House Republican Caucus Elects Johanson, Fukumoto
Larry Flynt: Porn Industry "Will Start Shooting in Hawaii"
HELCO Files 50MW Geothermal RFP
Maui TEA Party Veterans Day Picnic
Hawaii Family Forum: Redouble Voter Registration Effort
Hawaii Investors Given Priority Access to Tax-Exempt State Bonds
Say 22, Souki 21
PR: There was some movement on Friday afternoon when Rep. John Mizuno, who had previously been in Say’s camp but told colleagues he was on the bubble, signed on again with Say.
Say now has 22 votes, sources say, while Souki and the dissidents have 21. One newly elected lawmaker thought to be leaning toward the dissidents remains undecided.
Twenty-six votes are needed to control the 51-member House, but Democrats would prefer to organize without the help of the seven Republicans.
SA: Battle over leadership divides House Democrats
read … Political Radar
Ing: Sick of Say, Sends ‘Horrible Message’
MN: With the elections over and the legislative session looming Jan. 18, Speaker Emeritus Rep. Joe Souki of Maui appears to have a slight edge in a fluid internal battle over whether to replace longtime Speaker Calvin Say, Maui legislators said Thursday.
Meanwhile, the day after Election Day, the state Senate decided to stay with President Shan Tsutsui of Maui.
If the 79-year-old Souki is able to wrangle his old job back with the help of disenfranchised, younger and more liberal lawmakers, the switch would put the two top leadership posts in both houses of the state Legislature in the hands of Maui County lawmakers.
Rep.-elect Kaniela Ing, who will represent South Maui, said Souki leads by a couple votes. He added that it would send a horrible message if Say continues to block Souki's ascension. (How dare he oppose me! I am Conscious, Enlightened, and Progressive.)
"I don't think the difference between the two sides is as much ideological as it is about the old style of politics versus the new era," said Ing, who put the seat into the leadership fray by defeating incumbent Republican George Fontaine on Tuesday. "And I think a lot of us are sick of the special interest control under Speaker Say's leadership."
If Say Wins, will S. Maui have to Kiss funding for Kihei HS Goodbye because of Ing’s childish ranting?
read … A bunch of Progressives
Interview with HD26 Candidate Tiffany Au
WT: …when I was first recruited, for me I thought “Wow, what an interesting question.” That in itself as young person, to be asked that, I felt so honored. I was very, very honored. Regarding your points about not having support or not taking care of talent the way the Democrats do, that’s very true, uh, when I was recruited, I was, you know, I already believed in the values but in terms of the support … every candidate basically in the end had to run their own race.
There was no assistance that, well, I wouldn’t say there was zero assistance – there was minimal assistance – but we had to run our own race, at least. There were certain individuals that did contribute because they were stepping down, but other than that, the resource prioritization, we were not on that list and I would say that because this party is so small, the focus wasn’t on our race and it wasn’t as organized as we would have like. There was some training, but the training was limited and I think due to the fact that they’ve had a history of everyone has to run their own race, it fosters this kind of culture where other people and candidates don’t extend a warm nature to other candidates because they know they have to fight for their own race….
We worked so hard. My sister came from California to help the campaign, she put her life on standstill. My family – a lot of effort was taken for this. My mom after work, after working her eight to twelve hour shifts would come and walk the district and help to translate for Vietnamese, Cantonese or Mandarin voters. There was a lot effort, my dad as well. I really … I felt that the community saw that we had a very clean and honest campaign and many are encouraging me to run again.
I’m gonna do my due diligence to follow up to see what else we can learn. My sister and I both talked about it and we said, you know, we did what we could in the months that we had. I never thought that I could raise the kind of money that we did. I never thought we’d meet so many amazing people, and I don’t know, I don’t think that it was a loss at all. It was … if that’s what the community wants, let them decide. Unfortunately some of them are misinformed, but that’s all there is to it.
Read … Interview with Hawaii’s Tiffany Au
Solar Credits: Abercrombie, Oshiro vs Henkin, Blue Planet
KITV: "You're going to get the credits, the question is whether some people are getting more than they're entitled to," Abercrombie told reporters. "It undermines our ability to have a balanced budget, and to be able to invest in other public purposes."
