GaryHooser's Blog

I’ll start with the very good news, move to more good news, stray into an area of trepidation, and end with an ask for help.

HB2464 “Stand Your Ground” was “recommitted” in the State House of Representatives on Tuesday 03/08, and therefore is officially “dead”.

Translation: During the private “majority caucus” meeting held prior to the actual floor vote a majority of the members present told Speaker Scott Saiki “I’m not going to risk my election on this stupid bill, it’s bad politics, bad policy, and bad leadership asking me to vote in support.”

Ok. A majority most likely didn’t really say that out loud. But spoken or unspoken that was no doubt the sentiment expressed and consequently HB2464 was killed. Only Rep. Val Okimoto (R-Mililani) and Rep. James Tokioka (D- Kauaʻi) chose to go down with the ship and voted against killing it.

HB2464 is dead because many of you took the time to send an email or two. Trust me on this. A flurry of emails and telephone calls from constituents to those Representatives who had previously voted Yes, made the difference.

In case you missed it, here is my original blog post pulling back the curtain on HB2464 Hawaiʻi Right-Wing Democrats At Work. Here is an excellent column published in the StarAdv A Hawaiʻi Stand Your Ground Law Would Encourage Violence.

Thank you so, so much to those of you who took the time to make the call and send the email. Your effort paid off.

Ditto on minimum wage. Your testimony, your email and your phone calls made a huge difference.

While the House vehicle HB2510HD2 still falls short of the preferred Senate SB2018, it was greatly improved. The $18 threshold is now set to be reached in 2028 instead of 2030, and the first increment now goes to $13 on January 1, 2023. Unfortunately, the House version continues to expand the tip penalty for restaurant workers.

HB2510HD2 will now “cross over” to the Senate where it will undergo further committee hearings. SB2018 has already crossed but has yet to be scheduled for hearings in the House.

If either bill is approved during the upcoming committee hearings “as is” without any further amendments, that measure will then be sent to the governor for approval or veto. If either or both bills are further amended, that will trigger the “conference committee” process.

The conference committee process essentially occurs in a “black box” with negotiations between the House and Senate occurring behind closed doors. At the conclusion of these backroom discussions, a decision is simply announced to the public. Either the measure is killed and both sides blame each other, or it’s passed with possible further amendments, with both sides taking credit.

To be clear, the conference committee hearings are publically posted and meetings are open to the public (but the public is not allowed to speak). There is a charade of transparency but the process is fraught with minefields, prone to mischief, and rife with obfuscation. Legislators attempting to work both political sides of the issue are able to kill a bill just by not agreeing to any proposal put forth by the other side.

Because the process is mostly conducted in a black box and out of the public view – no one ever knows the real reasons the bill died.

Over 500 bills are now in the process of “cross over”. In the coming days, I will attempt to highlight those measures considered to be priority bills by advocates in various subject matter areas.

Until then mahalo and a hui hou.

Gary Hooser ()
Executive Director
Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative ()

*Can you help? As Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative (PHI) prepares to enter the second quarter of 2022, I would be remiss if I did not reach out in advance to request fundraising support. If you are able to make an online contribution today, that would go a long way toward reducing our stress and giving us the confidence needed to move forward as aggressively as possible.

In addition to our basic and pretty minimal day-to-day admin costs, we need to “build the bank” in preparation for the coming primary election.

We know for certain that big business, big development, and big tourism will be targeting many of our friends now holding elective office. We must be prepared to support them AND several new candidates who are stepping up to run for election this year.

All funds raised will be used to promote our endorsed candidates and for other expenses permitted under our 501c4 status.

PHI is a 501c4 nonprofit organization however because we are involved in aggressive advocacy and we endorse candidates statewide – contributions are NOT tax-deductible.

No contribution is too small. We have some friends donating just $5 or $10 per month and others who contribute $100 – $1000.

