UHERO: Hawaiʻi moves beyond recession

Tourist Headcount up 10.4% for January--spending up 19%

Free Public Pre-K Applications open next week

HART Wants $1.5B Just to make it to Ala Moana Mall—preparing ‘half-baked plan’ to begin agitating for GE tax hikes  

PBN: … A couple of months ago, we asked our board for authority to execute a change order to the Tutor Perini contract. Tutor Perini is that company that’s building segment three for us, from Middle Street all the way through Kakaako. In their bid for segment three, there was a bid option for them to do design work from the current terminus in Kakaako through Ala Moana. We're really starting to go heavy into construction right now on segment three, but we're also keeping an eye on what's going to come after segment three, which could be the next stretch to Ala Moana. Related to that was that change order for their contract to start doing the design work for that next segment; call it segment four. We don't really have a name for it yet, but that's the next step beyond segment three.

Well, we have authorization to do the design work for that segment. That change order is for approximately $53 million, but that's just for the design work. The construction for that segment, we have a very preliminary estimate of about $1.5 billion for that, basically connecting that station at Kakaako to the Ala Moana Center. And we do not have funding for construction. We just have enough for the design at this point….

approximately 75% of our funding comes from the state from the [general excise tax] and the [transient accommodations tax] surcharge. If we are going to build extensions to the rail, it's more than likely that we're going to need extensions to that funding stream.

(TRANSLATION:  $1.5B GE Tax hike.)

And in order to request extensions, we're going to need a plan to say, “We need more money and this is why we need it. We're going to build from A to B and it's going to cost this much money. And it's going to be worthwhile for these reasons.”

(TRANSLATION: The Council just voted to pay us to make up excuses to hike taxes.)

The plan comes first — initial conceptual rendering designs from destination to destination. [Next is a] preliminary cost estimate — how long it'll take us to plan or how we're going to finance it. Then we go out for the funding requests. And again, this isn't a fully baked plan here, but we'll more than likely go to the state and ask for continued funding….

(TRANSLATION: Our half-baked ‘plan’ will be just enough of a sales pitch to win a GE Tax increase.)

RELATED: Hawaiʻi Mayors Scrap GE Tax Hike Pitch – will try again after Election

read … HART deputy director O'Keefe outlines rail expansion plans - Pacific Business News

Union Money Grab: State pensions up for negotiation under proposed law

ASD: … A proposal that would allow public unions to negotiate with employers for better retirement benefits is still alive despite strong opposition by state agencies.

Current state collective bargaining statutes dictate that certain things are beyond the scope of negotiations between the state and the 15 bargaining units representing state and county workers. While “all matters affecting employee relations” are up for debate during negotiations, other matters such as employee recruitment and jobs classifications are not.

House Bill 1655 would make a small but significant change to those statutes: retirement benefits would no longer be one of the prohibited topics.

This proposal has, predictably, been popular among many of the bargaining units, which have urged lawmakers to pass the measure….

read … State pensions up for negotiation under proposed law

Feds claim ‘exclusive control’ over greenhouse gas emissions

SA: … Hawaii is harming the United States’ sovereignty by suing private fossil fuel companies for deceptive marketing practices contributing to climate change harms (to help shysters score the next big settlement payout), the federal government claimed in a new court filing.

The federal government filed a lawsuit against Hawaii on April 30 after Gov. Josh Green announced he planned to sue private fossil fuel companies for deceptive marketing that contributed to climate change harms (big money). The federal government’s lawsuit came just one day before the state filed its lawsuit.

On Feb. 11, U.S. District Judge Helen Gilmor asked the federal government to clarify its arguments against Hawaii and its legal standing given previous case decisions so that she can decide whether to grant the state’s motion to dismiss the case. The United States filed its responses on Wednesday, claiming previous cases that did not support its position were decided incorrectly and that the federal government has “exclusive control” over how greenhouse gas emissions are regulated and enforced….

