Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
April 6
HB 1744 Passes Another Hurdle,GGP Stock Rises,Hawaii’s Hotel Occupancy Remains Anemic,Suspending Little Davis-Bacon Act
HB 1744 passed another hurdle today with the 12-0 vote in favor by the Senate Ways and Means Committee.This turn events is certainly not good for the counties and the citizens of Hawaii.
General Growth Properties shares rose 35% today on speculation that bond holders won’t force GGP into bankruptcy.
Hawaii’s hotel occupancy rates are still anemic.I firmly believe things won’t get better until the overall world economy gets back on its feet. The latter may take a couple years.
Lastly, there was a interesting WHT letter to the editor urging the suspension of Little Davis-Bacon Act wages on all publicly funded construction projects.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
april 5
The General Contractors Association of Hawaii awarded Goodfellow Brothers the 2009 General Contractors Association (GCA) Build Hawai‘i Award for Federal Construction for their outstanding work in constructing Phase III of the Saddle Road improvement project (between m.m 19 and m.m 35).I’m crossing my fingers the DCCA Office Of Administrative Hearings will uphold the bid award to GBI to widen Queen Kaahumanu Highway between Kealakehe Parkway and Kona Int’l Airport. Thus Goodfellow can continue with their excellent road construction track record they have here on the Big Island.
I thought this letter to the editor was extremely spot-on about the need of a joint solution in regards to issue of further telescopes on Mauna Kea. I get the impression from the folks opposed to further telescope development that their voices have not been heard or have been marginalized. However that doesn’t give them the right to be steadfast in their their position. The same applies to pro-telescope folks. Thus I strongly believe both sides need to move beyond sound bites,legal decisions and come to consensus that will benefit not only Mauna Kea but the overall Big Island.
There was some interesting thoughts about the danger Hualalai poses in this WHT article here .However I’m more concerned about Mauna Loa erupting. Especially taking into account that it poses a enormous danger to large swath of Hawaii County.
Kai Landow is continuing to re post my blog postings here.He wants me to stop deleting comments from people opposed to my opinion. Then he claims he’ll stop re posting my blog entries. I strongly feel Kai is trying to hold my blog hostage by his actions. I’ve deleted comments from people in the past of this blog. However I’ve let most comments get posted regardless if they criticized my opinion. But in the case of Kai Landow’s comments I felt he was trying to monopolize my blog. On top of that, it seemed like a echo chamber with him stating the same arguments over and over again. The last straw for me was his insistence insistence that my evidence was not valid. Why should I waste my time trying to argue my position with someone who is steadfast with theirs ?
R.J Mendoza wrote up an excellent blog entry here about this debacle.
Lastly, I’ve received quite a few e-mails raising questions about Hawaii County Council Resolution 66-09.These people assert that this resolution is start of the process of bringing all of the State of Hawaii’s garbage here.
I’ve had a chance to read the resolution and saw the questionable legislative language that raised this concern :
“WHEREAS the potential of a unique opportunity exists of processing the State’s combined solid waste flow into organic composted media for agricultural enhancement and this opportunity occurs best on the island of Hawaii whereby an all encompassing solid waste solution of this scope and specificity could result in significant returns on investments and promote economic and agricultural sustainability”
I think concern about this resolution is unwarranted.For starters it doiesn’t have the force of law, it is simply a policy statement. On top of that, this trash issue is not going to be solved by Hawaii County on its own.The State of Hawaii will have to collectively solve this looming issue. Thus I applaud Councilman Greenwell for having the foresight to introduce this legislation.
Big Island Chronicle also had a interesting commentary here about this proposed resolutionOk Aaron, I see where you’re coming from. Now if there was a “nation within a nation” similar to what the Native Americans have on the mainland- where designated areas would be under the jurisdiction of a Hawaiian governing system- like reservations or something, would you be opposed to that?
Aaron- I would not have a problem with the “nation within a nation” model. However it seems to some sovereignty activists the latter is not acceptable.
OK Aaron let me ask you
Now if there was a “nation within a nation” similar to what the Native Americans have on the mainland- and the Americans put into designated areas that would be under the jurisdiction of a American governing system- like reservations or something, would you be opposed to that?
Why is it Damon, RJ and Aaron you never address why this blog exists?
It's very counter productive.
RJ SAYS:
Are you sure that this is the best way to counter Aaron?
Anonymous: [probably Aaron Stene] It doesn't get much more asinine than this!
Kai: I have got to agree and that is some of your best commentary yet!
First of all you have supported Aaron Stene's unfounded attacks on me. I find it interesting it does not bother you the tactics he uses. I put this blog together a while back when Aaron was making claims about me and then not posting my answers. Including claiming I wasn't answering him. So I posted them on Ma'oli world and I let him post without edit!
What did you do then? Did you say Come on Aaron. if you go after someone you should give them a chance to answer? No,You attacked me for posting the forum on Ma'oli world! Damon attacked me for posting "Aaron Stene declares war on the sovereignty movement" OK that was a little harsh but I backed up what I said with this quote.
Aaron- In a way I do oppose the Hawaiian sovereignty movement. I don’t think its right to forcibly try to to reverse the clock
back to before 1893. As you are aware a lot has changed here, for better and worse, over the last century. In other words its
too late to change things back.On that note, I would fight any attempt to return the monarchy.
That's pretty harsh too and he has to take his cracks if he's going to make public statements like that. perhaps you guys can not see the full measure of colonialism and hate that lies in that statement. It is not even the fighting words, but the "Reverse the Clock" because that is filled with the propagandist thinking of American oppression. I don't care where Aaron Stene was born [He claims to be a Kama'aina] he's an American and he is trashing my country! Nobody asked his opinion!