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer with an online contribution today and preferably prior to April 1st. If you prefer, checks may also be mailed to:

Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative
P.O. Box 871
Honolulu, HI 96808

I’m getting calls daily from panicked Kaua`i residents being forced out of their long-term rentals. An overheated housing market means an increasing number of landlords are selling out to wealthy investors from the continent.

For many there’s nowhere to go. Nowhere at all.

Except perhaps under that bridge, or in the bushes across from the beach, or behind the golf course.

If you don’t believe me, just drive around with your eyes open.

A quick check of various online platforms shows slim pickings with long term rental prices ranging from $1,100/mo for a studio in Hanamaulu, $2,300/mo for a 1bd in Koloa, $3,200/mo 3bd/2ba in Kekaha, and $5,700/mo 2bd/2ba in Princeville.

The message from affordable public housing: *CURRENTLY, WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR OUR WAITLIST. NO IMMEDIATE VACANCIES*

So tell me. Where is a young family supposed to live? Or the elderly retiree living on social security? Or our friends working multiple jobs just to exist?

The State legislature is considering $1 billion to go toward affordable housing initiatives on all islands.

We have good people and good organizations – like Kaua`i Habitat for Humanity and Jim and Harvest Edmonds who founded PAL, a non-profit providing homes and sustainable living solutions for the people of Kaua`i. 

Over the past few years, the County has taken significant steps in the right direction. New housing projects have been completed and changes to density requirements have been implemented – but we need more.

County Government, the Mayor, and the Council – this is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to land use, zoning, density, infrastructure, construction permitting, and the implementation of community development plans.

To be ultimately clear, reducing building standards, cutting corners to “fast track” development, and rezoning agricultural land outside of existing urban areas – are not paths we should take.

Rather than reducing standards, the County needs to “staff up” departments charged with plan/permit review.

#1) Special County administrative planning and permitting teams should be assembled that focus first and foremost on facilitating the plan review and permitting for affordable projects, whether a single affordable rental unit, or large-scale development.

#2) The Council’s path of increasing allowable density on lands adjacent to existing infrastructure (road, sewer, water) is a good one. However, increased density is a public gift to landowners and should not be given without a requirement in writing that in return, the landowner/developer will actually build the much-needed affordable housing – in the near future.

3) The County also must aggressively pursue partnerships with those landowners controlling lands within or adjacent to existing urban areas. Lihue is the most obvious example. Lands across from the airport, Kukui Grove, and Walmart are all prime locations to develop affordable housing for local residents.

The County must use its zoning and taxing authority to incentivize appropriate development in these and other similar areas around the island. The County also has significant borrowing capacity and could use bond funding to support the additional infrastructure needed – IF and only IF – the project is truly affordable to a majority of Kaua`i residents. The bonds would be repaid via the increased tax revenue generated from the developed properties.

If the availability of water is an issue, additional storage and/or transmission capacity can be expanded.

The County has an array of carrots and sticks it can use to persuade landowners to do the right thing. If the landowner remains recalcitrant (greedy) the County should then force a sale at fair market value (based on existing agricultural zoning) via eminent domain, and find another suitable (less greedy) development partner.

We are in a housing emergency. People are hurting and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. It’s time for the County to get serious and play hardball.

Ask any military veteran: In combat, the most crucial briefing defines the rules of engagement. When can you shoot to kill? When must you use pragmatic restraint? These rules protect fellow service members and prevent the loss of innocent life.

The Hawaii Legislature just advanced a bill that will change our state’s rules of engagement, making it more permissible to fight, be violent, and cause serious injury or death. This bill is an aberration of all that we stand for in this state, and the legislators who supported it should be embarrassed.

This bill — House Bill 2464 — which passed the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee last week, is modeled after the dangerous Shoot First laws that exist on the continent.

The bill is similar to Florida’s Shoot First law — sometimes called “Stand Your Ground” — that facilitated the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer. In tragic irony, the bill passed committee here one day before the 10-year remembrance of Trayvon’s death. The self-defense laws currently in place in the state already afford us the right to protect ourselves, including use of deadly force, if necessary. This bill tells citizens that even if they could safely walk away from a dangerous situation, they can choose to escalate the violence, shoot to kill, and claim self-defense.

