on a suspect that they did are not regularly made public by the department….
read … HPD’s use of force is rare, but increasing, UH study finds
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