HGEA Announces Unit 8 Contract Settlement
25th CAB Reaches out to Fallen Heroes' Families
Auditor: Less Than Half of Audit Recommendations Implemented
OHA awards $1.5 million to charter schools
Caldwell: Feds Reaffirm Commitment to Honolulu Rail
Hawaii Prayer Breakfast – A Civic Space for the Religious and Non-Religious
HIRA: Democrats Want to Tax Your Online Purchases
House Republican Legislative Update
Misconduct conducts bad cops to the door
HGEA Contracts Ratified
KITV: The association announced late Wednesday night that the white-collar non-supervisory group voted 86 percent to accept; the white-collar supervisory group voted 89 percent to accept; and the blue-collar group voted 90 percent to accept.
read ... HGEA members ratify new contracts
Chang Dodges Questions, Security at Press Conference
CB: (Honolulu Council member Stanley) Chang, a "lifelong Democrat," told roughly four dozen supporters on the corner of Restaurant Row that he would bring a "fresh vision" to the Capitol.
(Security outside the Pacific Rim Bank building had to move the crowd from the corner area, which was on private property, to the public sidewalk bordering it.)
Chang dodged reporter questions asking for his specific views on deficit spending and gun control. Instead, it was pure boilerplate.
"We're very proud of the president from Hawaii," he said. "And I look forward to working with him as well as everyone in Washington to fight for the future of Hawaii, and that means fresh ideas for the deficit, and that means fresh ideas for all the hot button issues that are being talked about today."
Chang, 30, would not speculate on how much money he would need to raise for the campaign. “We’re going to need a lot of resources and we’re going to need a lot of help.”
But he did tout the "enormous difference" the council has made during his time at Honolulu Hale, which amounts to just a little over two years.
"We have brought a record $100 million per year in road maintenance improvements," he said. "We have brought comprehensive homelessness discussions to the table. We have supported the preservation of our magnificent shorelines, our wetlands and our ridges. And we have repeatedly encouraged more efficient visas to help sustain and expand our hospitality industry on which our entire economy depends."
SA: Sen. Brickwood Galuteria added his name to the list of those considering a run for Congress
read ... Dodgy
DesJardins: Accused of Tampering, Judge Resigns, Faces Charges May 2
KHON: The state Attorney General’s office filed a criminal complaint against her, claiming she tampered with government records — a misdemeanor offense.
Court records show that on Feb. 17, Desjardins made false entries on 10 cases involving police and court documents. She could face up to a year in prison and a $2,000 fine.
It happened on a Sunday, when there are no court proceedings, but Desjardins was on-call and was signing off on criminal complaints that would have been requested by Maui Police or the prosecutor’s office.
The Hawaii State Judiciary has released a statement, saying Desjardins submitted her intent to retire, effective Tuesday....
She’s scheduled to appear at Maui District Court to answer to the charges on May 2.
SA: The complaint states that DesJardins "did knowingly and falsely make, complete, or alter, or knowingly made a false entry in a written instrument," namely 10 judicial determinations of probable cause for a warrantless arrest. Generally, without a warrant for a person's arrest, a judge must approve such a probable cause document within 48 hours of an arrest. Otherwise, the person is released from police custody.
LINK: 2012 Appointment Announcement
read ... Hidden Crime?
$2 'Tip Credit' Demanded in Minimum Wage Conference
ILind: ... a wild card in negotiations has reportedly been Kim’s reported insistence on a $2 “tip credit” for employees who receive tips. This would mean employers could pay $2 less than the minimum wage to workers who receive tips. The $2 tip credit would be the highest in the country, twice that of the next highest state, New York, which gives a $1 tip credit.
Proponents of the minimum wage hike say Kim’s $2 credit is a “poison pill” that will effectively kill the bill.
The current tip credit in Hawaii is just 25 cents, although backers of the new minimum, including the ILWU, have reportedly signaled a willingness to double that amount as part of a deal.
Agreement must be reached and the final version of the bill filed today or the measure is dead.
Background: How Hawaii Minimum Wage Workers Earn $24.24 per hour
read ... Tip Credit
Council Bill 22: Hike Registration Fees by $75
KHON: “I introduced Bill 22 to initiate a county highway user fee because our research shows that the county share of the fuel tax is unsustainable as we’ve been losing money on the fuel tax over a number of years,” Honolulu City Councilmember Ikaika Anderson said.