This bill encourages violence. Why would we want that? More aggression, more toxic behavior, more lives taken. This is not our way.

I know something about fighting and violence. I am a fourth-generation Army combat veteran, deployed to Afghanistan with the 25th Infantry Division, and was wounded in combat.

I led soldiers to war. I know how to keep people safe in dangerous situations. That involves well-crafted rules, discipline, and the requirement to use violence only as a last resort.

This bill would make violence a first option. And if a party happens to be armed, this bill becomes a Shoot First law.

They want Hawaii to join those states — states with much higher rates of violent crime and gun deaths. These groups advocate violence and death to support the NRA’s “guns everywhere, for anyone, no questions asked” agenda.

Nationally, laws like this are associated with more than 700 additional gun deaths each year.

Moreover, if the U.S. Supreme Court rules against the state of New York in a pending decision on permitting laws for the public carrying of guns, Hawaii’s gun laws could change, too. That would lead to more armed citizens in public. Combined with this Shoot First law, we will have more shooting deaths in Hawaii.

My military training taught me that the application of violence and the decision to take a human life should not be taken lightly. I was taught that if you can accomplish your mission without harming others, you must.

If you need to defend yourself, defend yourself. If you can safely retreat, retreat. Violence should always be a last resort. That’s how our laws read now. There’s no need to amend them.

Say no to violence and no to the gun lobby. Tell your state representative to oppose HB 2464.

I was shocked this bill made it out of committee. I asked myself, how — in a state with such strong gun violence prevention laws — can we support a bill similar to those that have caused so many gun deaths in other states?

The tell-tale markers are there. This is a bill with the gun lobby behind it. The bill is supported by the U.S. Concealed Carry Association and the National Rifle Association of Hawaii. In testimony supporting the bill, the Hawaii Firearms Coalition lauded states with laws that encourage people to shoot first.

By Chris Marvin
Honolulu resident Chris Marvin is a retired Army officer and a member of the Everytown Veteran Advisory Council.
Copyright (c)2022 Honolulu Star-Advertiser,
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/03/07/editorial/island-voices/column-a-hawaii-stand-your-ground-law-would-encourage-violence/
Edition 3/7/2022 Powered by TECNAVIA
Monday, 03/07/2022 Page .A11 Copyright (c)2022 Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Edition 3/7/2022

The so-called Democratic Majority in the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives has seemingly drunk the Qlaid and gone off the deep end (on the far right side) of the pool.

Can you believe Hawaiʻi Democrats would actually pass a “Stand your ground bill?
Well, the short answer is yes, HB2464 is it.

“The shooting of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin drew national attention to these laws…Our study finds homicides go up by 7 to 9 % in states that pass the laws…As to whether the laws reduce crime…we find no evidence of any deterrence effect…” Must Read National Public Radio

“Stand your ground laws overturn centuries of jurisprudence, allowing people to avoid criminal prosecution for the use of deadly force even when the person could easily and safely retreat. Research consistently shows that stand your ground laws increase homicides…” The Educational Fund To Stop Gun Violence.

“In short, Stand Your Ground laws encourage the use of deadly force. These laws open the door to a more dangerous world where everyone feels pressure to carry a gun – and if they feel threatened, to shoot first and tell their stories later.” Scholars Org

“Stand Your Ground laws – which limit or remove the expectation that lethal force in self-defense is only justified in situations where it does not seem safe to step away instead – deepen disparities in the legal system and disproportionately justify the use of violence by people who are white and male against people who are not. Moreover, research shows these laws lead to significantly more killing – in any given month, 30 to 50 people across the country are killed as a result of these laws – and have no deterrent effect on other crimes.” Southern Poverty Law Center

So who in the State House of Representatives actually voted for this dangerous, testosterone-fueled right-wing, and very dangerous piece of legislation? Unfortunately, that list is long, and it includes Speaker Scott Saiki and every member of the House Leadership faction – all of whom are members of the Democratic Party, I am embarrassed to say.

