GaryHooser's Blog

Today’s missive is about the reality of a primary election in which voters start casting ballots in less than 100 days. That’s right, on or about the first week in July overseas absentee voters will get their ballots, and then shortly thereafter every voter in Hawaii will get their ballot in the mail as well.

If you are a political junky, candidate, or one of those very special people who are helping candidates read on. The rest of you will likely want to turn the page.

For new candidates – I suggest you get moving, get those signs and banners up, and start knocking on doors.

I speak of course to the all-important primary election which is a make-or-break moment for legislative candidates in the House and Senate. For nonpartisan council races, the campaign for many continues on to the general election of November 8th.

Below is a calendar of key dates, election facts, and some historical data mixed together with just light touch of opinion and friendly editorializing.

May 5th – Legislative session ends

Voters and various advocacy organizations will begin preparing their “legislative scorecards” intended to inform voters about legislator actions and inactions. SuperPacs will likewise now begin to prepare their “hit pieces” in anticipation of attacking candidates they hope to defeat, who have failed to live up to their promises.

June 7 – Candidate filing deadline

All serious candidates should have already filed long before this. Candidates filing on the final day will often be those playing games. One such game involves the long-time incumbent announcing on this date they will not be running for reelection. A family member or favored friend then shows up and files on this same day – and as a result, runs unopposed.

June 29 – Deadline for Clerk’s Offices to mail ballots to overseas voters

This means ballots must be printed and prepared for mailing in 22 very short days. An ambitious timeline to say the least. It also means that people start voting in the first week of July.

July 26 – The latest day that voters can receive their Primary Election ballots in the mail. The law says ballots must be received at least 18 days prior to the election.

It’s important to note that this date refers to the final day ballots must be received and NOT the date when most will actually be received.

In 2020, primary election ballots were mailed out to voters on July 14. Consequently, some residents began casting their votes as early as July 17th and 18th, a full three weeks prior to the August 8th 2020 primary.

Of the 406,425 people who voted in the 2020 Hawaii primary election, 400,952 cast their vote using a mail-in ballot. While some preferred to drive their ballot to the elections office to drop it off in person, the majority voted from home via mail.

Pew Research analyzed national voting patterns for the 2020 general election and reported that 76% of mail-in ballot voters returned their ballots at least a week before Election Day.

51% of all registered voters turned out to vote in the 2020 primary election.

Translation: 388,058 ballots were literally left on the table. They presumably simply sat on kitchen tables or in a pile of unopened mail until they were lost or thrown away.

It gets worse, or better if you’re a candidate seeking opportunity. 30% of eligible voters in Hawaii are not even registered, adding several hundred thousand more untapped votes on to that same proverbial kitchen table.

August 1 – Voter service centers open and same-day voter registration begins.

Those voters who prefer to not mail in their ballots may personally drop off ballots and or vote in person. In addition, Hawaii first-time voters may simply walk into the voting center, register, and then vote.

August 13 – Primary election day or the final day to vote

Candidates – this is where you go to find out more: https://elections.hawaii.gov/candidates/candidate-filing/

And, if you hope to be successful, I suggest you not dally further.

It really shouldn’t be this hard. My intent today was to write something positive and uplifting. But I’m struggling to do so.

Yes, I am blessed, many would say entitled. My health is good, and I have a beautiful and growing family (a new granddaughter is due next month). I have a solid roof over my head, fruit trees in the back, and a family of Shama Thrush in the front. I’ve got my friend Max.

What’s there not to like? Why is it so hard today to be positive and uplifting?

Well, for starters there are those folks living under the bridge. Today I got an email from a friend attempting to find a home for a woman who is 9 months pregnant and living on the beach.

What kind of community do we live in that allows this to even be an issue?

We are surrounded by enormous wealth yet our government leaders refuse to spend the money needed to provide that young pregnant woman, and others in similar straits, the safety of a dry safe place to sleep?

We have plantation-era land barons, international chemical companies, corporate heavy hitters, real estate developers, hotel resort owners, and the billionaire part-timers whose mansions dot our coastlines.

If government budgets are lacking the funds needed to care for the most vulnerable among us, why not increase taxes on those at the very top in order to help those at the very bottom?

But of course, that’s not going to happen. It’s called the golden rule. Those who have the gold rule.