Currently, homeowners and businesses can qualify for multiple tax credits by installing more than one PV system. But as of Jan. 1, the state will cap the credit for the typical single-family home to $5,000 per calendar year, effectively cutting the current 35 percent credit in half.
Environmental groups and renewable energy advocates blasted Abercrombie for essentially making PV systems more expensive. They say the move will also make it more difficult for the state to reach its goal of producing 70 percent clean energy by the year 2030.
"We fear what the governor has proposed here is really going to make it more difficult for people to get out from under high energy bills," said Jeff Mikulina, executive director of Blue Planet, a nonprofit dedicated to ending reliance on fossil fuels.
"This Legislature has been very clear," added EarthJustice attorney David Henkin. "Hawaii needs to turn to a clean energy future, and the way to do that is by making a generous credit."
However, the rule change does have support from at least one key lawmaker. House Finance Chairman Rep. Marcus Oshiro told KITV4 the PV tax credits are spiraling out of control.
"It was always the Legislature's intention to support renewable energy and getting us away from fossil fuel," said Oshiro, "but not at the expense of having more duplicate systems in people's homes."
read … Solar Credits
Work to Rule: Campbell High teachers plan protest
SA: Teachers at Campbell High School will work only the hours their contract requires Thursday to protest the lack of progress in getting an agreement.
Most of Campbell's 180 teachers will participate, and teachers from other schools have expressed interest in similar protests, said Corey Rosenlee, a Campbell High social studies teacher
read … More HSTA Preparations to Finish Abercrombie
Gay Agenda for Homelessness
SA: Homeless and affordable-housing advocates, concerned community members, and representatives from social service providers and government agencies exchanged ideas Friday with a federal official on how to better address and end homelessness in Hawaii.
They talked with a representative from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness at the state Capitol about homeless youth and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; finding affordable housing; different criteria regarding who can be helped and get the services for agencies — especially those that help veterans; criminalization of homelessness; and various barriers to access for housing and programs.
Matthew Doherty, coordinator for the Western region of USICH, said he wanted to learn what various agencies struggle with, share advice and information from other cities and hear about the innovative strategies and solutions being implemented here.
"We're really smart out here but we could get smarter," said Colin Kippen, the governor's coordinator on homelessness.
Doherty and Kippen said they were impressed by the turnout at the meeting, which was also sponsored by state Sen. Suzanne Chun-Oakland (D, Nuuanu-Liliha) and state Rep. Jo Jordan (D, Waianae-Makaha-Makua).
USICH: We are seeing a new epidemic of LGBTQ youth homelessness largely because youth are coming out (being turned) earlier. They are coming out to their families at age 12 or 13 instead of 18 or 20
How we got here: Atheist Extortion, Blackmail forced Marc Alexander to Resign
read … How to Keep a Steady Supply of Available Children
Star-Adv: Other Officials Must Take the Reins from Scott Nago
SA: Legislators and other officials must take the reins following the election-day train wreck — an apt description when voters are kept waiting at the polls for hours, without good reason — and make sure reforms occur to prevent that from happening again….
And this year, the Office of Elections decided to fulfill a request to gather data on how many ballots came in on Election Day as opposed to absentee ballots. This meant each precinct's ballots were segregated and were not interchangeable with those at other polling places, and that meant they couldn't be shared to offset shortages within the district. This was not the year for such a research project.
At the end of a rancorous election in which a construction interest group called Pacific Resource Partnership pounded away against mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano, it didn't help that many of the trouble spots happened to be precincts where the former governor had polled well in the primary election. There is certainly no evidence that this was anything more than coincidental, but conspiracy theories often erupt amid frustration. People have grumbled that it was done to game the election. Even with such a conclusion being unfounded, the circumstances were not helpful to any drive for improved voter engagement.
The reason for the shortage given by Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago was a faulty formula used to estimate the number of ballots needed at the precincts. He has not clearly explained why there can't be a full allotment of ballots for registered voters at each precinct. But in any case, it seems to be standard practice in many jurisdictions for estimates to be made and for reserve ballots to be kept separately.