To end this on a positive note, I will list the NO votes here. Please take a moment to thank them for standing up to this madness. Representative(s)

Representative Patrick Branco – repbranco@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Sonny Ganaden – repganaden@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Jeanne Kapela – repkapela@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Dale Kobayashi – repdkobayashi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Nicole Lowen – replowen@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Lisa Marten – repmarten@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Angus McKelvey – repmckelvey@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Nadine Nakamura – repnakamura@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Amy Perruso – repperruso@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Jackson Sayama – repsayama@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Roy Takumi – reptakumi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Adrian Tam – reptam@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative David Tarnas – reptarnas@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Tina Wildberger – repwildberger@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Voting No (14)

Complete contact information for all Representatives can be found here .

For easy reference, below are all of those that voted YES. I encourage you to give them a piece of your mind – professionally and courteously of course.

House Leadership
Speaker Scott Saiki – repsaiki@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Vice Speaker John Mizuno – repmizuno@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Majority Leader Della Au Belatti – repbelatti@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Majority Floor Leader Dee Morikawa – repmorikawa@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Minority Leader Val Okimoto – repokimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Minority Floor Leader Lauren Matsumoto – repmatsumoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Minority Policy Leader Gene Ward – repward@Capitol.hawaii.gov
House General Membership
Representative Henry Aquino – repaquino@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Linda Clark – repclark@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Stacelynn Eli – repeli@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Cedric Gates – repgates@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Sharon Har – rephar@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Mark Hashem – rephashem@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Troy Hashimoto – rephashimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Daniel Holt – repholt@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Linda Ichiyama – repichiyama@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Greggor Ilagan – repilagan@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Aaron Ling Johanson – repjohanson@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Lisa Kitagawa – repkitagawa@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Bertrand Kobayashi – repkobayashi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Sam Kong – repkong@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Matthew LoPresti – replopresti@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Sylvia Luke – repluke@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Mark Nakashima – repnakashima@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Scott Nishimoto – repnishimoto@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Takashi Ohno – repohno@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Richard Onishi – reponishi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Sean Quinlan – repquinlan@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Gregg Takayama – reptakayama@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative James Tokioka – reptokioka@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Justin Woodson – repwoodson@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Ryan Yamane – repyamane@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Kyle Yamashita – repyamashita@Capitol.hawaii.gov

Absent from vote:
Assistant Minority Floor Leader Bob McDermott – repmcdermott@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Chris Todd – reptodd@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Scot Matayoshi – repmatayoshi@Capitol.hawaii.gov (voted yes in committee but absent from floor vote)

The so-called Democratic Majority in the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives has seemingly drunk the Qlaid and gone off the deep end (on the far right side) of the pool.

Can you believe Hawaiʻi Democrats would actually pass a “Stand your ground bill?
Well, the short answer is yes, HB2464 is it.

“Stand your ground laws overturn centuries of jurisprudence, allowing people to avoid criminal prosecution for the use of deadly force even when the person could easily and safely retreat. Research consistently shows that stand your ground laws increase homicides…” The Educational Fund To Stop Gun Violence.

“In short, Stand Your Ground laws encourage the use of deadly force. These laws open the door to a more dangerous world where everyone feels pressure to carry a gun – and if they feel threatened, to shoot first and tell their stories later.” Scholars Org

“Stand Your Ground laws – which limit or remove the expectation that lethal force in self-defense is only justified in situations where it does not seem safe to step away instead – deepen disparities in the legal system and disproportionately justify the use of violence by people who are white and male against people who are not. Moreover, research shows these laws lead to significantly more killing – in any given month, 30 to 50 people across the country are killed as a result of these laws – and have no deterrent effect on other crimes.” Southern Poverty Law Center

So who in the State House of Representatives actually voted for this dangerous, testosterone-fueled right-wing, and very dangerous piece of legislation? Unfortunately, that list is long, and it includes Speaker Scott Saiki and every member of the House Leadership faction – all of whom are members of the Democratic Party, I am embarrassed to say.

