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Friday, March 25, 2011

March 25, 2011 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:24 PM :: 9675 Views

Conservatives lead Hawaii GOP--but will they pay for it?

VIDEO: “All Costs for Wind Cable are on the Ratepayer”

Berg, Tamayo to host Community Meeting on Emergency Preparedness, Waimanalo Gulch

“More Federal Funds”: Abercrombie pumps Tsunami claims up to $30.6M

Abercrombie reopens nominations for Commission on Water Resource Management

Borreca: Democrats wrong if they think U.S. Senate race is a slam dunk

it should worry Democrats that there is no clear frontrunner in their Senate stable. That can produce a bloody and expensive Democratic primary.

If Hannemann, Hanabusa, Schatz and Case get in the race it could exhaust all four corners of the Democratic power block. Lingle would not likely have strong primary opposition, while the winning Democrat is likely to be damaged goods.

Lingle would also have a lot of money. On a national level, the Democrats have 23 Senate races to defend; they will not be thinking about dumping money into the historically blue state of Hawaii, birthplace of President Baracak (sic) Obama.

Republicans, in contrast, can put up a strong, well-financed campaign if it means turning the Senate majority to their column.

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Council Chair collects $60,000/year “salary” from Pro-Rail Developers’ group

Honolulu City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia told KITV4 News Thursday that he will begin officially declaring that he has a conflict of interest on the rail transit issue when it comes up for votes in the council.

Garcia has a $60,000 part-time job mostly funded by pro-rail developers and landowners.

Rail transit critic Panos Prevedouros said he thinks the job is meant to influence Garcia. “It's a sweet job, sweet job,” Prevedouros said. “I mean a lot of people in Hawaii would love to have that one.”

Garcia has been executive director of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce since early 2009. He said his job includes taking minutes at quarterly chamber meetings, coordinating volunteers and organizing quarterly events, like a luncheon speech by the governor last week at the Ko Olina Resort….

Although the chamber job was properly reported on his annual personal financial disclosures to the city Ethics Commission, Garcia did not publicly announce a conflict when rail came up at council. From now on, after KITV4's inquiries, he said that will change.

“Should there be a vote again on rail, I will make my disclosure,” Garcia said.

But now, Garcia's prior votes on rail will be scrutinized by rail critics, because if it is found he intentionally failed to disclose a conflict, his vote can be nullified under city law, even long after the vote.

“I am pretty sure there have been 5-4 votes and the fifth vote was his,” Prevedouros said. “If there was somebody else in his position not representing pro-rail parties the vote might have gone the other way.”

CB: Honolulu Council Chair Has A Conflict of Interest On Rail Project

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TRUTH: Hawaii hotels three-fourths full, room rates mostly up

Hawaii hotels were three-fourths full during the week ending March 19, and average room rates were generally higher compared to a year ago, according to Smith Travel Research and Hospitality Advisors.

The average statewide hotel occupancy rate was 75.5 percent, up 2.4 percentage points compared to the same week last year.

The average statewide room rate was $195.34, up 12.4 percent compared to the same week a year ago.

LIES: Hawaii's New Budget Deficit: $1.3 Billion

The state's top budget official has raised his estimate of the budget hole lawmakers will have to fill: The total shortfall is now $1.3 billion — more than one-third larger than previous estimates.

The new figure represents a 34 percent increase over the previous deficit estimate of $969 million and echoes the Senate Ways and Means Committee chairman's outlook, which pegged the shortfall at $1.2 billion. Kalbert Young, director of the Department of Budget and Finance, told Civil Beat, that Gov. Neil Abercrombie's administration is "being prudent" by assuming a negative 2 percent growth in tax revenues for the year ending June 30.

That differs from the Council on Revenues' March 10 forecast of positive 0.5 percent growth, which came out just hours before the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami hit. At the council's last meeting, chairman Paul Brewbaker noted that the projection assumes a range of +/- 2 percent.

