Open Letter to Governor Green: Construction failures at multiple state-funded facilities
FULL TEXT: State of the City Address 2025
Salem Media Sells Remaining Honolulu Radio Stations
Hawaii Worst State for Doctors
UH announces search committee for next athletics director
Hawaii legislative committee advances gun control measures
Doubling Down on Jones Act: Maritime trade sanctions apt to torpedo Hawaii’s economy
SA: … There are two sanction approaches. The U.S. International Trade Representative (USTR) found China is unlawfully attempting to dominate the international maritime industry and proposes countervailing fees and mandates. The new U.S. Commerce secretary proposes a “freight tax” on all foreign flag ships calling in the U.S.
The USTR investigation began under the Biden administration on April 7, 2024, in response to a March 12 petition from five maritime unions. Its report, “China’s targeting the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance is actionable under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974,” was issued Jan. 16, 2025. President Trump, inaugurated on Jan. 20, continued the USTR action, issuing on Feb. 21 a notice of public hearing on the matter scheduled in Washington, D.C., for March 24.
The USTR’s proposed sanctions parallel a half-dozen dead pieces of legislation introduced over the past decade, including the most recent SHIPS for America Act of 2024, and focus on shipbuilding as follows:
CUSTOMS “SERVICE FEES” ASSESSED ON EACH FOREIGN VESSEL ARRIVAL:
>> Chinese-flag or -operated vessel up to $1 million.
>> Chinese-built vessel not Chinese-flag, -owned or -operated up to $1.5 million.
MANDATES AS “CARGO RESERVATION” ON EXPORTS:
>> An escalating requirement that export cargoes be carried on U.S.-built U.S.-flag ships beginning with 1% of the cargo volume in the first and 15% by the seventh year.
Trump’s commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, disclosed the other approach during an interview with Fox News’ Jesse Waters on Feb. 19. Lutnick complained about “tax scams” including the evasion of U.S. taxation by foreign- flag ships engaged in the U.S. foreign trade. Lutnick’s remedy is a freight tax, which is currently imposed on foreign shipping calling on several countries primarily in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Lutnick justifies a freight tax on foreign shipping, which carries more than 98% of the U.S. foreign trade, to remedy their tax-exempt status. Whereas, if the U.S. foreign trade were carried by U.S. ships, those businesses and their employees would pay U.S. taxes. It’s also intended to privilege U.S.-flag ocean carriers so they might increase their share of the U.S. foreign trade….
April 18, 2024 USTR: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Biden-Harris Administration Announces a New Action to Defend U.S. Workers and Industry from China’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance | United States Trade Representative
Jan 13, 2025 Reuters: Exclusive-US probe finds China unfairly dominates shipbuilding, paving way for penalties, sources say
read … Column: Maritime trade sanctions apt to torpedo Hawaii’s economy | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Not Fooled: Unanimous Maui Police Commission Declines To Put Police Chief On Leave Over Bogus Diddy Lawsuit
CB: … The commission’s unanimous decision, supported by all seven members, was made in response to Maui Mayor Richard Bissen’s recommendation last week to temporarily place Pelletier on leave….
Keola R. Whittaker, a lawyer for Pelletier, said after the meeting that he was happy with the decision. The Maui Police Commission has sole authority to hire and fire the police chief.
Written comments submitted by the community before Wednesday’s meeting were split regarding the mayor’s recommendation, but testimony during the meeting overwhelmingly dismissed the allegations against Pelletier and supported allowing him to continue leading the police department….
Whittaker argued Pelletier could prove — with bank statements, time-stamped text messages and other evidence — that he was in Las Vegas during moments that the lawsuit alleged he was posing as a law enforcement officer in Contra Costa County, California.
“I know the concerns are that if there is smoke, there is fire. But there’s not even smoke here,” he told commissioners….
After the police commission meeting, Pelletier continued to reject the claims made in the lawsuit, calling them “false” and “baseless.”