Hawaii’s oligarchs, both wealthy individuals and corporate power-brokers support the political elite with money, and with networks that connect the politicians to more money. The money is legally contributed to campaigns and SuperPacs. Some give their cash directly to politicians via consulting and legal fees. The clumsy and the arrogant stuff cash into envelopes, pass it in the shadows and wind up in jail.

Our current system requires increasing amounts of money to win elections and climb the political ladder. The wealthy and the corporate offer politicians access to money, the fuel needed to achieve their ambitions.

That pregnant woman desperately in search of a house? She offers them nothing.

The 23% of residents that work more than one job just to survive? They likewise add no value to the political elite. No value at all.

Kūpuna on fixed incomes in need of vision, hearing, or dental care? Nope, keep moving, nothing to see here.

I’m hoping you are starting to get it, why it’s a bit hard today to be positive and uplifting.

But it really doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. We have many good people serving in public office. We just need more of them.

There is no shortage of wealth; financial, intellectual, and cultural. The issues before us are not insurmountable.

We just need to do it. The climate is right, the stage is set. We just need to jump on it and put our pedal to the metal over the next 4 months.

On August 13th we will have the opportunity to elect some incredibly strong individuals at all levels, County, State, and Federal.

Kim Coco Iwamoto is without a doubt one of the strongest. She is smart, value-centered, and fearless. She is running to unseat Speaker of the House, Scott Saiki (McCully, Kakaako, Downtown), and came within 167 votes of winning in 2020.

She has a proven track record of community service and is eminently qualified by experience, education, and demeanor.

Without exaggeration, Kim Coco’s election to the State House will change the conversation in the entire state legislature – and not just small kine. Her voice, her intellect, and her unwavering commitment will by itself move the needle toward people and the planet.

Let’s make this happen. Visit https://www.kimcoco.com today, and offer to help.

There’s lots to do.

We need to help Kim Coco win, and we need to find that young woman and her newborn that’s on the way a home.

Then, on August 14th we can go to work on getting money out of politics, campaign finance reform, and publicly funded elections.

There, I feel better now.

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser
*Action/Testimony Needed Before 04-04-22 10:15AM In Strong Support Of HB2510 SD1 increasing the minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026 – Fortunately, Senator Brian Taniguchi has amended this measure to now be worthy of strong support. Go online, Register, Sign-in, and testify in support of HB2510 Here!

Gambling with the needs of working families over who gets credit and how many crumbs to brush off the table is a sad and despicable testament to how far our House has fallen.

Speaker of the House Scott Saiki and Labor Committee Chair Richard Onishi continue to refuse a public hearing for SB2018 which increases the minimum wage in incremental steps from the present $10.10 to $18 in 2026. This measure passed the Senate almost unanimously and received supportive testimony from the governor. The House has blocked SB2018 for over 60 days while pushing their inferior HB2510.

It’s clear that Speaker Saiki’s goal is to force HB2510 into the conference committee process in order to demand the Senate pass “his bill” or no bill at all.

I was hoping that Finance Chair Sylvia Luke would step up and lead on this but unfortunately, so far she has not. While she did strengthen somewhat HB2510, her failure to insist on the passage of SB2018 continues the game of “chicken” between the House and Senate.

Don’t let anyone tell you anything different. If Representative Sylvia Luke the Chair of the powerful House Finance Committee wants this to happen, it will happen. While Speaker Saiki holds the title, at the minimum these two individuals are co-equal when it comes to power and control in the House.

Please take a moment to reach out to Finance Chair Sylvia Luke, Labor Chair Richard Onishi, and House Speaker Scott Saiki – today. Ask them politely and professionally to stop the games and do what’s right on behalf of workers – schedule and pass SB2018.

Gary Hooser http://www.garyhooser.com
Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative https://ponohawaiiinitiative.org

Note: Are you a small business owner who believes you can grow a successful business while not harming people and the planet? If so, please consider joining the recently formed Hawaii “Chamber of Sustainable Commerce”. https://www.chamberofsustainablecommerce.org

SB555 is scheduled for Thursday March 31 at 2pm. Testimony in support with the amendment listed below is suggested. Testimony must arrive 24 hours before the hearing…though late testimony is accepted.

SB555 SD1 Relating to Campaign Fundraising
Testifying in Strong Support with Amendments

Aloha Chair and members of the committee,

The Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative (PHI) is testifying in support with suggested amendments to SB555 SD1.

