Abercrombie for Monopolies?

Dear Governor Abercrombie,   March 10, 2013

The people of Hawaii would like to know your position on monopolies in Hawaii.

Do you unequivocally support the Hawaiian Electric Industries monopoly? Yes or No

Do you unequivocally support the Matson/Young Brothers shipping monopoly protected by the antiquated Jones Act? Yes or No

Both monopolies are stifling our economy big time and ruining people's lives big time. Removing them will put our economy on a fast tract to a successful future.

Is a simple yes or no answer too much to ask of a Governor who calls out the electric monopoly in his own energy policy that he has failed to implement even a tiny little bit since being elected? What are you waiting for? What's holding you back? Monopolistic power, control, and influence over government is a strong possibility.

Is a simple yes or no answer too much to ask when a noted economist, Joseph Stiglitz, pointed out how bad high electric rates and the Jones Act are for our economy?

Is a yes or no answer too much to ask when it has already been shown that the Jones Act stifles Puerto Rico just like it stifles Hawaii while the lack of same benefits Jamaica?

So for the record, Governor Abercrombie, do you unequivocally support the continuing electric and shipping monopolies wreaking havoc on our lives? 

YES or NO

If the answer is NO, then how do you propose to end these greedy, abusive, controlling, manipulative, and threatening monopolies? 

Rescinding or rewriting the 2008 HCEI would be a good start. 

Rescinding HRS 269-6 would be a good start

Setting a good example for the Legislature by being the first to sign Senator Solomon's recent resolution calling for an end to the Jones Act would be a good start.

Encouraging the Legislature to pass utility deregulation bills for you to sign would be a good start.

If the answer is YES, then I ask you Governor, how can you sleep at night, knowing that these monopolies continue to fleece and rape the people of Hawaii?

Sincerely,

Ed Wagner

Mililani, Oahu

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ERS: USS Titanic Hawaii Headed for $8.4B Iceberg

Dear Editor,    March 4, 2013

The $8.4 billion Employees Retirement System shortfall has more dire implications than most realize. This ERS failure affects everyone in the state and counties – not only retirees. The almost inevitable consequences of the killer shortfall will include a continued raising of the minimum retirement age, more decreased pensions (especially for younger workers), more increases in employee contributions and more taxpayer money (employer share) needed to support the ERS. Ultimately there may even have be an ERS “bail out” funded by Hawaii taxpayers. What all this translates to is a billions of dollars crippling of the Hawaii economy.

The worst case scenario is the ERS depleting principal to pay pensions (and having less and less to invest) and ultimately not being able to pay retirees their pensions. The mindboggling fact is that all the state and county retirees - for the next 30 years – will be depending on a pension system that is not fully funded - even under favorable conditions!

Basically, one of the stated conditions needed to fix the ERS is to average a 7.75% rate of return for the next 30 years which is unlikely considering that the average ERS return for the past 10 years has only been 2.8%. If they really think that they can - all of sudden - much more than double their average rate of return, then why didn’t they, years ago?

Additionally, the future investment environment as a whole is not very good because the U.S. economy is handicapped and will be crippled by the massive federal debt problem that continues to grow.

The $8.4 billion shortfall is a whopping 70% of total assets and the ERS is ranked near the bottom of all 50 states. Our elected officials made the problem worse by raiding the fund in the past. There were years of early warning that the ERS was in trouble. Ultimately, it comes down to that nobody was minding the store. If you listen carefully, the captain of the U.S.S. Titanic Hawaii is saying, “Brace for impact.”

Leighton Loo

Honolulu, Oahu

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Hanohano Should Resign

Dear Editor,  March 1, 2013

State Representative Faye Hanohano has revealed her true self as a racist and in her moments of anger ranted against all ethnic groups preferring only Native Hawaiian artists to Haolis, Japs, Pakes, etc. She is not fit to represent Hawaii as a State Representative and every vote she makes is suspect. She should resign. 

Her apology is politically correct but we all know we can no longer trust a biased racist like her. Her actions hurt Native Hawaiians more as it perpetuates the wrong image of a people who are ignorant and intolerant which is absolutely NOT true. 

Many of us are of mixed heritage, the early Chinese intermarried with Hawaiians and of course the Haoli and every other ethnic groups that married each other. That's the melting pot we have and we all share in the sacred Aloha Spirit. Our beloved US Senator Akaka & Hiram Fong were of mixed Hawaiian and Chinese Heritage. Our sitting President Obama is Haoli and Black.

Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock

President, Chinatown Business & Community Association (CBCA)

Former Hawaii President, Organization  of Chinese Americans (OCA)

Background:  Full Text: Rep Hanohano Accused of Workplace Violence after Racist Tirade Aimed at State Workers