The real problem was that the office wasn't prepared to handle the flood of requests for more ballots. In several cases it took hours after repeated shortage alerts went out for the extras to be delivered. On an island this small, that shouldn't have happened….
read … Fire Scott Nago
Announcement of Polls Helped Run Up the Score
CB: Final Civil Beat Poll Snapshot: Mazie Hirono 55 percent, Linda Lingle 40 percent
What We Wrote: Hirono's Double-Digit Lead Over Lingle Holding — "The gap in the new poll was particularly large among the third of respondents who said they'd already voted, with Hirono leading 61 percent to 37 percent versus 52 percent to 42 percent for the two-thirds who said they haven't yet voted but definitely intended to do so. ... That means there's room for Lingle to narrow the gap slightly. Pro-Lingle groups are spending big money on TV ads for the final days of the race to help make that happen. But she'd need a major turnaround to make the contest competitive."
Actual Election Results: Hirono 62 percent, Lingle 37 percent
What Happened: Just like in the presidential race, a blowout expanded as the clock ran out. (Which was exactly the purpose.) Turnout among would-be Lingle supporters dropped, leaving final election results that mirrored, nearly perfectly, the 61-37 Hirono advantage Civil Beat found among early voters.
Final Civil Beat Poll Snapshot: Colleen Hanabusa 54 percent, Charles Djou 43 percent
What We Wrote: Hanabusa Expands Lead Over Djou In Race for Congress — "For Djou, there's not much time left to turn things around and not much flexibility left in the electorate. ... Only 3 percent of voters surveyed were still undecided, and 93 percent of Hanabusa voters said they would definitely back her versus 7 percent who said they were only leaning toward her. 'He's hanging in there. He's hanging tough. He's got good name recognition. But it definitely does appear that Colleen Hanabusa has stretched it out a little bit over the last poll,' said Merriman River Group Executive Director Matt Fitch, who partners with Civil Beat on its polls."
Actual Election Results: Hanabusa 54 percent, Djou 44 percent
What happened: Hanabusa won by nearly the exact amount she led in the final Civil Beat Poll, well within the margin of error.
read … The Blowout Expanded as the Clock Ran Out
UH regents to start evaluating Greenwood and her contract
SA: The University of Hawaii Board of Regents will begin its annual evaluation of UH President M.R.C. Greenwood at its monthly meeting next week on Maui.
The evaluation process is starting even as the regents consider whether to end her employment contract….
The regents have held three closed-door meetings since Oct. 12 to discuss Greenwood's future at UH. The board hired attorney William McCorriston under a $25,000 contract to assist them with their discussions on Greenwood's contract. McCorriston negotiated a $1.6 million settlement with former UH President Evan Dobelle, when Dobelle was fired and then allowed to resign in 2004.
The board's agenda for the Thursday meeting, released Friday, shows the regents will talk about Greenwood's evaluation and employment contract in executive session at UH Maui College. The items are being discussed behind closed doors because they involve personnel matters and consultation with attorneys….
Greenwood's annual evaluation is a multistep process that begins with setting goals for the academic year and then measuring how the president has done on her goals in May.
For the last three years, the board rated Greenwood's performance as "exceptional," and at its January 2011 meeting, the board extended her employment contract until 2015.
read … Exceptional
Millions in athletic funds detailed after open-records request
KHON: Nearly 200 donor funds help support University of Hawaii athletics, with more than $14 million on hand in cash and endowments.
As KHON2 investigated the privately donor funded spending accounts of the UH president and athletic director, we also asked for details on any sports-specific money managed by the UH Foundation.
What we got in response, having to file a Freedom of Information Act request for it, has details you might not expect.
There are hundreds of funds and endowments across a range of sports, with some sports having dozens of dedicated accounts.
read … FOIA
TAT: Kauai Mayor Carvalho does not support repeal of Act 55
KGI: The state Legislature starts Jan. 19, 2013, but all counties in Hawai‘i, including Kaua‘i, have been working on their legislative packages for a while. Caught by surprise, members of the Kaua‘i County Council learned Thursday that Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. does not support a repeal of Act 55.
With deadlines fast approaching, the council’s Intergovernmental Relations Committee on Thursday approved a number of measures to be included in the 2013 Kaua‘i County Legislative Package and in the 2013 Hawai‘i State Association of Counties Legislative Package.
County Managing Director Gary Heu surprised the council by stating the administration’s position on Act 55.