“I don’t know these individuals and I’ve never met them,” he said. …
KHON: 'This appears to be slander:' Maui police chief to stay on job “I think the administration’s actions are a little concerning. I do find the mayor to be a man of integrity and he’s trying to do his job as well as he seems fit, but this was a major miscalculation on his part,” said Frank Derego, Maui Police Commission. The police union SHOPO supported the mayor’s call. Public testimony against leave and investigation was overwhelmingly in Pelletier’s favor. One testifier called it a punishment.
KITV: Maui police chief stays on the job with commission vote over 'Diddy' allegations | Local | kitv.com
HNN: Maui Police Commission will not put chief on leave for ‘Diddy’ lawsuit allegations
MN: “This is a classic nuisance suit” -- Pelletier also produced letters of support from former Maui County Police Chiefs Thomas Phillips and Gary Yabuta saying they believed Pelletier should not be put on leave.
MN: Mayor stands behind request for leave of absence for Maui police chief | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News
MN: Maui Police Commission decides not to place Chief Pelletier on leave over lawsuit allegations : Maui Now -- “You would take a very dangerous position by placing this man on leave when you can see how poorly written this complaint is. And also the fact that it’s nothing more than a civil allegation that is now seven years old. I would strongly urge this commission to not buckle to public or political pressures by placing the chief on leave.” -- Maui County Clerk Moana Lutey
SA: Maui Police Commission opts against putting chief on leave | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
read … Maui Commission Declines To Put Police Chief On Leave Over Diddy Lawsuit - Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaiian Electric Execs Pocketed Huge Raises Despite $1.4B In Losses
CB: … Hawaiian Electric Industries’ president and chief executive, Scott Seu, got a one-year bump of $1.7 million, boosting his take-home pay to $3.2 million in 2024. Shelee Kimura, president and chief executive of HEI’s utility subsidiary, Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc., had a pay jump from $859,000 in 2023 to $1.5 million last year. And Ann Teranishi, president and chief executive of American Savings Bank, another HEI subsidiary, took home $2.6 million, up from $1.2 million the previous year.
Those amounts don’t include additional, more speculative compensation that potentially vests with the executives later if the companies perform well. Counting total compensation, including stock awards, Seu earned $6.5 million in 2024 compared with $5.4 million in 2023, and Kimura earned $2.6 million versus $2.1 million. Those incentives do not apply to Teranishi because HEI sold its controlling interest in the bank in December….
NM: CEO of Hawaii Utility Involved in 2023 Maui Fire Got a Raise | Newsmax.com
NW: Hawaii Utility Responsible for Devastating Maui Fire Gives CEO $1.7M Raise - Newsweek
read … Hawaiian Electric Execs Pocketed Huge Raises Despite $1.4B In Losses
Hawaii Senate Panels OK $20/night Tax On Reward Points Bookings
L360: … Hawaii would impose a $20-a-night transient accommodations tax on bookings made with reward points under a bill passed by two Senate committees….
read … Hawaii Senate Panels OK Tax On Reward Points Bookings - Law360 Tax Authority
HB302: Hawaii Lawmakers Vote To Let Doctors Recommend Medical Marijuana For Any Condition They Deem 'Appropriate'
MM: … A pair of Senate committees in Hawaii have advanced an amended medical cannabis bill that would, in its new form, allow healthcare providers to recommend marijuana for any debilitating condition they believe is “appropriate” for the treatment instead of only being able to help patients who have maladies on a specific list, as is the case under current law.
Hawaii’s governor has previously floated expanding access to medical marijuana in such a way while broader recreational cannabis legalization bills have failed to reach his desk.
The medical cannabis measure, HB 302 from Rep. Gregg Takayama (D), was approved by both the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection on Wednesday. It has already passed the full House of Representatives in earlier form….
HB302: Text, Status
read … Hawaii Lawmakers Vote To Let Doctors Recommend Medical Marijuana For Any Condition They Deem 'Appropriate' - Marijuana Moment
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