Homeless Proposal Stirs Up Residents

Homeless crowd the covered doorways of Chinatown shops

The recent rally against the city project proposed that would create housing for the "chronically homeless" has stirred up hundreds of people in the vicinity. The project would create 100 units to first get the homeless off the street, then deal with their "problems", such as drugs or alcohol.

The project has even moved some residents of Chinatown, the land where the $10.6 million project was designated, to form the Concerned Citizens committee.

This is proposed project will be doomed if followed through. Not only will the proposed project cost $10.6 million of our tax dollars, but it will also be constructed very close to schools, churches, and other local businesses.

How would you like it if a homeless housing complex was constructed a block from your house or your child's school, all while you'd pay for it with your taxes?

In fact, it's almost better, but not quite, to take Castle and Cooke's idea and shove them in houses on agricultural land.

Lingle Takes Stand Against "Akaka Bill"

The latest version of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2010, dubbed the "Akaka Bill", has raised Governor Linda Lingle's eyebrow. She wonders if the bill is going to far as to make anyone belonging to the "Hawaiian Entity" exempt from state laws, and that it grants that entity "ill-defined powers."

She addressed the point of gambling, as if the bill passed, there would be some dispute as to the question if Hawaiians would be exempt from such anti-gambling legislation, being a sovereign people.

Dan Akaka, of course, pointed out that several hundred other native peoples of the US have had the same level of sovereignty. Akaka and cosponsor Dan Inouye are pleased with the bill's passing in the House and are optimistic about its passing in the Senate.

It would be wise for both parties, the Governor and the senators, to collaborate and reach a compromise. The OHA even offered to assist with negotiations. The Governor "still holds out hope" for a revised bill that she would like to support, just not as extreme.

Governor or HSTA Furlough Plan

In the recent clash between the Governor and HSTA, a solution is finally sought to eliminate furlough Fridays for the DOE once and for all.

On one side, the Governor's plan, costing the state $62 million, would  return "essential" employees to work and teachers would give up nine non-instructional days. And on the other side, HSTA/BOE's plan, costing the state $92 million, would return all DOE employees to work and convert six non-instructional/planning days to teaching days.

The money would be coming from the "rainy-day" and Hurricane Relief funds. The Governor doesn't need to approve the $92 million plan, but she does need to release money for it, which she clearly stated she would not because "the state can't afford" it.

I stand with the Governor. The main priority should be to return students to school for a full school year of 180 days. And that's exactly what her plan does: it intends to bring back the necessary workers to safely operate the school.

And so what if her plan is contingent on abolishing the BOE? It's going to be the decision of the voters, and if it's what we want, so it will be.

DUI Accident? Just Leave the Scene

Recently, Siaosi Feleunga was convicted of fleeing the scene of an accident, second-degree negligent homicide, and driving while having his license revoked because of DUI.

The crash happened over a year ago on December 29, 2008 and it killed motorcyclist Linsay Kane. He claimed it was an accident.

Because there was no blood-alcohol test or test for any drugs in his system at the time of the incident, he cannot be convicted of DUI, which would mean first-degree negligent homicide or possible manslaughter and 20 years in prison. Instead, he was sentenced to only 10 years and about 7,000 in restitution for funeral and medical costs.

By fleeing the scene of the "accident" as claimed by Feleunga, he has escaped a possible additional 10 years in prison.

Feleunga does have the cleanest record either. He has multiple DUI convictions, including a previous hit-and-run crime, killing another innocent driver nearly six months before Kane.

This is a major loophole in the system and severe punishments should be dealt out to those who flee the scene of an accident. If not, the punishment of an accident due to DUI would be cut in half if the criminal simply leaves.

Beachfront Obtructions

Some residents however have had to pay for the erosion from the new lack of the plants. These operations of moving sandbags and new stand to slow the erosion can cost beachfront property owners thousands of dollars.

One of the recent bills to be passed in the State House of Representatives is the bill that would prevent homeowners from encroaching on public beachfront shores with vegetation, HB 1808.  This illegal obtainment of state property obstructs much of the beach and renders it inaccessible to walkers.

Native Beach Naupaka Plant

Many of beachfront landowners claim that the plants, mostly the native naupaka plant, are helping slow and even prevent the erosion of beaches.

When a few of these homeowners were asked to clear the beach walking area, many did as they were told. However, several of them deliberately planted naupaka, and even on state land.

The original bill imposed heavy fines starting at $1000 after failure to comply and other fines for multiple violations or negligence, but modifications have stripped the bill of much of the original content, including that of penalties.

I personally have no problem with this bill because I myself own no beachfront property. On the other hand, the state must be willing to accept any problems from erosion and complaints from residents that will result from the passing of this bill.

Where's the Money Coming From?

The House recently passed the phenomenal health care reform bill, the culmination of nearly a year's hard work by President Obama and many democrats.