To end this on a positive note, I will list the NO votes here. Please take a moment to thank them for standing up to this madness. Representative(s) Branco, Ganaden, Kapela, D. Kobayashi, Lowen, Marten, McKelvey, Nakamura, Perruso, Sayama, Takumi, Tam, Tarnas, Wildberger voting no (14)

Complete contact information for all Representatives can be found here . If your Representative is not on the “No” list – I encourage you to give them a piece of your mind.

Over the past 12 months, Hawai’i government at all levels has been rocked by headline after headline, exposing the criminal activity of a wide range of public officials.

Sitting in jail at the moment, or awaiting sentencing, we have a former Kauai County Councilmember, a former Hawaii County Councilmember, a former Honolulu police chief and his wife a former deputy city prosecutor, up to five current and former employees of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting, a former State Senator and Senate Majority Leader from Maui, and a former State Representative and Vice-Chair of the House Finance Committee from Waipahu.

In addition, there are several top administrators of the City and County of Honolulu under indictment, numerous government contractors who have pled guilty to bribery, and ongoing federal investigations at all levels of government.

The laws broken include accepting bribes to grant building permits, accepting bribes to pass and kill bills at the legislature, methamphetamine sales, stealing from emergency COVID funding, influence peddling involving non-bid contracts, and other complex crimes too bizarre to describe here.

The above is just a partial description of the elected officials and government employees who’ve been caught in the act and found guilty. It would be naive to think there are not others currently awaiting the next investigatory shoe to drop.

It would also be naive and destructive to believe that all politicians are crooks and/or that government corruption is commonplace.

I believe in my heart that the vast majority of public employees are good and honest people. It is sad and unfortunate that the actions of a few have so tarnished the integrity of the many.

While we may differ as to our “world view” and our perspectives on what public policy initiatives might best address the challenges facing our community, I believe the number of elected leaders who are literally and illegally stealing from the public trust are an extreme minority.

But no matter how small or how large their numbers, they must be rooted out.

The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawai’i State Ethics Commission have set up several ways to confidentially report fraud, waste, or abuse involving any government official, government funds, government workers and/or persons & entities awarded government contracts.

* Submit an online complaint (https://ethics.hawaii.gov/fraud_complaint/);
* Leave a confidential voice mail message at 587-0000
* Email: anti-fraud@hawaii.gov

In addition:
FBI “tip line” is https://www.fbi.gov/tips

FBI field office:
91-1300 Enterprise Street
Kapolei, HI 96707
(808) 566-4300

The Public Integrity Section of the US Department of Justice:

1301 New York Avenue, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Main Line: (202) 514-1412
Fax: (202) 514-3003

As the saying goes, “If you see something, say something.”

In addition, our elected leaders must double down on implementing anti-corruption measures.

Tightening up the oversight and rules governing non-bid contracts at both the state and county level and banning fundraising during the legislative session for state lawmakers are two obvious things that need to be done. Requiring full disclosure when any lawmaker at any level introduces, promotes, or votes on an issue that impacts their employer or their clients is another essential reform needed now

We need to clean this mess up. Lawmakers, administrators, rank and file government workers, and private citizens – we must all step up to make it happen.

HB2510 proposes a minimum wage increase that delays reaching $18 until the year 2030, is scheduled for a hearing tomorrow, Tuesday March 1. The deadline for testimony is 11am, TODAY Monday 02/28/22. (LATE TESTIMONY IS ACCEPTED)

The Senate has already passed SB2018 “the good minimum wage bill” which achieves the $18 threshold by 2026 AND has received support from the Governor.