A fee around $75 would be tacked on to car registrations to go into the highway repair fund.
Councilmember Anderson says it would ensure that all drivers pay their fair share, not just those who use more gas.
“I do plan to follow up with another bill that will repeal the county’s share of the fuel tax,” Councilmember Anderson said.
Which is currently 16.5 cents a gallon into that repair fund. So here’s a simple breakdown: Say you put 10 gallons of gas in your vehicle each week. With the county gas tax now, you’re paying about $85 a year, which is more than the proposed $75 user fee.
read ... Tax Hike
Traffic congestion in Honolulu ranked second-worst in the nation
KHON: Traffic is getting worse. In fact, Honolulu’s traffic is so bad, only one city in America is worse.
“Honolulu stands at No. 2 on the list of 100 cities after Los Angeles,” INRIX director of community relations Jim Bak said.
Last year, Honolulu traffic was also the second worst in the nation behind L.A., with just over 50 hours a year wasted in traffic. That time behind the wheel is getting longer.
“On average, folks who drive in Honolulu on a daily basis waste about 51 hours a year in traffic. So think about that as more than a weeks worth of a vacation you sit staring at your windshield,” Bak said.
read ... Stuck in Traffic
Public land debate not settled
HTH: The Public Land Development Corp. has been repealed and a bill to create a similar agency has died in the state Legislature.
But the debate over what to do with underutilized public lands remains anything but settled.
Rep. Cindy Evans, who introduced the PLDC repeal bill Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed Monday afternoon, said interest in generating revenue from public lands “remains as strong as ever,” though lawmakers are aware of the need to get the public on board following the backlash against the development agency.
“It was a good idea,” Evans, D-Kohala, North Kona, said of the PLDC. “The solution was not a solution that was acceptable to the public.”
Abercrombie made a similar statement when announcing the repeal, which occurred without a bill-signing ceremony.
“As with any new law, public understanding and support are essential,” he said. “In the case of the PLDC, best intentions and the potential for public good could not be reconciled with public concerns.” ....
Lawmakers are taking another swing at a land development bill, though one that has been far less controversial.
House Bill 865 would allow unused school land to be leased with revenue used to upgrade Hawaii’s schools through a three-year pilot program.
Versions of the bill have passed both chambers, and House and Senate leaders are scheduled to meet Thursday to work out the differences.
Lessees would have to use the land for a “public purpose,” according to the bill, with facilities reverting to the Department of Education when the lease ends.
read ... Public land debate not settled
SB1171: Phased archaeological survey bill headed for final vote
SA: Senate negotiators on Wednesday agreed to accept the House draft of the bill, which would allow the phased review of construction projects along corridors or large land areas, in places where access to property is restricted, and when circumstances dictate that construction be done in stages.
The bill now goes before the Senate for a final vote.
read ... Phased archaeological survey bill headed for final vote
Waikiki residents reject possible school closures
SA: State Senate and House negotiators will meet today to seek a compromise on two versions of the proposal, House Bill 865 and Senate Bill 237, and must decide on the plan's fate by Friday.
The proposal hit a potential roadblock this week when City Councilman Ikaika Anderson criticized the proposals as being too similar to the repealed Public Land Development Corp. He introduced a Council resolution urging state lawmakers not to pass them until reaching an agreement on how the city would be compensated for development of their public school lands.
Waikiki opponents, including members of the Waikiki, Diamond Head, Kapahulu and St. Louis Heights neighborhood boards and the Kapiolani Park Preservation Society, also see the bills as an attempt to revive the PLDC and contend that the main goal is to allow private interests to make public land grabs. The language in the bills that discusses the benefits of tapping underused school lands and developing workforce housing is only rhetoric, they say.
Opponents fear that Waikiki schools — especially Jefferson Elementary, which sits on 15 potentially lucrative acres — would become prime targets if the proposals become law. Waikiki and Ala Wai elementary schools would also be susceptible, they say.
The state Department of Education has not identified schools that could be redeveloped, but Assistant Superintendent Raymond L'Heureux acknowledged that some proponents have brought up Jefferson, Waikiki and Ala Wai elementary schools.
