SB3125: Senators make their case for smaller Tax Hikes

Senate Confirms Judges for Kauai, Maui

Maui Fire Settlement: Insurers get 10%, Shysters Grab for 25%, Feds get 37% -- little left for victims

CB: …    lawyers are asking for 25% of what they win for their clients, but that request still needs approval by Maui Circuit Court Judge Peter Cahill, who has expressed skepticism about the idea. Cahill has shown he’s inclined to set up a fund to help cover attorneys’ costs, which could mean lawyers getting less than 25% across the board, but the judge hasn’t issued an order on how that will work.

Still, some things are clear. Whatever victims receive won’t come all at once but in four payments over time, Lowenthal said. Insurance companies will get to claim 10% of the settlements of people like Clark, who lost their homes and were insured.

All this means that, however much money individuals receive from the settlement, for some victims as much as a third of it could go to lawyers and insurance companies. And there’s another issue looming: unless the U.S. Congress acts to resurrect an expired federal income tax exemption for wildfire settlement money, Uncle Sam could take as much as 37% from the survivors….  (No state income tax.)

DO THE MATH: 100%-10%-25%-37%=28% for victims

MEANWHILE ANOTHER CHIMERA TO CHASE: Hawaii wants oil companies to pay for climate disasters – NBC Bay Area

Read … Maui Fire Lawsuit Payouts Are Near. Few Survivors Will Break Even - Honolulu Civil Beat

Should your taxes increase to provide greenies with Slush-Fund?

CB: … budget negotiations appear to be stalled over what to do about Gov. Josh Green’s proposal to halt a series of state income tax cuts that are scheduled to take effect over the next five years (increase your taxes).

Lawmakers are also wrestling over how to divide up about $120 million in ‘extra’ revenue from the new “green fee” on tourists that is supposed to help preserve Hawaiʻi’s natural resources, protect against climate change and fund sustainable tourism (create make-work jobs for useless eco-activists) ….

(CLUE:  The best possible outcome is the Conference Committee fails to come to agreement and SB3125 dies, resulting in no tax increases.)

The tax cuts (increases) would cost the state (taxpayers) more than $740 million in lost revenue (of their hard-earned income) next fiscal year, and billions of dollars more in the years ahead. Green has said the state needs that money to fund state operations in the face of federal budget cuts (vacant positions, sex-change operations, and purchase of ‘free’ needles and meth pipes) ….

“The sooner we get some agreement, then we know how much more we can add to the budget,” Dela Cruz said, referring to state tax collections. “If we don’t get to an agreement, then the current law is as is, and we would have to go back into the budget and maybe find some cuts.”

(TRANSLATION:  My staff already has an easy list of cuts to make if SB3125 dies in Conference.)

Democrat Sen. Glenn Wakai said the public despises a broken promise, and “we assured them of a historic tax cut two years ago, and what we’re contemplating now is a historic bait-and-switch. That is unacceptable.”

Sen. Lynn DeCoite, also a Democrat, said an average household in Hawaiʻi would save $19,000 to $20,000 over the next eight years.…

SA: ‘Green Fee’ project spending faces shakeup | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

SA: Hawaii budget bill nears brink over tax relief | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … Debate Over Hawaiʻi Income Taxes Gums Up Budget Negotiations - Honolulu Civil Beat

Maui police commander suspended in connection with illegal fireworks incident

HNN: … A high-ranking Maui police commander has been suspended in connection with an illegal fireworks incident on New Year’s Day.

Almost four months after an illegal aerial firework exploded into the Galloway family’s home on Puumakani Street in Kahului, the residence remains boarded up as they wait to fix approximately $36,000 worth of damage.

The blast rocked Dennis and Elizabeth Galloway’s home just after midnight on Jan. 1, blowing off the siding, shattering windows, and breaking studs and drywall.

Elizabeth Galloway teared up at last month’s Maui Police Commission meeting as she told commissioners how the explosion shook their lives.

“No one from the party had the decency to check on me and my family to apologize or do what’s just pono,” she said.

Their neighbor, Hawaii music icon Glenn Awong of Maoli, threw the party where the firework was ignited, and Maui police issued him a criminal fireworks citation.

The case was later dropped because of insufficient evidence.

No one has been arrested or charged for lighting the illegal firework that exploded into their home.

The Galloways suspect a coverup starting with the head of MPD’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, Lt. Michael Vaituulala.

“I received screen recordings of some of the partygoers at Glenn’s house,” said Elizabeth’s husband Dennis. “Aerial fireworks going off and the Lieutenant in the background. This video post was later deleted.”

“Lieutenant Vaituulala did nothing to confiscate or stop the illegal fireworks from being lit by his family and friends,” said Elizabeth.

“My family and I should have been safe that evening, especially with an MPD Lieutenant in attendance across the street. We were not safe nor protected because Lieutenant Vaituulala chose to not uphold and enforce the law,” she said.

“The presence of the Lieutenant at the party is most likely the reason the responding officer would not go across the street to take names and statements. I’m not here for vengeance. I’m here to highlight the lack of integrity of some of the MPD officers,” said Dennis.

Deputy Chief Wade Maeda told commissioners the lieutenant was suspended without pay.