Low-wage working families deserve SB2018 and it makes no sense that the House continues to refuse to accept and pass it.

Please offer testimony to the House Finance Committee and tell them
$18 by 2026 is already the compromise. It already costs more than $19 an hour to just survive in Hawaiʻi today. Waiting until 2030 is unacceptable.

Go to the Capitol Website and Register, Sign-In, and then go to “Testimony” (in that order) – three little steps. It’s easy and it’s important.

Here are the members of the Finance Committee. If your district Representative sits on this committee, please contact them directly as well.

Finance Committee Hearing: Tues., March 1, 11 AM (sign up for zoom if can!)
Testimony Due: Mon., Feb. 28, 11 AM (late testimony also accepted)

Please register here and join Raise Up Hawaii on March 8 as we gather at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol to make our voices heard. Let’s show up in person and send a strong message to legislators that it’s time for them to fulfill their promises and to stand up for working people.

Sample Testimony For HB2510

Raise Up Hawaiʻi continues to recommend submitting testimony in “Opposition” to HB2510, but we understand if some folks would prefer “Comments” or “Support with Amendments.” The most important thing is to hammer home the message:
 
Dear House Committee on Finance,
 
Although I support some of the provisions in this bill, I must respectfully submit my opposition to HB2510. It already costs more than $19 an hour for a single adult with no children to just barely make ends meet in Hawaiʻi today.
 
This bill would only get workers to $18 by 2030—far too slow. By 2026, HB2510 would put workers at $14 an hour, which is almost the exact equivalent of where workers were left in 2018 with $10.10—more than $7 short of a living wage. 
 
Workers can’t keep treading water. It is absolutely imperative that we reach $18 an hour by 2026 if working families are to find the economic relief that the legislature has promised to provide. Even this will be short of a true living wage, but it will put tens of thousands of working families closer to self-sufficiency than they’ve been in decades. Anything less than that is simply too slow.
 
The Senate has handed the House a clean $18 by 2026 bill in SB2018. It is now up to the House to do what is best for Hawaiʻi’s hardworking families and for its economic health and agree to the Senate proposal.
 
Send SB2018 to the governor’s desk for signature instead of this bill. 
 
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify.

[Your Name]
[Your Neighborhood or House District]

You might have missed it (or maybe you did not get the invite), but on Wednesday, February 23 from 5 to 8:15 pm the Hawai’i Chamber of Commerce sponsored cocktails, pupu, and essentially a speed dating event with legislators.

The Capitol remains closed to the public because of the health risk associated with citizens attending and testifying in front of those same legislators. But apparently, this health risk does not extend to cocktail parties sponsored by business lobbyists.

According to the Chamber’s official invitation to Senators and Representatives, this “meet and greet” event is in an open-air facility within walking distance from the Capitol and provides legislators with “an opportunity to meet with Hawaii business leaders.”

Note: The invitation was clear that per ethics rules (or in order to be legal), there had to be a $25 cost to legislators.

Per the invitation, “Guests will be assigned to a table with a legislator, and every ten minutes the guests will rotate to a different table and a different legislator.”

Kinda like “speed lobbying” or “speed fundraising” depending on how you look at it – with 10 tables each legislator has the opportunity to connect with 100 “business leaders” and each of those leaders will likewise connect with 10 or more legislators.

Wow! What’s there not to like about this?

Think of the opportunity for these captains of industry to tell legislators how “It’s not a good time to raise the minimum wage (actually it’s never a good time wink wink) ”.

Think of the opportunity for legislators to tell business leaders, “I’ve got a tough campaign coming up and I could really use some help.”

The Capitol is closed to the public, yet legislators are going to walk less than a block away for cocktails and schmoozing with the Chamber of Commerce.

They can’t let the public into a public hearing, yet they can go to a “cocktail and speed lobbying party” where they discuss in person the same issues that the public is prohibited from discussing with them in person.

Sheesh. There ought to be a law.