Young's new estimate creates sticky situation for lawmakers. By statute, legislators have to base their budget on the Council on Revenues' projections. The council, which normally meets quarterly, will hold a special meeting March 29 to reconsider its forecast at the request of Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

The Senate Ways and Means committee will hold its first public hearing on the state budget Monday, using House Bill 200 as the starting point. That version calls for $10.98 billion in spending in fiscal 2012 and $10.97 billion in fiscal 2013.

Sen. David Ige, chair of Ways and Means, also has said he thinks the Council on Revenues' forecast is too optimistic. Ige told Civil Beat last week he predicts the deficit will top $1.2 billion, triggering even more spending cuts and potentially bigger tax hikes.

Political Radar: Deficit estimates

Hawaii Taxation Report outlines plan to pick your pocket

In Hawaii, corporation taxes, public service company taxes, insurance premium taxes and transient accommodations taxes all had the biggest increases in 2010. This could indicate an influx of business in the state, which also accounts for some of the additional revenue. In terms of new taxes added by the Legislature, the state increased the tobacco tax and the barrel tax, according to the Tax Foundation.

The table below shows Hawaii's tax revenues from 2009 and 2010, as well as estimates for revenues through fiscal year 2015. Figures are in thousands of dollars and come from a Hawaii Department of Taxation January report.

Type of Tax	FY 2009 (Actual)	FY 2010 (Actual)	FY 2011	FY 2012	FY 2013	FY 2014	FY 2015
General Excise & Use	$2,417,580	$2,316,434	$2,548,624	$2,695,863	$2,880,109	$3,080,182	$3,291,380
Income - Individual	$1,338,451	$1,527,619	$1,297,862	$1,547,406	$1,632,550	$1,725,164	$1,815,170
Income - Corporation	$53,522	$59,186	$48,482	$56,362	$63,372	$75,917	$88,085
Public Service Company	$126,069	$157,661	$186,723	$211,625	$233,775	$253,784	$272,134
Insurance Premiums	$93,720	$104,721	$130,755	$126,222	$133,538	$140,226	$143,833
Tobacco & Licenses	$76,955	$85,503	$103,757	$102,480	$92,336	$68,074	$59,270
Liquor & Permits	$47,242	$44,074	$42,780	$39,685	$37,900	$36,369	$35,068
Banks & Other Finance	$26,075	$18,666	$21,831	$24,349	$27,206	$29,380	$30,877
Inheritance & Estate	$274	$0	$8,200	$19,600	$19,600	$19,600	$19,600
Conveyance	$8,311	$18,216	$21,833	$21,622	$15,405	$15,155	$14,918
Miscellaneous	$536	$781	$13,985	$13,972	$13,959	$13,947	$13,936
Transient Accommodations	$13,566	$31,698	$70,664	$85,860	$91,999	$98,456	$13,936

SB755 Gaming Bill passes Second Read

After an intense round of debate during floor session, the state House approved the poker bill on second reading, sending it to House Finance.

But there are indications that SB 755 has an uphill climb.

For one, 14 representatives voted against the measure, including seven Democrats. Many of those same people sit on Finance.

For another, it has to go to the Senate, which hasn't heard the measure in its current form.

But one Democrat who supports the measure says, in spite of the Legislature's history of opposing gambling measures, holding a poker tournament in the islands is considered differently than, say, building a casino.

AP: Economist: Nevada can gain millions with online poker

Online Gambling: “A Grey, Murky, Quasi-legal Area”

An economist says ailing Nevada stands to gain millions in tax revenue if it regulates and develops the multibillion-dollar online poker industry, but detractors — including some of the most powerful Las Vegas casinos — called the bill on the table premature and said it could chew away at brick-and-mortar businesses.

The economic analysis came Thursday as a legislative panel heard AB258, which would call on the Nevada Gaming Commission to create rules for Internet poker operators and manufacturers of related equipment. After U.S. Sen. Harry Reid's attempt to set federal regulations on the quasi-legal internet gambling industry fell flat late last year, several states are pushing their own bills.

It's stoking the fires of competition in a state considered the nation's leader when it comes to gambling regulation.

"Make no mistake — this is about Nevada jobs, Nevada revenue and Nevada pride," said former state Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, who is lobbying for PokerStars. "Other states are going to leapfrog us."