However, although I support many of the primary objectives of this bill, to increase coverage, options, and decrease costs, I'm not so sure about the effects, both short-term and long-term, this reform bill will have on our economy, which is just barely managing to survive.

With our record-breaking national debt nearly __ trillion dollars, in addition to our gargantuan annual budget deficit, both of which the government has managed to rack up in the last decade, incoming funds are substantially less than outgoing funds.

This means a steady, annual growth of our debt, most of which is to China. Even with miraculously low interest rates, the debt has accumulated nearly out of control thanks to a yearly contribution from the deficit.

And I'm afraid, I truly am, of the effect that even more money being pumped out from Capitol Hill will have upon our economy. Dire action will soon be called upon to make up for these and other mistakes that have shattered our economy.

Of course, I'd have no problem with the bill whatsoever if the government would care to tell us where the money is coming from.

HB 2381 v SB 2712: Construction for Credit

Under this new bill proposed by Rep. Sharon Har, a 4% tax credit would go toward the costs of planning, building, and materials for home remodeling.

So far, the bill has no cap on the savings per year, and so it also has yet to specify the amount that the bill would cost the state's tax revenues. The bill is aimed at years 2011 to 2013.

The bill is looking hopeful, as it receiving much support from construction firms and the Tax Foundation. However, the Tax Foundation, although lauding the effort to stimulate the economy and create jobs, would prefer a hotel construction tax credit along with Governor Linda Lingle.

SB 2712, favored by Lingle, would give 10% tax breaks to hotel and tourism construction projects anywhere from $10 million to $100 million.

Hotels and tourism make up a large portion of Hawaii's economy, and so would generate about $1.5 billion in construction, with the state losing about 10% of that.

According to Linda Smith, Lingle's senior policy advisor, it could create over 20,000 jobs (that's more than the rail) once the new hotels were built, as well as the jobs in the construction industry.

If the House is wise, it will pass this bill that will create thousands of badly needed jobs in a dwindling economy .

Too Close, Too Late

The City was notified a year ago that the rail project would run too close to the airport. And look what's happened: a delay that is costing the city millions of dollars. This $5.3 billion dollar project is encroaching on something called the runway protection zone. By doing this, the project puts in jeopardy future federal improvement grants for the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is refusing, and rightfully so, to approve the rail plan because it obstructs one of the runways.

First of all, the city needs to file Form 7460 with the FAA so that they can do an airspace study. But instead, the city likes running its own airspace studies and wasting our money.

One solution is to change the route that the rail will follow so that it is closer to, if not on top of, the Nimitz viaduct, but that could take anywhere from three to six months, according to some estimates, to rewrite the plans and get approval. The delays would also heavily cost the city, which, as we all know, gets its money from taxpayers with the additional 0.5% surcharge. Another solution would be extend the runway opposite of the rail, depending on the results of the airspace study.

Either way, it's a lose-lose situation thanks to the city's year-late response to address this problem.

A Prospective Perspective: Electric Cars

 

The all-electric Nissan Leaf

The latest and greatest vehicles on the road will be at Hawaii's biggest car-show, among which will be several electric vehicles that will soon dominate Hawaii's car market. As we begin to move away from petroleum-based vehicles to more energy efficient ones such as hybrid and electric, we are moving closer to Governor Linda Lingle's goal of 70% clean energy by the year 2030.

However, there are still a few smears left on the glass. A few obstacles to mention include price, battery-life, recharging stations, and car size.

On the flip side, depending on gas prices, these cars would cost only about half as much per year compared to electric cars. The number of these electric cars will increase dramatically, according to projections taken from studies. It is estimated that by the year 2020, over 40,000 electric vehicles will be on the roads throughout Hawaii.

These electric cars provide a safe, clean, and renewable energy alternative to that of the gasoline cars of today. As the new era of electric vehicles progresses, a more wide array of choices will arise, such as increased range, the option of hybrids to plug in, and possibly hydrogen fuel cells.

Rod Tam Censured

The Honolulu City Council has censured Rod Tam, who is running for Mayor after his two-term limit on the City Council. In fact, Tam even voted for the censure himself. It is glaringly obvious that he just wants to be mayor and really has little, if any, care as to anything else. He just wanted to pay off the fines so he could run for Mayor. And now he expects us to vote for him? Yeah, right, Mr. Tam.

Then he thinks about coming up the excuse of a few "math errors", or say, $10,000 worth of miscalculations. Oops! Too little, too late. And he still refuses to admit any wrongdoings.

This is a serious wake-up call to politics in Hawaii. How can these politicians stoop so low as to use City funds to reimburse personal meals? This is truly corruption and its finest.

I was reading one of the comments to the original article, and it made a very good point: Mayor Mufi Hannemann has wasted much more money through the Rail Project Delays and other inconveniences.

But, as it goes politics and economics have always been like a child and last night's vegetables, and sometimes, economics just won't go down politics' throat.