"All schools are candidates at this point," he said. "They've got mineral rights in Colorado. In Hawaii, we've got real estate."....
Liz Larson, who lives with her husband and two children in a 530-square-foot Waikiki condo, urges lawmakers to consider the needs of Jefferson's families before approving additional development.
"I'm going to fight for our school. It's very important to our community," said Larson, who recently presented legislators with a 555-signature petition opposing the use of Jefferson School in the pilot program. "We are not in favor of a workforce housing tower with a school in the bottom of it. How would they keep our children safe?"
Jefferson Elem Principal: Open Space Does us no Good
read ... Waikiki residents reject possible school closures
Sex Assaults Settled?
Sen Sam Slom: The state settlement for years of sexual assault at the State DOE School for the Deaf & Blind, was approved by a federal judge and amounts to $5.75 million; $3.75 million for victims, $1 million for attorneys and $1 million for "administration" of the victim money. Shameful!
I tried to get a copy of the investigation report of what actually happened, but no dice; its sealed. Double shame.
Principal Suspended after DUI
HTH: School system officials would not say Wednesday why the administrator had been placed on leave, calling it a personnel matter, but the change in leadership at the school came six days after Simon was ordered to serve out a sentence on a DUI charge dating back to 2009.
Parents were sent a letter this week explaining that Simon would no longer be in charge at the school, said Hawaii Department of Education Director of Communications Donalyn Dela Cruz.
“There hasn’t been any firing,” she said. “A letter may have gone out yesterday. Parents of the school were notified that the current principal is on leave for the remainder of the school year, effective today, April 24.”
read ... Not Fired
SB668: Pass Luke's Law, To Help Care For Hawaii's Autistic Children
CB: As a mother, I felt I only had two options, both with consequences. On the one hand, I could move my son and my family to my parents’ hometown in Connecticut, where a nearby New Haven-based program would likely provide for Luke’s care and services at no cost. On the other hand, I could stay in Hawaii, our home state, that is one of the last in the union to pass insurance coverage for Autism services. Born and raised in Hawaii, Luke loves to play in the ocean; I struggled to imagine taking Luke away from his home that he loves so much. Ultimately, I decided to keep our family here in Hawaii. The burden of such a decision is something none of our local families should have to face.
As a teacher, I have witnessed children go through the lengthy diagnosis and eligibility process with the DOE. Yet despite the process, Autistic students are in the general education class completely unaided. This burdens not only the school, but the child with Autism, and the other students in those classes because the teacher—typically untrained to work with Autistic children—must dedicate inordinate amounts of time to that child. Our schools are not equipped to be the catch-all for the growing number of Autistic children entering our public education system.
Luke’s Law, SB 668 SD2 HD1, could alleviate the burdens upon the public education system by having appropriate diagnosis and efficient therapy if our insurance carriers would cover these services. We know from the 32 states where these services are already covered that the actual cost to the insurance system is low. These 32 states have already recognized the long-term benefits provided to Autistic children and their families. These services make kids better and help them to become productive citizens instead of becoming wards of the state. These states also understand that this legislation provides financial benefits to taxpayers overall.
read ... SB668
Help mentally ill help themselves
SA: Across the nation, 41 other states have found a better way than we have to help the most vulnerable of their mentally ill population. Here, many of those in this group, people who are so ill that they've lost the ability to care for themselves, also have family or loved ones who can intervene on their behalf.
But there's also a relatively small group of people who fall between the cracks and find themselves cycling between homelessness, arrest for misdemeanors, involuntary commitment in the state hospital and then back out again. Each pass through this revolving door leaves them weaker and takes a toll on social services and criminal-justice systems, too.
Hawaii can get on the path toward a solution this legislative session, with the passage of Senate Bill 310, which seeks to make it easier to get a court order ensuring that the patient gets "assisted community treatment." The bill is due for a final hearing today by conferees who are trying to find the best way to phase in the law so that mental health treatment providers can have protocols in place.
read ... Help mentally ill help themselves
Medicare eligibility to spike health care cost for resident
KGI: “Our Medicare Advantage plans are not currently available on Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i, and Lana‘i (and three zip codes on the Big Island) because establishing the needed infrastructure would be cost-prohibitive,” said Laura Lott, director of Community and Public Relations for Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i. “It is a different product with different costs, co-pays, services and benefits.”
