Hawaii's historic tax cut must be protected not because we want it, but because we need it
Self-Insurance Is No Insurance
Discussion: How to reduce permit delays
Restoring old Lahaina won’t be possible without zoning changes
‘Guest House’ bill accords with Kauai General Plan
Election Fraud? “It’s not happening here” says top Honolulu Republican
SA: … The first batch of mail-in ballots arrived Tuesday at the state Capitol and were fed into sorting machines on the floor of the state Senate as volunteer “official observers” monitored every step of the process, beginning with riding in vans with the ballots from the U.S. post office next to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to the Capitol, and ending their duties only after the Nov. 5 general election, when hand counts will be conducted to verify machine tabulations.
In between, the ballots are locked in metal cages at the Capitol with the combination known only to five of the most senior official observers.
Not even state Elections Chief Scott Nago knows the combination….
Out of the 80 volunteers serving as official observers, about 20 are working for the first time, including approximately a dozen Republicans. Nearly all of the rookies want to see firsthand whether claims of election fraud on the mainland could be happening here, said Dennis Kam, who’s in charge of the observers.
Brett Kulbis, 62, who retired as a senior chief petty officer after serving aboard two Hawaii- based, fast-attack subs and later chaired the Honolulu Republican Party, had plenty of skepticism about Hawaii’s election process following former President Donald Trump’s 2020 loss to President Joe Biden, a defeat that Trump still refuses to acknowledge….
So in 2022, Kulbis volunteered as a Hawaii official observer.
“Following the craziness of 2020, I wanted to see for myself rather than listening to all the hearsay and conjecture,” he said.
Kulbis’ friends ask him, “Are they stuffing ballots? Are they being counted correctly?” he said.
His response: “It’s not happening here. There’s no shenanigans going on. It’s possible in other jurisdictions. But not in Hawaii.”
The questions, Kulbis said, come from friends “who consider themselves Republican.”
This year, Kulbis said he knows of at least 10 volunteer official observers who have been active in the Hawaii Republican Party, “and there may be more.”
Despite his firsthand observations from riding along with ballots and watching every other part of the Capitol ballot process, Kulbis still has doubts about the security of other aspects of Hawaii’s election system.
His father worked for the U.S. Postal Service and Kulbis questions whether every mail-in ballot can remain secure and accounted for among the volume and pace of postal operations. He also worries about the security of drop boxes, where mail-in ballots can be deposited across the islands….
RELATED: Long Lines Suppress Republican Votes on Election Day: City Clerk Plans to do it Again in 2024
read … Volunteers work days, nights to ensure secure Hawaii election
UHPA: Hawaii’s Income Tax Cuts Boost UH as Economic Engine
SA: … The state is preparing for the seven-year phased implementation of Act 46, the largest tax break in Hawaii’s history that will benefit all of Hawaii’s taxpayers. Another new law, Act 47, will eliminate the state excise tax on medical and dental services for Hawaii residents who are beneficiaries of Medicaid, Medicare or the TRICARE program for the military.
These laws require a shift in the way Hawaii has operated as a state. They will reduce state tax collections by billions of dollars to increase the paychecks and resilience of working individuals. It will also encourage less dependence on government-funded programs, while still taking care of the most vulnerable in our state.
This sets the stage for the UH to play an even greater role in workforce development and job creation. UH faculty have proven the UH is an economic engine for the state. The UH recently set an extramural funding record by securing a record $615.7 million in the last fiscal year that ended in June 2024 — nearly a 20% increase over the previous fiscal year. It was the third consecutive year the UH topped half a billion dollars in funding….
SA: Editorial: Big expectations for new University of Hawaii president
read … Column: University of Hawaii faculty ready to help build economic resilience
New report suggests 7 ways to speed up Hawaii’s construction permit process
HNN: … Kent says about half of the projects awaiting approval are solar-related and fast tracking those could clear the backlog and reduce delays.
He also suggests counties allow preapproved permits for common projects. Hawai’i and Kaua’i counties do this to some extent, and Honolulu and Maui could follow their lead.
Other recommendations -- grandfathering in existing unpermitted structures with an inspection, similar to processes in California, or hiring a private company like what Maui County is doing with the Lahaina rebuilding effort.