SB555 SD1 is a good start but is not enough and should be amended to emulate Virginia state law which prohibits not just the holding of fundraisers but bans the “solicitation or acceptance” of campaign contributions during the session.

(c) During any regular session or special session including any extension of any regular session or special session and any recess days, holidays, and weekends, no legislator, or a person employed by or acting on behalf of a legislator, shall solicit or accept any campaign contribution.

Currently, 28 states place restrictions on giving and receiving campaign contributions during the legislative session.

Va. Code § 24.2-940. No member of the General Assembly or statewide official shall solicit or accept a contribution from any person or political committee on and after the first day of a regular session of the General Assembly through adjournment sine die of that session.

Thank you again for moving this important legislation forward and I respectfully request your positive consideration of the above amendment.

Mahalo for the opportunity to testify,

Gary Hooser
Executive Director
Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative

You really, really, really – need to watch this 7-minute video.

Produced by two of our very own, born and raised keiki o ka ‘āina, Chris Ka’iakapu and Racquel Jaclyn Segato-Figueroa – this video will both make you proud and hopefully motivate you to take action.

Two young people from our community motivated only by their own personal values and passion to make a difference – initiated, developed, and produced this powerful message,

I’m thinking they probably don’t realize how impactful their actions will prove to be. They’ve dropped not a pebble, but a sizable boulder into the water and now we’ll see how far those ripples will go.

The topic of their 7-minute presentation is the proposed multi-billion-dollar HDR-H radar facility at Pacific Missle Range Facility (PMRF) on Kauai’s west side. The tools they rely on are just the facts presented in a straightforward manner. There is no political posturing, grandstanding, or groundless accusations. Just the facts presented by two young people with nothing to gain except their future.

Too many of us shirk from the responsibility and hide from the risks that accompany leadership. It’s so much easier to just stay home, hang out on the beach, and throw rocks from a distance at those who do step up.

Watch the video to see for yourself. The moderators, one from the west side and the other from the north, seek only to inform and educate the viewer. None of the production is about them, but only about the facts and circumstances surrounding this important issue facing our community.

They put this all together. They took it upon themselves to initiate and implement this effort. They are now compelled to follow it through and we are compelled to join them.

They may not realize it themselves, but they are leaders. And for that, we as a community should be thankful. Given the dearth of genuine leadership in our world today, we should celebrate and support these two and others who on occasion step forward to embrace the obligation and accept the risk.

If you think as I do that the information presented is compelling, please then forward the link and share your thoughts on the issue with family and friends, AND with our Congressional Delegation.

Senator Brian Schatz https://www.schatz.senate.gov/contact
Senator Mazie Hirono https://www.hirono.senate.gov/share-your-opinion
Representative Ed Case https://case.house.gov/forms/writeyourrep/
Representative Kai Kahele https://kahele.house.gov/contact

And, when you see Chris and Racquel at the market, please tell them thank you – and offer to help.

Their actions have inspired me, and I hope likewise will inspire you.

We do not want to lose the ability to testify remotely and be forced once again to incur the high cost of flying to Honolulu for our 2 or 3 minutes of testimony. Please testify in support! Resolution SCR 60 will be heard Tuesday at 9:30am in the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

Testimony is needed 24 hours in advance. Resolution SCR 60 is needed to allow virtual testimony, hearing recordings, and internet broadcasts of hearings beyond periods of catastrophic events.

Testify before Monday, March 28th at 9:30am!

The U.S. is the largest supplier of arms on the planet and has more military bases deployed in more countries than any other country in human history.

Testimony in Support of HCR 91 and HR 85  
 
“DECLARING OVER MILITARIZATION TO BE A THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF HAWAII AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND URGING PRIORITIZATION OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN THE UNITED STATES’ RESPONSE TO THE UKRAINIAN CONFLICT AND INCREASED EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION.”

Aloha Committee Chair and Members,

While I only became aware of HCR 91 and HR85 this morning, I am compelled to offer this late testimony in support of the basic premise that the excessive militarism of Hawaii and the planet is not healthy for children and other living things (paraphrased from ‘Another Mother for Peace (AMP).

The U.S. is the largest supplier of arms on the planet and has more military bases deployed in more countries than any other country in human history.

