Hawaii Legislators Proclaim Easter Sunday to be 'Transgender Day of Visibility'
Eight Parties on Hawaii Ballot--but Democrats Challenge Kennedy's 'We The People'
GET on Health Care, Revisited
The impressive journey of ‘Jonathan Gullible’
Crucial housing, healthcare bills still very much alive at Legislature
Hawaii Family Forum Legislative Week in Review
Tulsi for VP? One Down, One to Go
Borreca: … Gabbard has been repeatedly mentioned as a candidate for U.S. vice president by both Republican Donald Trump and maverick Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Half of that political speculation ended last week as Kennedy named attorney and tech entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan as his running mate.
Early in her congressional career, Gabbard got her toe in CNN’s “Situation Room” by blasting then-President Barack Obama after a man killed 49 at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., with Donald Trump reigniting a political debate, demanding that Obama call it “radical Islamic terrorism.”
Gabbard added to Trump’s rhetoric by joining his demands that Obama brand it Islamic terrorism.
The controversy had a short life, but it showed that Gabbard was a Hawaii politician who could follow the public moods of the moment….
When the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump in December 2019, it was Gabbard who voted “present,” saying, “I could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing. I could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting president must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.”
She also showed a contrarian strain in 2016 by endorsing Bernie Sanders for president over Hillary Clinton.
But all that was eclipsed by Gabbard’s new dalliance, a possible run for vice president on the GOP ticket with Donald Trump.
The thing about political speculation compared to political accomplishments, however, is that when the speculation fades, there’s nothing left. …
The question for the former congresswoman is if there are any accomplishments to measure. …
REALITY: Tulsi Gabbard Background
read … On Politics: Tulsi emerges in VP talk, but what has she achieved?
With CNHA Moving on to Lahaina Schemes, HTA gets Legislative Support Again
SA: … House Speaker Scott Saiki (D, Ala Moana-Kakaako-Downtown) told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday that the House has approved a $60 million recurring lump sum budget for HTA.
“There seems to have been a cooling off period between the Legislature and the HTA. There have also been some changes at HTA that have led to increased deliberation and communication with the Legislature. So all of these factors made a difference,” Saiki said. “I support an autonomous HTA.”
(TRANSLATION: CNHA is done with HTA schemes and has moved on to Lahaina.)
Saiki said by proposing a recurring budget for HTA, lawmakers are ensuring that the agency’s funding will continue without specific legislative approval….
KITV: Hawaii Tourism Authority gets $60M or so budgeted this session
REALITY: After FBI Raid, CNHA Demands Hawai'i Free Press 'Cease Operations'
read … HTA emerges from legislative crosshairs in fight for funds
Maui's doctor shortage crisis: Physicians rally to eliminate tax burden
KITV: … Doctors from around the state made a last-ditch effort Thursday to urge lawmakers to help them stay in business.
Some doctors even flew over from Maui, where the doctor shortage is the worst, at more than 40%. Doctors tried to talk lawmakers into hearing a bill that would eliminate the general excise tax on medical care. The tax they pay to take care of patients….
The state is short about 800 doctors, according to the University of Hawaii. Many hospitals and medical groups are exempt from the GE tax, but the patients and small practices pay taxes on all services….
read … Maui's doctor shortage crisis: Physicians rally to eliminate tax burden
Big rent-to-own housing push by DHHL
SA: … The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is pursuing its biggest homestead development initiative in history, but one expanding piece of the plan aimed at helping low-income beneficiaries is distressing some stakeholders.
At least 500, and maybe more than 1,100, rental homes are part of the agency’s goal to deliver roughly 6,000 homesteads for beneficiaries over the next several years.
These rentals, mostly single-family homes but also one town house complex, would be reserved for low-income beneficiary households who would have an option to buy their rental unit after 15 years and obtain a homestead lease.
Such low-income rent-to-own housing isn’t new to DHHL, but the big current push is causing some division among beneficiaries and the Hawaiian Homes Commission.
Much of the concern involves low-income beneficiaries on DHHL’s waitlist receiving a homestead lease before beneficiaries who have been on the waitlist longer but don’t qualify by income…. Many waitlist applicants haven’t been able to accept homestead leases because they can’t qualify for a mortgage to buy a house. DHHL in some cases has produced lots for beneficiaries to build homes themselves or with the help of Habitat for Humanity.