To be eligible for a health plan with a Medicare contract, seniors must reside in the Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage service area in which they enroll, according to Lott. Only O‘ahu, Maui, and parts of the Big Island have Kaiser healthcare facilities within 20 miles or 30 minutes of their clients as required by Medicare.
Though Kaiser left Kaua‘i nearly a decade ago, the company still provides individual plan coverage for Kaua‘i residents by contracting with local physicians and hospitals. They fly patients off-island for specialists when necessary.
Medicare policy says providers cannot outsource doctors, and Kaiser would need to invest in a Kaua‘i facility to offer the senior plan here, Lott said. Kaiser says it has no plans to consider opening a facility on Kaua‘i, where it would need to provide emergency services or contract with other facilities.
read ... Medicare eligibility to spike health care cost for resident
Bursting at the Seams: Skyrocketing Enrollment Crowds Campbell High Classrooms
CB: James Campbell High School — the largest public school in the state. With enrollment standing at some 2,820 students, the school’s roughly 160 teachers typically have class sizes nearing — and sometimes surpassing — 40 kids.
read ... Campbell
Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative Searchable Format
DN: HECO PDFs documents so they can't be searched or copied. When you try to use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) you get numerous errors. One letter becomes two different letters, two letters become a single different letter. Spaces and symbols appear in the middle of words.
In 2008 HECO and the State signed the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) Energy Agreement.
This cornerstone document guiding state energy policy is now available for the very first time as a searchable document that can be copied. It is located on the Life of the Land website.
The document contains numerous references to streamlining, giving the utility more power, strengthening the utility's financial picture, as well as inter-island cables, biofuels, Smart Grids and other energy issues.
LINK: HCEI Searchable Format
read ... Transparency vs. Something Else
Rogue agency: The State Procurement Office refuses to meet with State Auditor
DN: Here is a snip from the summary section of today’s report (emphasis in original)
Program and Management Audit of the State’s Purchasing Card
Program, Report No. 10-05
Our 2010 report found the State Procurement Office (SPO) took a hands-off approach to administering the pCard Program by delegating significant responsibilities to executive agencies and failed to establish meaningful performance goals for the program. We concluded that this approach prevented the SPO from fully realizing the pCard Program’s potential. Requests by our office to meet with the SPO to conduct our follow-up were not granted. As a result, we were unable to verify or clarify agency claims in relating to implementation of our recommendations.
What is the pCard program? It appears to be a way for the State to buy stuff on a “credit card”....
REPORT: Auditor: Less Than Half of Audit Recommendations Implemented
KITV: Fewer than half of auditor's recommendations implemented
CB: Hawaii Auditor: State Oversight Of Mainland Prisons Still Lagging
read ... Rogue agency: The State Procurement Office refuses to meet with State Auditor
Protesters' campsite cleared after complaint from TheBus
SA: The city stepped up pressure on members of (de)Occupy Honolulu on Wednesday, removing about six tents and other property from in front of the Blaisdell Center Concert Hall with just 15 minutes' warning.
But hours after the 11:45 a.m. enforcement action, group members had set up new tents on the front lawn of the concert hall and vowed to remain in the vicinity of Thomas Square, where they have camped since fall 2011 in protest of government policies on homelessness and other issues.
City spokesman Jesse Broder Van Dyke said the action was prompted by complaints from Oahu Transit Services, which runs TheBus, that its operations were being disrupted.
Members of (de)Occupy moved their tents in front of the concert hall Monday after they were booted from the makai sidewalk of Thomas Square when the city closed it for renovations at the park. They had moved to the makai sidewalk after being booted from the mauka side of the park, along Beretania Street, two months ago.
"The recent relocation of tents and personal property along the Blaisdell Concert Hall bus bay is creating a safety hazard and is interfering with the orderly management of city property," Broder Van Dyke said.
