WARD OPPOSES DUMBING DOWN THE STATE WORKFORCE

Rep. Gene Ward (R-Hawaii Kai-Kalama Valley) said today on the House Floor that HB 1868 HD1 would dumb down the State government like the furloughs are dumbing down our kids.

The bill would prohibit civil service employees who accept an appointed position from returning to their civil service positions for one year. Ward criticized it for being too political and against the best interests of the State.

"There's no reason why people with appointed positions shouldn't be allowed to serve again until one year lapses," Ward said. "What's the point? All it accomplishes is the dumbing down of the government at a time when we need the best and most experienced people working to get us back on the right track."

Pearl Imada Iboshi, the current Deputy Director for the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, was presented as an example of the kind of people that would be prohibited from returning to a civil service position for one year. She was appointed by Gov. Linda Lingle. But as soon as Lingle's term is over, Iboshi will automatically lose her position.

Imada served as the state's chief economist since 1995 and has been a member of the Council on Revenues since 1997. Her highest level of education is a doctorate in economics from the University of Hawaii. Ward described her as an archive of information.

"Because of HB 1868, she won't be able to return to be the state's chief economist when Lingle's term is over," Ward said. "For a year, we're all going to lose her institutional knowledge and expertise. And it'll all be because of a silly, partisan rule that goes against logic and the best interests of the public."

(HB 1868 HD1 passed out of the House today.)

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(EDITOR'S NOTE:  Geee, that makes for a lot of people whose future employment prospects depend entirely on the election of Duke Aiona....) 

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Republican Caucus Unanimously Voted Against Pay Raises

Honolulu – The House Republican Caucus unanimously voted against pay raises for leaders in the Department of Education today.  House Bill 2306, H.D.2  would raise the pay of the State  Superintendent and the State Librarian.  The pay could rise as high as $230,000.

“We should not be talking about a pay raise for anyone that is employed by the taxpayers at a time when people are out of jobs, have lost their homes or have taken huge pay cuts,” said Representative Kymberly Pine (Iroquois Point, Ewa Beach, Puuloa).  “Instead we need to use state money to do everything we can to focus on creating jobs and keeping people in their homes.”  The measure passed the Hawaii House of Representatives and now crosses over to the Senate.

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