Renewable Energy Does Nothing to Reduce Hawaii Electric Rates
Lahaina: FEMA Is Working To Place Temporary Housing Units on Privately Owned Vacant Lots
Green: Tax Cuts helping to stop Hawaii's brain drain
KITV: … "The cost of living is an enormous problem for all of us," Green said.
Big tax breaks for families come next year should soon give residents more money in their wallets.
"Steep decreases in state taxes should bring $300 to $400 extra to most workers per month," Green said. "And that may not be enough to get you all the way there, but it's a start."
The cost of housing is a main driver pushing people out.
According to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, only one in five households can now afford a mortgage for a median-priced home.
"That's where we're all getting creamed," Green added. "I mean it is impossible to imagine regular people finding the 20% on a $1.5 million home."
And more hardships could hit.
The state's expecting the population to decline within the next few years, causing workforce challenges, lower tax revenue and changing demographics.
"There are right now in the workforce about 43% to 44% of families who just can't they're living paycheck to paycheck," Green said. "It's even higher for Hawaiian families."
The governor spoke about doubling the standard deduction to help people keep more of their hard-earned money.
"Give them a chance to live where they want to live, work how they want to work and be in the family they want to be in," Green said….
read … Honolulu's young professionals hoping to stop Hawaii's brain drain
Divided Honolulu Rail Authority Board Keeps Colleen Hanabusa As Chair
CB: … Hanabusa will stay on as chair of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board at least until the middle of next year despite an effort Friday by some board members to push for new leadership….
HART board rules require the board to elect a chair and vice chair each year, but the board deferred that decision last summer. Hanabusa then scheduled a board discussion and vote for Friday to decide who will serve as chair for the rest of this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
HART board member Anthony Aalto said Friday the rail leadership in the years ahead must find ways to extend the rail line beyond Kakaako, and Hanabusa is extremely well qualified to navigate that process. He argued the board “would be insane not to keep Colleen on as chair.”
“We were talking about how the next steps for this board are going to be looking at extensions, and how we’re going to find the revenue to fund them. That’s purely a political matter,” Aalto said. “There’s nobody on this board who has the political connections — the political heft — that Colleen has.”
But HART Vice Chairman Kika Bukoski, a union executive and a former state representative, said some internal issues have been “festering” at HART. He noted Hanabusa requested a city personnel investigation into a verbal dispute that she had with HART CEO Lori Kahikina in April.
Kahikina publicly described the heated exchange as a case of workplace bullying by Hanabusa, and Hanabusa then “self-reported” the incident to the city administration. Hanabusa requested an investigation into the exchange, but said Friday she does not know where that investigation stands….
Bukoski nominated HART board member Ed Sniffen, who is director of the state Department of Transportation, to be the new board chair. But Sniffen was not present at the Friday meeting and has only occasionally attended board meetings.
Board member Robert Yu said he believes it is important for the chair to be engaged with board members, participate in board discussions and attend board meetings, “and because of all that, I cannot support Ed.”
“Ed could be the most competent person, the nicest person, but its hard for me to support someone who doesn’t come to the board meetings,” Yu said.
Bukoski finally withdrew his nomination of Sniffen, and the board voted 6-2 in favor of Hanabusa staying on as chair until next June. Bukoski and board member Lisa Baker voted no….
SA: Off the news: Hanabusa to continue as HART board chair | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
SA: Bukowski was unanimously reelected to serve as the panel’s vice chair.
CLUE: www.TheRealHanabusa.com
read … Honolulu Rail Authority Board Keeps Colleen Hanabusa As Chair - Honolulu Civil Beat
Kauai Council unanimously approves bill to allow guest houses despite heated debate
KNN: … Bill 2933, first introduced by Council Chair Mel Rapozo and Councilman Billy De Costa, would allow one guest house per dwelling unit on lands zoned for residential, agricultural, commercial, open, and university zones — primarily focusing on agricultural lands.