Maui Police Commission Chair Frank Tam confirmed the commission is conducting its own investigation into the incident….

Read … Maui police commander suspended in connection with illegal fireworks incident

Hawaii Rifle Association may see windfall from new concealed carry rule

HNN: … Non-residents can now apply for concealed carry permits in Hawaii, but only if they join the Hawaii Rifle Association.

A court ruling declared Hawaii’s ban on concealed carry permits for non-residents unconstitutional. However, the ruling only applies to the plaintiffs in the lawsuit — Virginia resident John Solinsky and members of the Hawaii Rifle Association, currently about 900 people.

“I don’t like it. I mean, I don’t like that people need to join the Hawaii Rifle Association in order to exercise their right to carry concealed,” said Kainoa Kaku, Hawaii Rifle Association president. who says there should be no restriction.

The Hawaii Rifle Association hosts group shoots, provides gun training and education, and hires lawyers to defend gun rights. The organization was a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging the state’s ban….

The narrow application stems from a Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. Casa, a case about birthright citizenship. The court ruled that federal judges can no longer throw out entire laws — their rulings can only apply to the individuals and groups who sued….

LINK:  Join Hawaii Rifle Association

Read … Hawaii Rifle Association may see windfall from new concealed carry rule

HB1888 to protect education workers and sports officials still alive

HNN: … “In the past five years alone as a school principal, I’ve had to contact law enforcement three separate times because of serious threats and aggression toward me in my role as a school leader. In one incident, an individual held a stapler to my head in front of students. I have been threatened with retaliation, including being told someone would have their sons come and find me,” said Doug Boyer, principal, Lanai High and Elementary School….

“I go to all the games and I consider it my duty to turn it around when it starts getting really negative. I’ll say, ‘OK ref, we accept,’ because you can feel the crowd turning on people. And it gets scary sometimes,” said Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a Kea’au Middle School teacher.

A House bill that specifically mentioned Iwamoto stalled in committee, but the concept survived. House Bill 1888 would make intentional or knowing bodily injury of an educational worker or a sports official a Class C felony for the first offense, and a Class B felony for a second or subsequent offense within 10 years….

HB1888: Text, Status

SA: Man charged in athletic director’s attack OK’d for travel | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … Bill to protect education workers and sports officials still alive | Hawaii News Now

Hawaii Plans Kauai-Style Visitor Controls For Oahu North Shore

BH: … Hawaii just moved forward with a near-term (3-year) plan to bring traffic management, parking controls, and shuttle-based access to Oahu’s North Shore. It’s the same kind of approach Kauai now uses beyond Hanalei. The plan targets the corridor from Haleiwa through Sunset and Pipeline, one of the busiest tourism stretches on the island outside Waikiki, with parking hubs, peak-time advisories, and a study of a park-and-ride shuttle ….

Read … Hawaii Plans Kauai-Style Visitor Controls For Oahu North Shore - Beat of Hawaii

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA:

1. Big Q: Is it time to start building a new jail in Halawa, to replace OCCC? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

2. Gov. Green on Hawaii's economy, corruption, political trust

3. Hawaii receives $600K federal grant for specialty crops

4. $21 MILLION IN FUNDING RELEASED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW WAIKOLOA LIBRARY

5. Denby Fawcett: Respecting us NIMBYs

6. Editorial: Consider shuttle to North Shore | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

7. Column: Maintain momentum on homestead | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

QUICK HITS:

1. A Supreme Court case over pesticides is bringing out the ‘MAHA moms’ — and threats of consequences for the midterms | CNN Politics

2. The Illusion of Immunity -- Why Lahaina Burns in Our Memory but Not in Our Policy | Ililani Media

3. Maui's historic Pioneer Mill property sells for $17M - Pacific Business News

4. DOH detects Monkey Pox in Oahu wastewater sample | Hawaii News Now

5. State’s first 7-OH Kratom death raises alarm over potent product | Hawaii News Now

6. Schools install vape sensors to fight student (and staff!) vaping surge

7. Unexplained green glow in Hawai'i sky puzzles astronomers

8. Local businesses struggle despite tariff refunds, says Chamber of Commerce | Hawai'i Public Radio

9. Coast Guard, Navy Aircraft assist in search for missing fisherman | Hawaii News Now

10. New University of Hawaiʻi office launched to boost research capacity throughout state : Kauai Now

11. Record number of nations joining this summer’s RIMPAC drills in Hawaii, Navy says | Stars and Stripes

12. Financial aid to be deployed to farmers impacted by floods

13. Saipan Woman Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud Scheme Targeting Multiple Victims

14. Former Guam Customs Officer Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

15. Chinese Nationals Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine

16. Oʻahu's North Shore: Where The Buffalo Roam? - Honolulu Civil Beat

17. Why Hawaiʻi Must Rethink Youth Mental Health - Honolulu Civil Beat

18. Online scams stole $55M from kupuna last year | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

19. “WE RETURNED TO LIVE THE SERBIAN, NOT THE AMERICAN DREAM”: The Milošević family left Hawaii and chose a Serbian village for raising their three sons! (VIDEO) | Serbiantimes.info EN