The bill would prohibit the commission from denying a license to existing poker sites such as PokerStars just because they have been operating offshore and offering online gambling to Americans in a legal gray area after a federal law effectively banned online gambling in 2006….

Ernaut also questioned the legality of setting state regulations in light of the federal law, but bill supporters pushed aside the objections.

"What does the law really say? It's really a murky and gray area," said Scott Scherer, a lawyer for PokerStars. (Hence its popularity with Hawaii Legislators.)

True catastrophe is failure of state leaders

Hawaii--There, right now, a bill that “appropriates funds from the Hawaii hurricane relief fund to the general fund for the purpose of balancing the state budget in fiscal year 2011-2012” is moving through the state legislature.

Of course, it calls for payback next fiscal year. Why exactly legislators in this bankrupt state think they will have the money next year is a mystery.

It’s just one more example of states pushing unavoidable costs onto future taxpayers.

Ethics: Legislators Retaliation threats against Kondo alarming

That they instead feel entitled to create loopholes that render the law meaningless in order to feed their hunger for freebies tells us that the Ethics Commission is exactly right about the need to get more specific in spelling out what is and is not acceptable behavior.

Suggestions that Ethics Commission executive director Les Kondo could be a target of retaliation by lawmakers for not playing ball are alarming.

After numerous failed attempts to finesse the wording, legislators need to recognize that what they want to do isn’t going to fly and back off.

Italy, UK, Korea… SB671 hottest Hawaii news since Superferry (almost)

ILind continues to try to finesse it for comrade Neil: Arguing ethics and gifts: Some constructive criticism

State Jobs for Life: Hawaii Departments Fired 67 out of 14,000 in 2010

Just 67 employees out of 14,000 were fired from Hawaii state agencies in 2010, less than half of 1 percent, according to data provided by the Department of Human Resources Development at the request of Civil Beat. Five of the 67 employees were subsequently rehired by the state….

State agencies have to be careful when firing an employee. A detailed checklist, found in Hawaii Revised Statute 76-41, explains the steps required of a state agency before it can legally release a poor performer. The steps include:

The evaluation process and its consequences were discussed with the employee;
The employee was made aware of the employee's current job description and job-related performance requirements;
The evaluation procedures were observed, including providing the employee the opportunity to meet, discuss, and rebut the performance evaluation and apprising the employee of the consequences of failure to meet performance requirements;
The evaluation was fair and objective;
The employee was provided performance feedback during the evaluation period and, as appropriate, the employee was offered in-service remedial training in order for the employee to improve and meet performance requirements;
The evaluation was applied without discrimination; and
Prior to the end of the evaluation period that the employee is being considered for discharge due to failure to meet performance requirements, the feasibility of transferring or demoting the employee to another position for which the employee qualifies was considered.

The employee has the right to appeal any termination.

Myron B Thompson Nepotism: Vice principal's bonus and a $175K gift to a support group

Oshiro's sister, Kurumi Kaapana-Aki, is vice principal of the elementary school and also works as a full-time flight attendant for Hawaiian Airlines. Kaapana-Aki's son, Andrew Aki, has been the school's athletic director although it has had no sports teams for two years. He and his brother, Zuri, the video teacher, were hired several years ago with just high school degrees, and Zuri earned his associate's degree in digital media last year. A third brother works as a clerk. Documents submitted to the panel noted that no other applicants were considered when each family member was hired.

Myron K. Thompson, eldest son of the school's namesake and co-chairman of its board, said yesterday that he and other members of the board have looked into the hiring matter and are satisfied that Kaapana-Aki has been fulfilling her job responsibilities. If she flew during the week, she took personal leave, and when she flew overnight she got to school on time in the morning, according to board member Jo-Ann Leong….

The auditor noted that Kaapana-Aki received a $35,000 bonus, or "administrative differential," in addition to her regular pay as vice principal last year. The auditor also flagged an "unusual related-party disbursement" by the school, which receives 95 percent of its income from the government. According to its financial statements, Thompson Academy made a $175,000 "donation" last year to Ho'ilina Inc., a nonprofit foundation set up to support the school.