Hawaii is expected to file its response to the federal government by March 12. It’s unclear at this time when Gilmor intends to make a decision on this matter….

CLUE: Supreme Court to hear Challenge to Big Oil Climate Change Lawsuit

read … Feds claim ‘exclusive control’ over greenhouse gas emissions | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

HB1719: Hawaii is only state without manufactured housing

PBN: … Hawaii lawmakers have introduced two house bills related to manufactured homes and off-site construction, touting both as possible solutions to Hawaii’s housing crisis.

House Bill 2606, currently awaiting its next hearing on Friday, aims to establish a committee to look into establishing a statewide program to address off-site construction. Meanwhile, House Bill 1719, which passed its second hearing on Feb. 11, looks to establish statewide rules permitting manufactured homes on residentially zoned properties. Lawmakers argue that both bills could help bring the cost of residential construction down.

As of 2024, Hawaii was the only U.S. state to have no manufactured housing within the entire state, according to a study conducted by Construction Coverage. But as manufactured housing construction increases throughout the rest of the country, the study also found that the trend is helping ease housing affordability in other states that have embraced the practice….

read … Hawaii lawmakers aim to advance pre-built housing in Hawaii - Pacific Business News

Military money, local rent. How the military Basic Allowance for Housing affected rent prices

KITV: … A Jan. 2025 Pentagon report is now adding fuel to the debate — showing just how large a role the military plays in the island's housing market.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, about 14% of all residential rentals on Oʻahu are occupied by active-duty service members….

Many military families live off base and receive Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH — a federal housing stipend meant to match market rates.

An unmarried entry-level service member could receive around $2,100.

“The housing allowance that the military families get here is supposed to help them out with their off-base housing. Obviously, if that's too high, then the market is very difficult for everybody else,” said Case.

Critics argue that when allowances rise, landlords often raise rents to match — pushing prices higher for everyone competing in the same market.

“If it's high rents, then the military increases its allowance. But if the military increases its allowance too much, then it creates a new level,” said Case….

read … Military money, local rent. How the military Basic Allowance for Housing affected rent prices | News | kitv.com

Hawaii Transparency Bill -- Expensive, Opaque, and Unfair

IM: … Senator Wakai introduced two electric utility bills that would upend effective electric utility regulation, cause uncertainty and turmoil for years, increase electric bills, all without any reasonable ratepayer protections. 

The Senate Ways and Means Committee effectively defanged SB 3326 on February 19, 2026 and will have a similar opportunity to do the same for SB 2497 on March 3.

SB2497 alleges a massive expansion of ratepayer transparency, specifically requiring the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to provide the data necessary for citizens to understand their bills and perform sensitivity analysis on utility outcomes.

The reality is the opposite. It would add costs to the utility that would be passed onto ratepayers, impede the acquisition of low GHG low cost renewable energy, and add confusion to the regulatory process….

read … Hawai`i Transparency Bill -- Expensive, Opaque, and Unfair | Ililani Media

Hawaiʻi Can't Control ICE: Here's how Lawmakers pander to base

CB: … One would generally prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing masks, another would bar police officers from stopping people to ask them about their immigration status and protect the right for the public to record police activities, and one would require state and county police agencies to advise people in custody of their rights before they are interviewed by federal immigration agents.

“We have a bill that is still alive, still moving through the process in every single category in our immigrant justice package,” said Tina Sablan, community and policy advocate at The Legal Clinic in Honolulu, which serves the immigrant community….

read … Hawaiʻi Can't Control ICE. Here's What Lawmakers Want To Do Instead - Honolulu Civil Beat

State will pay $8 million for special education neglect

HNN: … Hawaii taxpayers will pay $8 million to provide lifetime care for a severely autistic student after her family spent 17 years fighting the state Department of Education for adequate special education support.

The settlement will cover lifetime mental health, rehabilitation, and housing support for the student, now 21 years old. Her mother advocated for her without assistance from the beginning, when the student was four years old….

