WAIPOULI — Joseph Souki has been a fighter of poverty for at least 43 years, said Mabel Fujiuchi, director of the Kauai Economic Opportunity. And he isn’t done. The Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives addressed a gathering of
WAIPOULI — Joseph Souki has been a fighter of poverty for at least 43 years, said Mabel Fujiuchi, director of the Kauai Economic Opportunity.
And he isn’t done.
The Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives addressed a gathering of KEO staff and board of directors to mark the organization’s 50th anniversary Friday at the Courtyard by Marriott at Coconut Beach.
Souki said the signing of the Economic Opportunity Act, otherwise known as the War on Poverty, in 1965 by President Lyndon Baines Johnson gave birth to the community action groups.
“People in the war on poverty are committed to help those who cannot help themselves,” he said. “Many have left (the economic opportunity groups) and gone into other areas where the fight continues.”
He said there is never enough money.
“The high cost of rent and housing is going to get worse,” Souki said. “ The unemployment number for Hawaii is at 4.7 percent, an excellent number. That means a lot of people are working, but of those who are working, 60 percent are underemployed.”
What that means is that in spite of working several jobs, they cannot take care of basic needs such as rent and housing.
Souki said even with the proposed new minimum wage, people are not going to make enough money.
He suggests raising the excise tax by one-half, or 1 percent, and offsetting the raise through credits for Hawaii residents.
He also recommends that gambling be allowed in the state.
“We lose half a billion dollars, annually to Las Vegas,” Souki said. “Every day, there are four flights filled with people who leave for Las Vegas with wallets filled, and every day, there are four flights bringing back people with empty wallets.”
He said opponents claim there will be an increase in crime, but crime will happen if there are no resources to prevent it.