The Grassroot Institute is hosting two events this week to talk about the report, one in Hilo on Wednesday and another on Friday in Honolulu….
RELATED: Discussion: How to reduce permit delays
read … New report suggests 7 ways to speed up Hawaii’s construction permit process
Survey reveals middle-class exodus from Hawaii due to cost of living
KITV: … A new survey by the Holomua Collective indicates a potential exodus of the middle class from Hawaii, with many locals considering relocation to the mainland due to financial struggles….
read … Survey reveals potential middle-class exodus from Hawaii due to cost of living
Maili off-duty sheriff alleged gun threat case dismissed
KHON: … After further investigation, the firearm was later identified as a pepper ball gun. The attorney for the accused said the off-duty officer was following proper protocol.
“He did say ‘I’m law enforcement, please step back’ and he did expose a Burna. It’s orange on the top and black on the bottom. It’s dual-colored so it doesn’t look like a real gun but I guess to somebody who’s not familiar with guns, it could,” said Megan Kau, Defendant’s attorney.
According to Department of Law Enforcement officials, an internal administrative investigation has been opened and the deputy was charged and posted $100 bail.
Honolulu prosecutors dismissed the case without prejudice on Thursday, meaning it can be reopened if more evidence is brought forward….
read … Maili off-duty sheriff alleged gun threat case dismissed
Sewer Pork as Big as Rail System
SA: … Oahu’s wastewater system is not funded with property taxes, or any other tax-driven revenue sources — daily operations and maintenance, as well as system upgrades, must be paid with revenue from sewer fees. To keep the system running smoothly, and prevent even costlier problems down the road, there are more than 100 projects our department needs to construct between now and 2040, with a total cost of more than $10 billion. I don’t think many people realize that the funding needed for these sewer projects is nearly the same as Honolulu’s rail transit project.
One of the main drivers is the federal 2010 consent decree, which requires us to make critical upgrades to the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant by 2035 — a single project that costs roughly $2.5 billion, the construction for which is already underway.
If our bill passes, sewer fees will increase by 9% each year for six years, starting in July 2025, followed by smaller increases of 8%, 7%, 6%, and 5%. I know that’s a lot, but the revenue generated will help ensure we comply with the federal mandate and keep our facilities — and your home’s plumbing system — running smoothly.
Affordability is very important to me, and we are going to address it in two ways.
First, we will be shifting, over time, how each property owner’s sewer bill is calculated. Under the current system, about 70% of the average bill is a fixed charge, over which residents have no control. We’re changing that, lowering the fixed rate to around 50% — with the rest depending on how much water you choose to use. Using less water will save more money on your sewer bills than it has in years past, and homeowners will still receive an automatic 20% credit for outdoor irrigation, since water used on your lawn does not impact Oahu’s wastewater system.
We are also creating a new Customer Assistance for Residential Environmental Services (CARES) program. This initiative will give qualifying households — those with annual incomes under 80% of the area median income (AMI) — a monthly credit between $20 and $25 toward the base charge on their sewer bills. This $10 million per year program will assist tens of thousands of lower-income customers who are most affected by the rising fees….
read … Column: Sewer fee hike to fund vital projects | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaii’s motorists are worst in the U.S., survey says
SA: … Hawaii motorists exhibit the worst driving behavior in the nation, according to a recent report by Forbes Advisor.
Based on a survey of 5,000 Americans with a driver’s license — 100 respondents in each state — Hawaii ranked first for changing lanes or turning without signaling, going 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit and running red lights.
Hawaii drivers also ranked high for other bad behavior on the road, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and texting while driving….
read … Hawaii’s motorists are worst in the U.S., survey says
Statue: Inouye on Payphone, Conspiring
Borreca: … It hasn’t been exactly located yet, but the September edition newsletter of the Inouye Institute describes how a bronze statue of Inouye calling his office from an airport payphone is planned to show his workaholic style.
“When we dropped Senator off at the Honolulu International Airport (which now bears his name), he would check in, proceed to the United Terminal, and call us on one of the pay phones as he waited for his flight to be called. He did it for years, like clockwork,” the newsletter explained. The statue has Inouye wearing a windbreaker smiling as he sits in a phone booth with a receiver gripped in his left hand ….
read … On Politics: Inouye gets his due — no strings attached, in statue
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