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Sunday, March 31, 2013
March 31, 2013 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:52 PM :: 4132 Views

Anti-GMO Activist: Crazy Hawaiians Make us Look Bad

Key to Tax Relief Lies in Repeal of Tax “Loopholes”

DLNR Reopens Kealakekua Bay to Two Kayak Operators

Schatz Campaign Kickoff: Abercrombie Compares Opponents to Dictators, Authoritarians

SA: Abercrombie said it is unfortunate that there is speculation about a power struggle in Democratic politics. "Brian Schatz is a senator because I wanted to make sure the people of Hawaii had the power," he said. "No one has a legacy of passing power on. This is not a kingdom. This is not some kind of authoritarian dictatorship.

"People do not have a right to office. They earn their office. And that's what Sen. Schatz is doing right now." ….

The April campaign-finance report, which will cover the first quarter of the year, will offer some insight into Schatz's ability as a fundraiser in a marquee campaign. Schatz's advisers have pushed for a $1 million quarter, a figure that would give prospective challengers pause….

Flashback: Red-Faced Abercrombie Bickers With Protesters on Stage at Democrats Grand Rally in Hilo

KHON: Senator Schatz launches 2014 re-election campaign

read … Schatz kicks off election campaign

Abercrombie Must Choose Between ‘New Day’ and Paying Off Unions

Borreca: The highlight of Abercrombie's 2013 State of the State speech was a plea for a statewide preschool program. It was one of his biggest campaign promises and would go a long way to showing voters a solid accomplishment in next year's election.

The planning is a concern because running the entire early education scheme is a good but expensive idea that is estimated to cost maybe $100 million a year when fully operational….

Abercrombie and the Legislature are thinking about putting money down on the installment plan to pay it off, but even the estimated $200 million a year will change the budget plans. 

All this is without the collective bargaining settlements. And yes, that ticking sound you hear is a time bomb.

If union talks with the state are not wrapped up by early May when the Legislature folds its tents, they come back next year. The budget will then grow and grow as employee costs rise.

This is where it could get complicated. Next year is an election year. Abercrombie will be up for re-election. He has not proven to be a popular politician and has few allies in the Legislature and may have significant opposition in the Democratic primary if he is challenged by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.

But, Abercrombie may also have to ask for tax increases next year to balance a budget because of spending this year. Or, he could cut the budget this year and delete many of the programs he hoped to use in next year's campaign.

Meanwhile: Senate Reinstates Money for Student Laptops in DoE (Something for the Abercrombie to run on.  A consolation prize.)

read … Decisions, Decisions

Legislators to UH: Shut Down Kobayashi, Give Mitsunaga Some Contracts

The University of Hawaii's price tag for backlogged repairs now totals about $461 million across the 10-campus system, a situation that lawmakers say needs immediate attention.

The bulk of the needed repairs — about 83 percent — are at the university's flagship campus in Manoa, according to UH estimates.

To begin tackling the problem, lawmakers are looking to allocate about $100 million for UH repairs over the next two years.  (Contracts for Abercrombie’s crony, Mitsunaga.)

A bill moving through the Legislature would also strengthen an existing campus planning facility board, establish a major repairs and replacement special fund, and put in place mandatory reporting on repair work so the university can show what progress it's making.  (Means to an end.)

State Rep. Isaac Choy, chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, said despite vocal concerns about the maintenance and repair needs at UH over the past several years, university administrators have not made tackling the backlog a priority.  (Because they’ve been giving new construction contracts Inouye/Greenwood crony, Kobayashi.)

He is calling for a halt to state funding for new building on UH campuses until backlogged repairs are brought under control.

"They really dug themselves a hole," Choy said.  (And now Inouye is buried in that hole so it is time for retaliation.) "It's time to say stop, let's rethink this and let's get it done. The part I'm upset about is I don't think it's the Legislature's job to shine this light."

Background: Mitsunaga Names Names, Slams UH for Favoritism Towards Kobayashi

read … Abercrombie vs Inouye

GMO Labels Convey false Information

SA: A joint Senate committee recently heard and deferred House Bill 174, a bill to mandate labeling of genetically modified organism (GMO) food.

I applaud the senators for recognizing that the bill was flawed, and for making a common sense decision to study the potential consequences before passing legislation that could increase our grocery bills, boost our taxes and violate the Constitution.

I oppose the mandatory labeling of GMO food, but I support the senators' recommendation as being responsible and prudent. On an issue as important as the safety and availability of our food supply, using reliable information to understand a bill's implications is the responsible way of achieving good policy and protecting everyone.