To be clear, I am not a pacifist and I believe in a strong defense. I also believe that there are individuals in the world who are unstable and will bring harm to others if not stopped. I believe that sometimes force is required to protect the innocent, however force must be used only as a last resort and diplomacy must always be the primary path used to resolve differences.

Yes to a strong defense. No to the obscene amount of weapons the U.S. sells and deploys around the world and in Hawaii.

Hawaii’s military footprint must be reduced, not expanded. There is no question that the extensive presence of the military in Hawaii increases the likelihood of Hawaii being a military target.

O’ahu has seven major military facilities:

–Headquarters of the Indo-Pacific Command at Camp Smith, Aiea,
–Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Headquarters of U.S. Pacific Fleet
–Hickam Air Force Base and Headquarters of the U.S. Air Force Pacific
–Fort Shafter, Headquarters of the U.S. Army Pacific
–Kaneohe Marine Base,
–Schofield Barracks 25th Infantry Division Army Installation
–Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
 
Kaua`i has the large Pacific Missile Test Facility (PMRF) and currently there are plans to further expand this facility.
 
Hawaiʻi Island has the massive Pōhakuloa Training Area/Bombing Range.
 
Maui – Department of Defense computer system

The U.S. is the largest arms dealer in the world.

“The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) came out with its annual analysis of the global arms trade this week and as usual, the United States was the number one weapons exporter by a large margin. For the five years from 2017 to 2021, the U.S. accounted for 39 percent of major arms deliveries worldwide, over twice what Russia transferred and nearly 10 times what China sent to its weapons clients. In addition, the U.S. had far more customers – 103 nations, or more than half of the member states of the United Nations.” Forbes Magazine March 18, 2022

The U.S. has more military bases in more countries around the world, than any other country in human history.

“…some 750 American military facilities remain open in 80 nations and territories around the world. No other country in human history has had such a dominant presence…America also has three times as many installations as all other countries combined. The United Kingdom has 145. Russia two to three dozen. China five.” Cato Institute

“…the United States garrisons the planet unlike any country in history, and the evidence is on view from Honduras to Oman, Japan to Germany, Singapore to Djibouti…While there are no freestanding foreign bases permanently located in the United States, there are now around 800 US bases in foreign countries.” The Nation

Thank you for the opportunity to support HCR 91 and HR 85. I am hopeful that the Committee will pass this important measure and allow the discussion to continue.

Sincerely,

Gary Hooser

*Note: HCR91 was heard in committee and deferred (killed) without a public vote. There were 18 testimonies in support and ZERO testimonies in opposition. File this in the “Can’t make this stuff up and/or why am I not surprised” category.

County property tax policy should support locally owned and operated businesses, the same way they support local homeowners who live in their homes or who rent at defined affordable rates.

Though the below is written primarily for a Kaua‘i audience, the proposed tax policy strategies apply to all Counties.

The County Council’s review of the fiscal year 2023 budget is the most important task now facing them. While representing the priorities of Mayor Kawakami’s administration the Council has the full legal authority to amend the budget as they see fit, and to “make it their own”.

Historically, for better or worse, the Council has simply nibbled around the edges during the budget review, without making substantial amendments.

But they could. They could be bold. They could be innovative.

The Maui Council for example, has reduced funding slated for tourism support and moved those funds to a program that provides micro-grants to small local farmers. The Council also, during that same budget period significantly increased property taxes on Maui hotels and resorts.

The visitor industry screamed bloody murder and the small farmers said thank you.

Since then, no hotels have left Maui because the taxes are too high. Their beaches and roadways likewise remain crowded with visitors even though the County has reduced its marketing support.

We should do the same here on Kauai: Increase the property tax on hotels and resorts and on other foreign corporate entities who do business here, benefit from our natural environment, and utilize County services while exporting their profits to the continent or other foreign lands.

The property tax structure is a powerful public policy tool. It’s also the primary revenue producer for the County.

Owner-occupied homes pay the lowest property tax rate. In essence, the County protects and subsidizes owner-occupied properties shifting the property tax burden onto other classifications and uses. This is a basic example of utilizing tax policy to support a social objective, that benefits local residents.

In recent years our Council and Mayor have utilized this same public policy tool to incentivize affordable residential rentals. In essence, the owners of residential rental properties who change rents at defined affordable rates (and complete the necessary paperwork), also receive the lowest property tax rates.