Hawaii now an option for military dependents evacuating Japan

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — After initially allowing voluntarily evacuees from Japan to fly only to the continental United States, the Pentagon will allow some family members to fly to any of the 50 states, as well as several Asian countries.

The Pentagon is preparing detailed guidance that will allow units in the Pacific to authorize evacuations to the additional locales, Defense Department spokesman Eileen Lainez said. Travel expenses will be covered and families will receive per diem pay based on their destination.

The changes could affect the relocation plans of many of the 10,000 family members who registered for the military-assisted, “voluntary departures” from U.S. bases in Japan following the March 11 earthquake and subsequent catastrophe at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.

St. Francis to resume control of Hawaii Medical

Plans are in the works for St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii to “assume governance and managerial control” of Hawaii Medical Center, according to an email provided by HMC.

Physicians comprising Hawaii Physician Group and Wichita, Kan.-based Cardiovascular Hospitals of America bought the HMC hospitals — Hawaii Medical Center East in Liliha and Hawaii Medical Center West in Ewa — from St. Francis for $68 million in January 2007. However, Hawaii Medical Center filed for bankruptcy in 2008.

The decision to transfer control back to St. Francis was made during an HMC board meeting last week

Pastor of Kawaiahao Church reminds critics that the history of his congregation is that it is native Hawaiian but also Christian

But the second, by Hawaiian practitioner Dana Naone Hall, is proceeding to trial, and occasional protests staged outside the sanctuary have kept the church in the headlines, and not in the way Kekuna would have liked. He said the church position in all this has not correctly reached the community; the following excerpts came from a meeting he and church representatives held with the Star-Advertiser editorial board.

Among other points, Kekuna asserted that remains have been treated respectfully, that the church has held multiple meetings with descendents and is discussing ways it may reduce excavation, and that further fundraising is likely needed to overcome the added costs of court and delays.

But he's anything but apologetic about pursuing a project he believes the kupuna buried at Kawaiahao would have endorsed as Christian goals.

Man raped in Lahaina Homeless Tent City

WAILUKU - With attorneys saying a woman had cooperated in the investigation of the beating and sexual assault of a man at a Lahaina homeless camp, she was placed on five years' probation Wednesday for her role in the crime.

Marlynn Szakacs, 45, was given credit for nearly 14 months she had spent in jail since her arrest Feb. 1, 2010.

She had pleaded no contest to first-degree assault in the beating of the 38-year-old man from Aug. 23 to 26, 2009, at a homeless encampment in brush near Puunoa Street next to Lahaina Cannery Mall. According to police reports, the man was hogtied, beaten and sodomized with a tent pole, kiawe stick and broomstick.

(So we must let these people live like this because they don’t want to go to shelters? Who cares what they want?)

Kahuku Community spilt on Wind Farm as Ribbon Cut

Abercrombie and First Wind CEO Paul Gaynor team up for ribbon cutting of Kahuku Wind Farm

Kent Fonoimoana, a board member with the Kahuku Community Association, told Khon2 he prefers the area’s green, rolling hills without the wind turbines but is willing to put up with them for the betterment of the state.

“First Wind has been very transparent with us in Kahuku and we appreciate the effort that they have made to ho'o pono pono,” said Fonoimoana, a reference to the native Hawaiian philosophy of harmony and justice.

However even Fonoimoana has his limits. He and others in Kahuku strongly oppose another proposed wind farm project by Oahu Wind Partners that would place four turbines in close proximity to homes.

“There are concerns about shadow flicker and the noise issues,” said Fonoimoana.

“The (Kahuku Community Association) board was somewhat split on that however the community and the surrounding community that'll be closest to the turbines, it was like fairly unanimous that we do not want that one too close.”