“We don’t support … the measure to repeal the act; we prefer to find a way to deal with the existing law, we support work with our legislators, work with the community, work with anyone else who would like to be a part of that, to address the many, many concerns that exist with Act 55,” Heu said.
By having additional funding source for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, he said, it takes some pressure off the state General Fund and reduces the chance of the state taking away the counties’ share of the Transient Accommodation Tax. For the county of Kaua‘i, the TAT is its second largest source of revenue after real property taxes.
Without Carvalho’s stamp of approval, a bill to repeal Act 55 cannot be included in the county’s legislative package, although it could still be transmitted as part of the council’s own legislative package.
read … Old Boy
Manahan to Get Head Start on Council
CB: Manahan won his race for the District 7 seat in the August primary, and normally would have had to wait until January to be sworn in.
But because Manahan’s predecessor, Romy Cachola, was forced to resign as a result winning a seat in the House, the new council member will likely be installed early.
On Thursday, Council Chair Ernie Martin introduced a resolution to have Manahan fill Cachola’s seat on Nov. 14.
Ron Menor, Carol Fukunaga and Kymberly Pine are the other newcomers.
HFP: Romy Cachola Barged In, Wanted Ballots
read … Head Start
Honolulu City Council will consider a bill Wednesday that aims to cut down on light pollution
CB: If passed, the bill will require city workers to start installing street lighting that projects light below the lowest point in the fixture. Basically, the light emit in a downward direction so that it doesn’t spill up into the night sky.
District 3 Council Member Ikaika Anderson, who represents Kailua, Waimanalo and much of Kaneohe, introduced the bill. It’s on the council agenda for a first reading.
You can read the bill here.
read … Light Pollution
Molestation case filed against Damien Memorial School under Hawaii’s new open-window law
DN: According to the allegations, Br. Robert Brouillette, an Irish Christian Brother and former teacher at the school, was removed from Damien for abuse allegations, but parents and students were never informed. He has allegedly molested at least 12 children in five states and was convicted of possessing child pornography.
Brouillette is believed to be living near St. Louis, Missouri according to the sex offender registry, as noted by SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) representatives visiting Honolulu yesterday (11/8/2012). They also reported….
This is just the latest in a string of scandals at Damien Memorial School. Last week, a former Damien principal was forced to step down from his job in Seattle due to allegations of abuse. Br. Karl Walczak, Damien principal from 1987-1999, was accused of abuse while he was a teacher at an Irish Christian Brother school in Chicago.
Lawsuit: Download 12-1-2771-11 John Roe v. Christian Brothers et al
read … Molesters
County of Kauai's Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Priorities Survey
CoK: We seek your feedback on what types of projects and services should receive priority for funding in the County's Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014) budget proposal. The priorities you identify could be islandwide, or could be isolated to a specific geographic location. Your feedback will be utilized by the Mayor and his Department Heads as they develop their budget proposal, which must be submitted to the County Council by March 15, 2013.
KGI: Online survey allows public to weigh in on budget priorities
read … The Survey
California Voters too Intelligent for Anti-GMO Fraudsters
SA: California voters rejected Proposition 37, which would have required labels on all products that contain genetically modified ingredients.
Background: The Future of Fraud
Wisdom: http://www.noprop37.com/
read … SA Columnist Attacks GMOs
Australia to Buy Nuclear Subs?
AFR: Top Coalition leaders want to open the debate over the purchase of nuclear submarines to replace the navy’s diesel fleet, a huge step up in Australia’s military capability in response to China’s plan to become a major maritime power in the Pacific Ocean.
Senior Coalition frontbenchers told The Weekend Financial Review that acquiring or leasing Virginia-class nuclear submarines equipped with conventional weapons, such as cruise missiles, would be supported by the Obama Administration.
Purchasing the submarines is not yet Coalition policy but some shadow ministers have discussed the idea with United States officials. Australia’s dependence on seaborne trade and China’s ambitions make a powerful submarine fleet the most sensible naval strategy, some Coalition leaders believe, and nuclear submarines would be more reliable and lethal than Australia’s existing submarines.
In discussions with defence experts US Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich reiterated American willingness to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, which could receive technical support at US naval bases in Hawaii and Guam. In the longer term, this could lead to a joint Australian-US submarine base in the west or north of Australia.
read … Australian Financial Review
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