Kapua Kaliikoa-Kamai told commissioners that she agrees that rentals can serve the needs of some beneficiaries, but she questioned how big that sliver is.
“Let’s not go crazy with building rentals all over the place that exceeds the needs,” she said at the commission’s March 19 meeting.
Commissioner Randy Awo noted at the Feb. 20 meeting that beneficiaries in a 2020 survey expressed little preference for rentals, especially apartment building units…. The survey showed that 54% of respondents preferred a lot with a single-family house ready for purchase, followed by 22% who preferred a lot with infrastructure but no house.
The third-highest preference, representing 9% of respondents, was for a single-family house to rent with a purchase option. Only about 1% expressed a preference for a condominium to rent with a purchase option….
read … Big rent-to-own housing push by Home Lands agency praised, pilloried
‘Resident-preference’ housing measure is for show only
SA: … During the Council’s meeting Monday, Dos Santos- Tam noted that similar resident-preference policies — including those in Boston — have “stood up in court” and offer “a very broad definition of residency.”
And under Boston’s “resident preference” housing code, it includes “those persons that are commonly known and/or agency- verifiable as homeless and subsisting” within that city.
Dos Santos-Tam asserted Bill 19 “does not just include Oahu residents per se, but also includes individuals who are residing here” including Compact of Free Association, or COFA, migrants from the Federated States of Micronesia….
Ultimately, the Council unanimously voted on Bill 19’s first reading.
Next, the panel’s Committee on Zoning is scheduled to further scrutinize the measure Wednesday…
read … ‘Resident-preference’ housing measure advances
Now Chinese migrants are sneaking onto Guam
DM: … In 2019, the Biden administration enacted a policy to allow Chinese nationals to visit the Northern Mariana Islands for 14 days without a visa.
From there, many have been reported to charter boats to Guam in order to get information on sensitive U.S. military sites.
Guam Customs and Quarantine spokeswoman Alana Chargualaf-Afaisen told Newsweek that the agency stops 'unlawful arrivals' to the territory.
The migrants often 'prevent harm in a variety of areas, including military intelligence and reconnaissance, terrorism, communicable diseases, human trafficking for slave labor, prostitution and illegal gambling, cheap, undocumented labor, the movement of illicit drugs, and other illegal activities that pose a threat to the quality of life in Guam, are of equal concern to our island,' said the statement to Newsweek.
The ongoing visa loophole is of major concern to top leaders in the Senate as well. …
read … Now Chinese migrants are sneaking onto Guam: Top Republican warns Communist Party wants to 'exploit' every part of the U.S. map and warns critical American base is vulnerable
Hawaii County Council – Longer terms of Office?
HTH: … Hawaii County Council members could serve for 12 consecutive years under an upcoming council proposal.
A bill introduced by North Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba proposes a charter amendment that would double the length of council members’ terms in office from two to four years. At the same time, it would reduce the number of consecutive allowable terms from four to three, changing the maximum consecutive tenure for a council member from eight to 12 years….
The amendment also would effectively restart the clocks for all of the current council members. It includes a provision that would permit any member reelected in 2024 to serve a four-year term and allows them to run for two additional consecutive four-year terms regardless of how many terms they already have served.
The bill, if passed, will add the charter amendment to the 2024 general election ballot….
read … Longer County Council terms?
Prosecutors are slowly moving the Miske case forward
ILind: … The trial resumes on Monday, April 1 after a 2-week break….
read … Prosecutors are slowly moving the Miske case forward
Could power go out at Merrie Monarch Festival?
SA Kokua Line: … “We’ll do everything we can to keep the lights on in the festival complex area…. It will depend on supply and demand each day. There are uncertainties that can affect the need to implement rolling outages. They include a unit’s availability, wind production, customer demand and weather conditions. We’re asking all customers to conserve electricity to help ensure that enough power is available for all customers…. In the event of a shortfall, we have a plan for keeping the lights on in the festival complex area.”
read … Kokua Line: Could power go out at Merrie Monarch Festival? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (staradvertiser.com)
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