The bill defines a guest house as a maximum 800-square-foot unit that may or may not have a bathroom or a kitchen and prohibits the units from being used for transient vacation rentals or other short-term stays. The measure had been approved to head to second reading during last week’s committee meeting.
During the Wednesday meeting, council members Felicia Cowden and Ross Kagawa voiced concerns about the measure, as did Kauaʻi resident Lonnie Sykos….
read … County Council unanimously approves bill to allow guest houses despite heated debate
Proposed Hawaii Gas rate increase to impact restaurants
KITV: … Hawaii Gas is trying to get the Public Utilities Commission’s approval for a rate hike of almost 18%. The highest increase for the islands will especially impact the restaurant industry….
KHON: Hawaii gas rates could spike amid renewable energy shortcomings
read … Proposed Hawaii Gas rate increase to impact restaurants
Enviros again grab for control over water commission appointment
HNN: … James “Kimo” Falconer, a former plantation executive, was interviewing candidates this week for the water commission’s seat for an expert in Native Hawaiian water and agricultural practices and traditional culture….
Falconer was put on the nominating committee by the governor, even though he said he was asked to withdraw as a candidate for the commission seat earlier this year.
His ongoing and prominent role is riling up advocates for stream restoration.
Wayne Tanaka, Sierra Club of Hawaii, said Falconer’s business activities conflict with his role in the selection process.
“Mr. Falconer has direct business ties with luxury residential developers and ag lands who are in direct competition to the Hawaiian culture practitioners and farmers,” Tanaka said.
That competition is fierce on Maui, where Falconer owns a Kaanapali coffee farm which competes for stream water with taro farmers like Kekai Keahi….
But recently, in an appearance on KITV, the governor providing a more detailed account of the process.
“The first name, who I thought was good, didn’t kind of meet the standard by some of the activist community on Maui and the water rights community, so that person was not chosen,” Green said.
“Then the second person got spooked because of the process and they pulled their name out, leaving only two names,” he continued. “And both those people are very good, but they were creating a lot of, kind of, conflict, and I don’t want conflict because I want us to have good water practices for our local community and build housing. So I couldn’t just do it with those two names.”…
read … Governor under fire again over water commission appointment
State to build $350 million, 5,200-stall parking structure near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
KITV: … The $350 million, multi-level parking structure would be located near the intersection of Ualena and Paiea Streets. The parking structure would be used by employees who work at the airport as well as the general public.
It would also include office spaces, a new shuttle bus station and electric vehicle charging stations.
Buildings currently occupying the area also are slated to be demolished to make way for this new parking structure.
The RFP noted that the development would take around five years to complete….
AP: Distressed Hawaii airport awarded another $17M for makeover project or something
read … State to build $350 million, 5,200-stall parking structure near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport
HPD releases 2 men after Waipahu officer-involved shooting
KITV: … Adapo Adam (18) and Sopani Otto (23) were released on Oct. 25, 2024 for the incident on Sunday, Oct. 20. Adam was released pending investigation and Otto was released pending charges.
The violent dispute on Aniani Place in Waipahu ended with Adam getting shot in the torso after he was swinging a machete at Sopani. The incident began as a police response to a possible abuse case at the apartment with Sopani as the suspect.
Adam was arrested for attempted murder, while Sopani was arrested for domestic abuse….
read … HPD releases 2 men after Waipahu officer-involved shooting
Jeff Stone Blocking Beach Access? Kauaʻi County Council passes resolution
KNN: … Although the resolution doesn’t name the owner, it states the parcel number. Online records show the parcel has the address 4371 ʻAnini Road, with the house located about 60 feet from the beach.
Public records show the property is a vacation rental property under a limited liability company named ʻAnini Beach Hale, owned by Jeffrey Stone. He is a Honolulu-based developer who owns The Resort Group, one of the largest real estate development companies in the state. Stone could not be reached Thursday for comment. …
BH: Hawaii's Public Beach Access Blocked | Taking On Wealthy Landowners - Beat of Hawaii
read … Kauaʻi County Council passes resolutions following public beach access complaints
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