The policy supports local families who live here and rewards property owners for renting to local residents at “below market” rates. Conversely, the policy shifts much of the cost of running the County to absentee investor owners who do not live here and who choose to maximize their profits by charging higher rents.

This public policy direction should be both applauded and expanded.

Why not have a similar property tax policy for businesses? A local restaurant or retail store, whose owners live here and who keep their profits here, should pay a lower tax rate than a corporate fast-food chain or big box store that has zero local ownership and who export their profits elsewhere.

Likewise, property owners who lease their commercial properties at affordable rates to aspiring local entrepreneurs should also be charged lower rates as an incentive and reward for helping to support small local businesses.

Ditto to agricultural lands. Small locally owned farms should pay much less than multinational corporate agribusiness.

And to those worried that these large companies will flee the islands due to our high property taxes, somehow I don’t think that is likely. To my knowledge, no hotel, no fast food store, no big box store, and certainly no GMO conglomerate has ever complained about our property taxes being too high.

It’s called a progressive tax policy. Those who have more, pay more.

We support and subsidize local homeownership and affordable residential rentals, why not do the same for locally owned small businesses?

Please call AND email TODAY: Speaker Scott Saiki 586-6100 repsaiki@Capitol.hawaii.gov
AND Labor Chair Richard Onishi 586-6120 reponishi@Capitol.hawaii.gov

SB2018 which gradually increases the minimum wage to $18 by 2026 and does not increase the tip penalty must get posted for a hearing today by the House Labor Committee, or by House rules it will die.

Please also if you have the time:

Contact your district Representative (all are listed here), especially if they are a member of the Labor Committee or part of the House Leadership Faction.

Tell them to please post a hearing for SB2018 which gradually increases the minimum wage to reach $18 in 2026 and does not increase the tip penalty for restaurant workers. This bill passed almost unanimously out of the Senate and Governor Ige testified in support.

Heads Up: The response you receive from your Representative will be “We have another ‘vehicle’ in HB2510 so the minimum wage issue is still alive. We just prefer the House Bill.”

To be clear: HB2510 is an inferior bill and the House is playing games with the Senate. HB2510 delays the $18 increase until 2028 AND it dramatically increases the tip penalty which hurts restaurant workers.

Please send the message loud and clear to the House. No games. Schedule and pass SB2018 without amendments now. Hawaiʻi workers deserve it.

Here’s something you can do today, that is truly important. And please, don’t doubt for a moment the importance of your voice, and/or our collective voices – because they matter.

HB2510 HD2 increasing the minimum wage via phased-in incremental steps and reaching $18 in 2028, has been scheduled for its first Senate hearing tomorrow, Monday 03/21 at 3:15 pm.

Unfortunately, HB2510 HD2 which has crossed over from the House still falls short of SB2018 (the Senate proposal the House has refused to schedule).

Not only does HB2510 HD2 fail to achieve $18 until 2028 but it also increases the tip penalty to $2.75 (a 367% increase) harming tipped workers. The bill does expand the state earned income tax credit (EITC), which is a good thing and definitely adds value to the package.

Your testimony in support of strengthening HB2510 HD2 is important – today Sunday before 3 pm if possible, but late testimony is also acceptable.

My plan is to testify in support with two amendments.

No expansion of the Tip Penalty
Incremental increases that reach $18 by 2026
Yes, I prefer that the Tip Penalty be eliminated entirely and the wage increased to an actual living wage sooner – but I also know that compromise is necessary.

Increasing the minimum wage in Hawaiʻi to $18 per hour by 2026, without increasing the Tip Penalty, will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of all working people.

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Thank you to Raise Up Hawaiʻi for this action alert!

Please sign-up to testify over zoom, or plan to testify in person at the capitol. Now is the time to use every chance we have to show support.

Hearing: Mon., March 21, 3:15 PM
Testimony Due: Sun., March 20, 3:15 PM (late testimony also accepted)
*******************************************************
Please take the time today to submit your testimony. If possible, please also “show up” at the hearing on Monday via Zoom or in person at the Capitol.

If this is your first time submitting testimony or you are unfamiliar with the process, please follow these simple steps:

Go to the Capitol Website https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov and Register
After you have Registered then SIGN IN
After you Sign In then go to Submit Testimony
Next – see on upper left “Enter Bill or Measure” – enter HB2510
Follow the instructions from here!
 
Mahalo for being involved and taking action.