NYT: G.E.’s Strategies Let It Avoid Taxes Altogether (Big Wind Player)

KITV: Kahuku Wind Farm Helping To Power Oahu

NEWS RELEASE: First Wind and Hawaiian Electric Company hold ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate start of commercial operations at Kahuku Wind

SA: Sink state-run superferry idea

Some people are under the impression that the Hawaii Superferry was successful before the state Supreme Club (sic?) pulled the plug two years ago because no environmental impact statement had been prepared, as required by state law. The Superferry had been popular with farmers and travelers but its ability to stay afloat financially was questionable. (This is pure anti-Superferry protester rhetoric)

House Bill 1239 —which was prematurely approved Tuesday by the Senate Transportation Committee —would create a Hawaii state ferry system authority headed by six members appointed by the governor to hire consultants while deciding how to operate a system between Maui, Molokai, Lanai "and other routes." Ferry systems overseen by the state Public Utilities Commission already link Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Operators of those ferries understandably are concerned that a state-run ferry would be allowed to compete without adhering to PUC requirements…. (This is interesting.)

REALITY: Why Hawaii Lost the Superferry

Arson suspected as another shark tour boat burns

It's the third North Shore Shark Adventures tour boat to be set ablaze this year.

Waialua firefighters arrived at 11:42 p.m. to find the cabin and deck of the 35-foot shark tour boat in flame on a trailer in the Haleiwa Harbor trailer yard. The fire was brought under control five minutes later. Damage is estimated at $100,000.

Heat from the first fire also caused $20,000 damage to a 40-foot private boat on an adjacent trailer, Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig said.

State Land Board Director William Aila said the fire was an "unfortunate incident."

Aila, who was at the Haleiwa Boat Harbor this morning as state crews were surveying tsunami damage to piers, said the two boats were on trailers in the parking lot off Haleiwa Road.

He said there are no night security patrols at any state boat harbors because of budget cuts.

Aila said there have been no new leads on the previous fires, which happened to boats moored in the harbor.

Anti-plastic Luddites target food industry

HONOLULU, Hawaii, U.S., Mar 24, 2011 (IPS) - That plastic bottle or plastic take-away coffee lid that has 20 minutes of use can spend decades killing countless seabirds, marine animals and fish, “experts” reported here this week….

The top three trash items collected by number of items found were cigarette butts, food packaging and bottle caps or lids. Plastic bags, bottles and straws or stirrers also made the top 10.

Shinseki still forced to deny rumors spread by 9-11 trooothers

In January 2009, President Obama charged me with transforming the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to better serve Veterans, their families, and survivors. Since I took office as Secretary, I have been singularly committed to that mission. While we have made significant progress at VA, my work here — to improve the care and services for Veterans across the country — is not done. I intend to continue serving the President and our Nation’s Veterans for the foreseeable future.

Dengue fever hits Pearl City

Four people who live in the same Pearl City neighborhood are the first known Hawaii cases of locally contracted dengue fever since a 2001 outbreak in which 153 people were infected with the mosquito-borne viral illness, health officials announced yesterday.

A Pearl City woman who traveled to Wisconsin last month was hospitalized for high fever, among other symptoms, and was diagnosed with dengue fever after a blood test for the disease came back positive.

Also showing symptoms of the disease are two adults who are members of her family and their neighbor. None has traveled elsewhere.

Parole Denied in 40-Year-Old Murder Case

Medeiros shot Klotzbach in the head and buried her in a sandy Waianae beach grave because she was a witness to the November 1970 murder of Charles Akana, according to court records and news accounts.

Klotzbach’s body was exhumed on Christmas Eve 1970 after witnesses cooperated with police.

Medeiros was charged with murdering Akana and another witness to that homicide, Herman Marfil, but those cases were not pursued after he pleaded guilty to the Klotzbach killing and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Medeiros sought several times to be considered for parole after a new penal code in was enacted in 1972 that reclassified his crime to second degree murder, punishable by a maximum sentence of life with the possibility of parole.

Defense attorney Earle Partington petitioned the court in 2000 to reclassify Medeiros’s original sentence, arguing that the defendant never received a full hearing on his earlier requests for parole consideration.

Circuit Judge Michael Town granted the request and resentenced Medeiros to life with the possibility of parole.