Note: If you are a business owner who believes in putting people and the planet above profits, please consider joining the recently launched Chamber of Sustainable Commerce https://www.chamberofsustainablecommerce.org

They believe “We can strengthen our economy without hurting workers, communities, or the environment.”

Why bother being involved in government and politics when Hawaiʻi lawmakers are crooks? Why bother testifying at the legislature when the policy decisions are fixed and insiders with money are calling the shots?

As a good friend once told me, “What else are you gonna do Gary, just give’em the keys?” And as other more cynical friends would say, “They already have the keys, in fact they have the whole building.”

Nope. We’re not gonna give them the keys AND we are in fact going to take the building back. We can and we must. There is no choice really. The planet, our ancestors, and future generations are counting on us.

The answer is stepping up, not stepping back.

The “people’s work” is what our elected leaders are supposed to be doing, and many are trying their best to do just that. But they need reinforcements.

We can throw the bad apples out, but only if we have good people to step up to take their place. All the moaning and groaning is for naught if when we show up to vote on August 13, there’s only one name to choose from.

In a state where the Democratic Party brand dominates, for state legislative races the primary election is everything. In the 2020 primary statewide, 34 legislators got a free ride and ran unopposed.

Competition is good and healthy. Without it, there is complacency and arrogance, which sets the stage for insider dealing, pay to play, and ultimately a betrayal of the public trust.

2022 is a year of political opportunity. There will be more retirements, resignations, and most would say that more indictments and arrests are likely as well. Every single seat in the State House and Senate is up for election plus the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, County Council, Congress, and on Maui the Mayor’s race will also be hotly contested. Should Congressman Kahele decide to run for Governor, then it’s likely at least two other seats open up “down-ticket” as everyone below tries to “move up”.

As they say in politics, 2022 will be a year where there is “movement”, especially with voters in a sour mood spurred on by the bribery and corruption – they will be looking for change options.

But change will only happen when good people from across the islands put away their fears, doubts, and excuses, and put themselves forward as candidates.

It’s called responsibility, obligation – kuleana.

Yes, it’s hard. Cry me a river. Then suck it up, put your big person pants on and do it. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone because no one else is willing to do it, and if no one does it bad things will happen. So it falls on your shoulders to step up and step out.

It’s hard, it’s challenging, and it’s a tremendous opportunity to help make your community and our world a better place.

If you’re interested, if you have an even modest track record of leadership and participation in your community (PTSA, coach, board member, volunteer), and if your core values are centered around putting people and the planet first – lmk, I’d love to talk more.

And if for whatever reason you are not that person, please reach out and support others who are willing to take the plunge. Running a successful campaign is a team effort and every candidate needs help. Volunteer, give money, spread the word – but get involved please.

As the saying goes, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”

Sincerely,
Gary Hooser

The Hawaii Reapportionment Commission is hiding the truth about their practice of using the home addresses of incumbent legislators as criteria to be considered when re-drawing district maps. That’s what it looks like anyway. I welcome the qualified opinions of others, including actual lawyers who know this stuff better than I do.

Actually, I would really welcome a response from the Reapportionment Commission explaining why they are avoiding a direct answer. What are they afraid of?

According to the Hawai’i state constitution Article 4 (Reapportionment) Section 6 #2 states – “No district shall be so drawn as to unduly favor a person or political faction.”

I have been told by numerous competent and credible individuals that the Reapportionment Commission was provided early in the process with the home address of all incumbent legislators.

Numerous media accounts have described the impacts the proposed maps will have on various legislators, and some have complained about how their districts were treated.

It appears that the Reapportionment Commission has taken into consideration the potential impact of their new maps on the districts of incumbent legislators, as part of their decision making process.

Rumor has it that the “mapping program” used by the Commission includes the home addresses of all incumbent legislators. Apparently with the flip of a switch, their home address location light up on the maps so commissioners know exactly how the new maps will impact incumbents.

Tell me again how including the home addresses of incumbent legislators into the active decision making process does not “unduly favor a person or political faction”?