I oppose mandatory labeling because it creates the false impression that there are differences in our food where none exist. Food from GM crops is the same as food from conventional crops, and proven to be safe. The federal government requires labeling of any food if there is a health concern. But there are no health concerns. No one has gotten ill from the technology used to develop GM crops.

read … Some Common Sense for a Change

Innovation: State Spends $8M to Spread Ignorance

Shapiro: » Ways and Means kept $50 million on the state books for900 vacant positions the House had deleted so departments can use the money for employee vacations and overtime. Is it too much to hope it's not vacations and overtime for the vacant employees?

» Senators provided $8 million for Abercrombie's Hawaii Growth Initiative, which offers cash incentives to innovative entrepreneurs. This is where the government, which is notoriously slow to innovate, spreads its ignorance to the private sector.

read … School labor peace comes as concessions abound

Hawaii Scores ‘F’ on Medical Consumer Cost Information

SA: If you live in New Hampshire and want to know what a hospital charges for delivering a baby or an emergency room visit, you just go to a state-run website and look it up.

Would you like to know the price difference if you have health insurance and if you do not? That also is available.

Not so in Hawaii.

Hawaii is among 29 states that received a failing grade for consumer access to health care prices in a recent report….

Hawaii Medical Service Association, the state's largest health insurer, said it is working on an online tool that will allow its more than 700,000 members access to price information.

State Insurance Commissioner Gordon Ito said the Hawaii Insurance Division doesn't have the authority to collect proprietary price data similar to New Hamshire, a policy issue that the Legislature would need to debate.

The Insurance Division has regulatory control over how much an insurer can charge a subscriber, not how much an insurer pays a doctor or hospital.

"What consumers really end up looking at is the co-pay cost-share split," Ito said. "The variations from plan to plan doesn't vary that much. We're different from other states where health plan benefits can vary greatly. Their out-of-pocket costs matter more."

While providing patients access to price information could potentially be a beneficial service, Ito questioned whether consumers would actually make informed decisions that would rein in health costs.

"Are consumers really going to be making a decision based on that information?" Ito said. "Are consumers going to make a choice based on price or based on their doctor?"

Report: Hawaii Scores ‘F’ on Health Care Price Transparency Laws

LINK: NH Health Cost Site

LINK: NH Hospital Quality Site

read … Lack of access earns Hawaii an F in report

Dial back borrowing for road repairs

SA Editorial: The Council should urge the administration to lower the bar on bond authorizations, probably to about the $100 million level. This would provide ample funding for a fairly aggressive road-repair schedule. It could accelerated later if, as the mayor hopes, he can direct contract spending around the current logjams and out the door at a more productive rate.

read … Borrowing

HPD lieutenant arrested for alleged DUI

SA: Lt. Colin Wong, who serves in HPD’s specialized services division, was arrested in Waikiki around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

He was released after posting $1,000 in bail.

Back in 2000, Wong received a six-month demotion after he was caught on camera putting his arm around fellow police officer Clyde Arakawa soon after Arakawa had been involved in a fatal motor vehicle collision on the Pali Highway. Arakawa, who was drunk at the time of the crash, was later convicted of manslaughter in the death of 19-year-old Dana Ambrose.

read … DUI

Police give dozens of $500 Alcohol Citations to Spring Breakers

"My friend, the guy I drove with got cited because we tried to fill up super soakers with Four Loko," said Kevin White, Salt Lake resident.

Others were caught hiding alcohol in Gatorade bottles and water bottles.

Police cited several dozen people for drinking in the park.

It's a petty misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500. 

(If only these kids would wise up and smoke marijuana  They could save $400 on the ticket.)

read … Five Times More Illegal than Marijuana

400,000 Emergency Room Admissions for Marijuana

KGI: “We want to reverse the misconceptions about a drug that does not resemble what marijuana was 30 years ago,” Sabet said. “There are 400,000 people who went to the emergency room after using marijuana, and there are more kids in treatment for marijuana than for any other drug.”

Project SAM says that a “big marijuana” establishment would become the tobacco industry of the 21st century. Just as tobacco marketed to children, they claim a marijuana industry would work around regulations to attract the next generation of users.

Sabet came to Hawai‘i with former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, of Rhode Island, who became the Project SAM chairman after the two brainstormed their concern that the legalized marijuana movement was outpacing a rational debate on public health and policy.

“Kennedy called me and said we need a new conversation on marijuana in this country,” Sabet said. “We took a common sense approach and just looked at the science.”

read … Drug Treatment

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