Seitz said a new challenge for families of disabled students is that the federal DOE’s civil rights division has been reduced by the Trump administration and is less available to work with families and schools, meaning more disputes could end up in court….

read … State will pay $8 million for special education neglect

DOE Sexual Abuse Case – Molester “caught this time”

CB: … In 1979, former volunteer coach Jonathan Kiaha traveled with members of Campbell’s canoe club to Hilo for a race, according to the lawsuit. At a dance for race participants, he provided alcohol and marijuana to students and raped a 15-year-old student while she was intoxicated…

… a notation in the police record that Kiaha said he was “caught this time” after his arrest ….

read … DOE Sexual Abuse Case From 1970s Could Cost Taxpayers $400K - Honolulu Civil Beat

Meth addicts build two story den of thieves floating in Keehi Lagoon

HNN: … Miyahira said residents of the encampment have been uncooperative with outreach workers.

“They’re not so open to saying who they are, what they do for a living, how long they’ve been out there — they seem to be very reclusive, and maybe resistant to change,” he said.

Asked if ultimately, authorities may need to use force…

The Keehi Stream corridor has been the site of repeated homeless encampments for more than a decade.

The largest prior displacement occurred under the Nimitz Highway viaduct in October 2017, when the majority of residents declined offers of housing and services and relocated elsewhere.

The mayor’s office said outreach to current encampment residents began last month. The goal is to have people out by the end of April….

State officials who conducted a similar cleanup along the opposite bank of the stream two summers ago said the process is labor-intensive and costly.

“It takes a huge amount of crew and a huge amount of time. It’s very costly, and also quite a bit of risk to the workers,” Aiu said. “The water’s not that clean — you don’t want to fall in the water.”

The work took three months and cost just over a million dollars as workers cut back the foliage with hand tools and dismantled the structures piece by piece….

HNN: Man found guilty in 2023 attack involving vehicle, shotgun

read … Floating monster home for homeless looms over Honolulu stream

Usual Suspects push to bring back about 800 criminals incarcerated in Arizona

HPR: … Hawaiʻi began incarcerating people out of state in 1995 as a temporary solution to alleviate overcrowding. Thirty years later, (soft-on-crime activists are still obstructing prison construction and) about 800 men (criminals) are still incarcerated at Saguaro Correctional Center – a private prison ….

However, a measure introduced by (DSA) Rep. Jeanné Kapela would mandate the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to meet benchmarks to return them to Hawaiʻi facilities….

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Director Tommy Johnson explained that there isn’t enough space available at Halawa Correctional Facility, the state’s only medium security prison for men. As of last week, the facility was utilizing about 80% of its 992-person operational capacity….

HB1769: Text, Status

read … Does Hawaiʻi have room to bring back about 800 men incarcerated in Arizona? | Hawai'i Public Radio

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA:

1. House Bill 2616 would establish a Banyan Drive Hilo community development district, appropriate funds, and start an advisory council with various positions.

2. SB2806 Real estate agents could face fines for private listings in Hawaii - Pacific Business News

3. Hamada: State of the Union — fractured

4. Covering the Cost: Tariff impact on Hawaii coffee prices

5. Hawaii representative introduces bill to lift tariffs for farmers

6. Hawaii Officials Fight Claim That Hemp Law Violates Farm Bill - Law360

7. E-bike regulation cruising after 2025 veto | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

8. Press Release | HAWAI’I STATE SENATE CONFIRMS KAUA’I CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE | Hawaiʻi State Senate Majority

9. Senator McKelvey | Unscripted

10. Sen. Angus McKelvey | Part 2

11. Insider Makes NIL Prediction For North Dakota State

12. Where Do You Stand On Hawai‘i’s Energy Future? - Hawaii Business Magazine

13. SB3162: Hawaiʻi Needs A Strategic Food Reserve (no it doesn’t)

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