One would think the process would be conducted “blind” of political implications.

One would think.

In the off chance that the information that came to me from a wide variety of sources was wrong, on January 25, I sent a formal Uniform Information Protection Act (UIPA) request to the Reapportionment Commission.

A UIPA request is similar to a Freedom of Information Act request, but for State and County agencies.

My UIPA request sent on January 25 requested:
1. All documents, including e-mails, maintained, received or sent by the State Reapportionment Commission, its members, or its staff that includes the home addresses of currently elected members of the State House of Representatives or the State Senate, or any reference or discussion pertaining to the home address of any currently elected member of the State House or the State Senate. The home addresses may be redacted.

On Feb. 4th the Reapportionment Commission replied:
“Attached is our response…
THIS NOTICE IS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR RECORD REQUEST:
Cannot be granted. Agency is unable to disclose the requested records for the following reason: Agency does not maintain the records. (HRS § 92F-3)”

I responded on Feb. 4th:
“Thank you for the reply which though leaves me confused.

Are you saying the Reapportionment Commission does not maintain records of emails or other communications between Commissioners and or staff and others including the public on issues pertaining to the work being done by the Commission?

Please help my to better understand your response.”

To which the Commission replied also on Feb. 4th:
“No, I understood your request to provide specifically:

All documents, including e-mails, maintained, received or sent by the State Reapportionment Commission, its members, or its staff that includes the home addresses of currently elected members of the State House of Representatives or the State Senate, or any reference or discussion pertaining to the home address of any currently elected member of the State House or the State Senate. The home addresses may be redacted.

I have no documents, including e-mails, maintained, received or sent by the State Reapportionment Commission, its members, or its staff that includes the home addresses of currently elected members of the State House of Representatives or the State Senate, or any reference or discussion pertaining to the home address of any currently elected member of the State House or the State Senate.

Have I misunderstood your request?”

To which after a few days of reflection and consultation I replied on Feb. 7th:
“I want to mahalo you again for the earlier response and clarification.

So sorry to bother you with one more question.

Can you clarify whether you or the Commission asked each of its members whether they have any of the documents referenced in the UIPA request?

I understand when you say “I have no documents…etc” but it’s unclear whether the members of the commission may have any of the documents requested or whether they were asked.

Thank you in advance for any additional clarity you can offer on this particular question.”

The Commission on February 9th then replied:
“I am following up for a response. I should be able to reply today.”

Later on February 9th the Commission replied again:
“I apologize. I cannot answer your question. Please bear with me. I will follow up.”

On Feb. 16th I reply:
“Do you have an ETA as to an answer?

Then on February 17 the Commission said:
“Please see attached response to your UIPA request.
Cannot be granted. Agency is unable to disclose the requested records for the following reason: Agency does not maintain the records. (HRS § 92F-3)”

To which I replied also on February 17:
“From your response, it remains unclear as to whether or not a request was made to the commissioners and related staff, as to whether or not they were in possession of the documents/information requested.

Did you or anyone from your office request from the commissioners the information being requested in my UIPA?

Can you be clear on this?

Please?”

Today, as of February 20th I continue to await a response (and will update this blog if/when a response is received).

While the response from the Reapportionment Commission has been relatively timely, courteous, and professional – they have been less than forthcoming.

They have most likely not outright lied to me, but they have certainly been less than forthcoming, just shy of disingenuous, without a doubt misleading, and very close to lying.

It seems highly improbable if not impossible that there has been no discussion or communication between the public and Commission members, or between Commission members themselves, and/or staff – referencing or pertaining to the home address of elected members of the State House or the State Senate.

It is further highly unlikely that the conversations and communications that did pertain to this topic were all conducted orally and there are no records either paper or electronic.

The Reapportionment Commission appears willing to hide/dodge the truth on what I believe is a basic, fair, and essential question.

It’s sad really. This is not how democracy is supposed to work.