Kalaupapa residents lobby for lower airfares after monopoly hikes price to $500

Pacific Wings services Kalaupapa. Last year it cut other routes and raised a roundtrip fare between Kalaupapa and Molokai airport from $60 to nearly $500. (it has a monopoly on Kalaupapa Service)

But Hawaii's Congressional delegation is stepping in. U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye announced Thursday the U.S. Transportation Department will start a bidding process. (Free enterprise to the rescue)

"I can assure you that when the new bid comes out the patients will have airfare that's reasonable and affordable," he said.

Honolulu TV stations claim wins and growth

Honolulu's network-affiliated television stations all experienced growth during the February 2011 Nielsen ratings survey from Feb. 3 through March 2, though not all at the same times of day and night.

Hawaii Parental Rights Amendment to be heard

On Monday next week, the Hawaii State Legislature’s Human Services Committee will be hearing a resolution on a matter which I believe to be of the utmost importance to our sovereignty and freedom here in Hawaii: parental rights.

Please take this time to consider submitting testimony in strong support of HCR 179 and HR 155 which will be heard on Monday, March 28th at 9:00 am in Conference Room 329. I would also strongly recommend telling legislators your support for parental rights by sending e-mails to Reps@capitol.hawaii.gov and Sens@capitol.hawaii.gov.

Here in Hawaii, we pride ourselves on being a cooperative part of a world that is becoming smaller everyday by the advances of technology and changes of the times, but at the same time we also believe that each and every single one of us knows best when it comes to our private lives and the raising of our keiki. We need a parental rights amendment ….

Human remains found in Sand Island freezer—no foul play suspected?

Detectives were still trying to piece together what happened and didn't know the age of the remains, although no foul play is suspected, police said. (Huh?)

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Birthers Hound Kapiolani Hospital

For the past month, Hawaii State Senator Sam Slom, the only Republican in the Hawaiian State Senate, has been trying to get answers from Kapi'olani Medical Center executives as to why the hospital has chosen to put under lock and key a letter from the White House that the hospital should have been proud to receive and display publicly.

In an email exchange with WND, Slom's office staff confirmed that Martha Smith, the hospital's chief operating officer, said a copy of the Obama letter is currently hung in the administrative section of the hospital, away from public view, while the original is stored for "safekeeping and preservation."

When Slom's office asked if the senator would be permitted to see the original letter, Smith responded in an email, "Nope sorry, we are not going to do that."

For weeks, WND has repeatedly left messages with Kapi'olani spokeswomen Kaela Peters and Kristy Wantanabe at their offices in Honolulu, inquiring about the letter, without receiving a reply….

Several WND readers based in Hawaii have at WND's request toured the public sections of Kapi'olani searching for the Obama birth letter, only to report that it is nowhere to be found.

Slom told WND he plans to continue his efforts to press Kapi'olani to show him the letter and explain why the hospital administrators refuse to put the letter from the White House on public display.

Donald Trump eliminated as threat to Obama: Trump: Obama Must Release Birth Certificate»

Hawaii Reporter: World Famous Psychic, Author Sylvia Browne Hospitalized in Hawaii

She held a concert $$$$ on Friday night, March 18, which went for several hours at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu.

On Sunday, she held a special gathering $$$$$ and “Spiritual Salon” $$$$$$ at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

Then Monday, March 21, she suffered a heart attack. She was about to return home when the event occurred.

(The psychic powers seem to be fading…) “We do not yet know how long Sylvia will have to be hospitalized in Hawaii nor when she will be able to return to her normal work-related activities. At this time we are first asking for your prayers and positive thoughts for a speedy recovery in every way possible for Sylvia and secondly for the survival of her mission, embodied in our church, The Society of Novus Spiritus©,” the email to her supporters said.

Before arriving in Hawaii, she promoted her event with interviews on KHVH News Radio and Hawaii Public Radio.

QUACKWATCH: Sylvia Browne: Psychic Guru or Quack?

HR’s last Psychic: Fake "Psychic" Exposed by Penn & Teller, Rosemary Altea, coming to Hawaii -- VIDEO