OTS President Roger Morton said at least nine Route 1 and Route 2 buses pass through the stop every hour. The tents were placed too close to the curb and some of the exit doors of the long, articulated buses were being blocked, he said.
read ... DeTent DeOccupy
Gabbard Wants Labeling Of Genetically Altered Food
CB: The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act (H.R. 1699), would require labeling for GE whole foods and processed foods, including fish and seafood. The measure would direct the FDA to write new labeling standards for GE foods that are consistent with U.S. labeling standards and international standards.
read ... Gabbard Wants Labeling Of Genetically Altered Food
Kaneohe woman wants water leak, mold problem fixed in public housing unit
KHON: Felicia Alimoot, 82, has lived in her one-bedroom apartment for several years and she says she’s never experienced something like this.
The former school bus driver spent months hoping for a response and then called Action Line.
The holes in the bathroom ceiling are just the beginning of the problem. Water leaking from the apartment above created mold, which she says made her sick.
“When I felt myself sick March the 28th, I said something is wrong here. I felt fever, I thought never I would feel fever. But I did,” Alimoot said.
Alimoot says the leak began in December 2012. There were tiny drops, but she didn’t think too much about it. But last month, the water became more of a problem.
“The water pile up in the wall and it’s trying to find its way out so it’s going in the back of my TV, on the bathroom counter,” Alimoot said.
She used nearly every towel she owns to try to soak up the water that eventually ended up on her bathroom floor and behind her refrigerator.
“I have to take everything that’s wet, soaking wet, take them outside and then shoot it down,” Alimoot said.
She asked to be moved to another unit, but none was available.
read ... Public Housing
Hawaii Health Insurance Exchange Guide
ZG: Hawaii has not publically released the formal role, and compensation structure, for agents and brokers selling policies on the Hawai'i Health Connector. Based on public governance meeting notes (March 14, 2013), the Exchange is discussing a model where producers (not acting as official Navigators) would receive a type of compensation, fee or stipend. The Exchange recognizes the importance of agents and brokers in the Exchange, however at the time of writing details have not been decided or released confirming the fee structure and who would pay the fees (exchange vs. carriers).
Navigators, as required by ACA, will be available across Hawaii to assist individuals and small businesses “navigate” the decision-making process required to purchase health insurance or seek qualification for Medicaid. They will also assist individuals who need help accessing the website. Special outreach will be made to Native Hawaiian communities.
read ... Zane's
Hawaii Natural Energy Institute risks losing funding from so-called barrel tax
PBN: The Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, a key research entity that has existed for nearly four decades and is aimed at helping to oversee Hawaii’s attempts to wean itself from imported oil, facilitating green energy scammers is in serious jeopardy of losing crucial funding from the state’s so-called barrel tax....
“Sometimes they bring in $20 million in matching [federal] grants,” State Sen. Mike Gabbard, D-Kapolei-Makakilo-Ewa, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment told PBN. (But not without Dan.)
But the institute faces a June 30 sunset for its barrel tax allocation after legislation to extend the sunset date stalled in the Legislature.
“It is true that that various bills that included language extending our sunset did not make it through the process,” Hawaii Natural Energy Institute Director Richard Rocheleau told PBN in an email. “However, I don’t know if there will be any attempts to fund energy projects via other means and so at this time, I would prefer to wait to discuss this until the session is [done].”
Gabbard noted that the institute’s share of the barrel tax, if nothing is done before June 30, would go into the state’s General Fund.
The institute, which has about 70 people working in various capacities such as research affiliates, technical support staff, core faculty, administration staff and students
read ... Dan is Dead
Maui Mayor Scores 19% Pay Hike, Council 15%
MN: The decisions by the Maui County Salary Commission to increase the salaries of the mayor and County Council members by double-digit percentages give a terrible message to the public and to other county employees.
In February, the commission bumped the mayor's salary up 19 percent, from $114,030 to $135,696 annually. Earlier this month, they decided council members should get a 15 percent raise to $76,475 from $66,500. Council chair will go from $71,500 to $82,225.
The raises are effective July 1.
The raises come at a time when fees, rates and taxes are going up in Maui County.
read ... Bad decision on salaries
Rep. Ward speaks with Dr. Carbone, MD, of the UH Cancer Center
WWW: Representative Gene Ward PhD speaks with Director Michele Carbone, MD, PhD of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. The UH Cancer Center’s consuming passion is to be a world leader in eliminating cancer through research, education and improved patient care.
Watch ... Word With Ward
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