Does he have a right to his opinion? Sure he can do whatever he likes. But why does anyone in the world know about this blog? Because in an effort to provoke me Aaron Stene posted "Kai Landow strikes again" and put a link to this blog which has sat fallow until and unless he starts this stupidity again!
Do you have any criticism for Aaron coming into a Charlie Foster's blog in which an intelligent discourse was going on. We didn't agree but there was a polite thoughtful back and forth. I do not know which of you is "ManaWai" but you know who you are. His post where there to disrupt and if I wanted to continue to argue Conklin's revisionist history then I would have continued to blog with him.
At the core of this is an interesting problem. Bullying people on blogs is an effective way in ending debate. I was happy to answer you guys and I answered RJ. I think RJ and I can reach an understanding, though I continue to be disappointed that he doesn't repudiate the tactics of Aaron Stene.
I do publicly apologise for anyone in my government who opposes the right of Gays and Lesbians and I personally fully support their equal rights and right to marriage.
So what is your motivation? I can only think Ululani is right and you seek ratings, because it is a hit and run style [not RJ]. So what is fair for me to do in response?
I still wait for you to address these issues. why do you avoid answering this point? I would point out that I wasn't attacking Aaron in this blog [just posting it] and what is the injury here. Do you think he might suffer if people have a chance to answer his pontificating?
OK you can criticise me, can you create solutions? I doubt it. So what Damon is productive? But I will in your absence of your positive suggestions.
I will cease this Blog when you simply agree to at least post all replies by the people you go after, simple Yes?
Fair? Yes!
Kai Landow
Saturday, April 4, 2009
april 4
Kamuela attorney Margaret Wille informed me about a upcoming hearing on HB 1744. This proposed legislation will suspend the dispersal of the counties share of the Transient Accommodation Tax for 6 years.The Senate Ways and Means Committee will be voting on this legislation on Monday at 9:30am.
“HB1744: LEGISLATIVE ALERT:
ON 4/6 9:30 A.M. SENATE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON TAKING COUNTIES’ TAT REVENUES
RE: STATE LEGISLATION HB1744 (WOULD TAKE AWAY THE COUNTIES PORTION OF THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATION TAX ) HAWAII COUNTY IS ALREADY FACING A 32 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL. LOSS OF THIS TAT TAX REVENUE WOULD RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET SHORTFALL OF ABOUT 18 MILLION DOLLARS. THE POSSIBILITY OF A 50 MILLION DOLLAR COUNTY DEFICIT WOULD HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL COUNTY PROGRAMS.”
I equally concur that if this legislation passes it will be fiscally disastrous for every county in this state. For example, Hawaii County will be forced to do deeper budget cuts.It will also probably force the county to do furloughs and possibly layoffs (or may be both).
On a related note, KITV reported last night about Sen. Donna Kim’s proposal that would allow the counties to impose a 1% sales tax.This is absolutely the wrong time to be imposing additional taxes on Hawaii’s citizens. Especially since our economy is rapidly going into a black hole. Thus I strongly believe that government should be downsizing, not imposing additional taxes on us.
Former Hawaii County Councilman Leningrad Elarionoff wrote up a interesting letter to the editor about the misplaced complaints about the $ 21,000 spent on the Hawaii County council’s trip to the NACO conference in Washington D.C.He astutely pointed out there is bigger fat in the county budget than this trip expenditure.I only spoke up about this this illogical trip because it seemed the future of the council holding future meetings in West Hawaii was threatened.
Kai Landow has finally updated the blog which I mentioned about yesterday. It seems he wants to copy the content from my blog on to this new blog as retribution for my negative comments about Leon Siu’s outlandish Hawaii ceded lands commentary.I’m not sure if there is any way I can stop him from doing this. As the Creative Commons license allows sharing as long as its non commercial,properly attributed and not altered or transformed. Thus I’ll probably let him continue on with his little power trip.
It seems I must’ve irritated him greatly after spotting his impostor blog yesterday. I got that impression after reading the reader comments to this blog posting.
Lastly, there was a pretty good letter to the editor expressing support for the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.
Kona Blog April 3
It appears that General Growth Properties is at cusp of having to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. GGP has failed thus far to convince bond holders to give a reprieve on repaying 2.25 billion dollars in debt.In response to this impasse they’ve extended the deadline to change the minds of the bond holders. However I strongly believe that is delaying the inevitable. William Ackman, who controls 25% of GGP stock, has even gone on record that GGP should file for bankruptcy.
I noticed this article about HBOS souring foreign investments during my web surfing today. It certainly would’ve been interesting if there was any mention of the Hokulia project in this article.As HBOS is a major financial backer of the overall Hokulia project. However disappointingly there was no mention of HBOS financial stake in Hokulia.
Hopefully HBOS will be able to resume funding for this project. Thus the incomplete infrastructure and the rest of the Hokulia bypass can be completed.
Attorney Charley Foster did a interesting blog entry about a possible sovereignty defense that a Native Hawaiian could use to fight a traffic citation.Kai Landow commented on Charley’s legal argument under the reader comments. I also noticed he has created a blog with a title “Aaron Stene Answered.” This blog is likely in response to my criticism of Leon Siu’s outlandish Hawaii ceded lands commentary.However the latter blog is empty of any content.
I’m utterly disgusted by Rep. Bertram’s assertion that soliciting sex online is a imaginary crime.I guess he hasn’t seen Chris Hansen’s “To Catch a Predator” MSNBC series.
Lastly, Richard Ha blogged more here about the upcoming BLNR vote on the Mauna Kea Comprehensive Management Plan.