The recent swearing-in of Hawai‘i’s newest Congressional delegation members and our lieutenant governor added to the already strong sense of transition and optimism that comes with the start of any new year. While we mourn the loss of U.S. Sen.
The recent swearing-in of Hawai‘i’s newest Congressional delegation members and our lieutenant governor added to the already strong sense of transition and optimism that comes with the start of any new year.
While we mourn the loss of U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, a leader who gave a lifetime of selfless service to our state and country, we also honor him by building on the remarkable foundation he laid for the people of Hawai‘i.
By appointing former Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to the U.S. Senate, it was my sincere intention to provide Hawai‘i with the strongest, best-prepared Congressional delegation to lead us today, as well as the strongest, most well-rounded delegation over the long-term. Sen. Schatz accepted his new position ready to commit to decades of serving Hawai‘i in the Senate, should the people wish it.
Hawai‘i will benefit from the continued leadership of U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the U.S. House as she builds upon her seniority and her service on the House Armed Services Committee, which is so vital to our state.
Officially joining them last week were newly elected Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Sen. Hirono, like Sens. Inouye and Akaka, brings a lifetime of distinguished public service and dedication to the people of Hawai‘i to her new role. And, Hawai‘i awaits the dynamic promise of Rep. Gabbard, representing a new generation of leadership, rooted deeply in the timeless traditions of Hawai‘i.
But change did not stop there. On Thursday, while Sen. Hirono and Rep. Gabbard were being sworn in at our nation’s Capitol, here at home Hawai‘i Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald administered the formal swearing-in of former state Senate President Shan S. Tsutsui to Lt. Governor. A resident of Maui, Lt. Gov. Tsutsui’s acceptance reflects this administration’s commitment to represent all the people of Hawai‘i as a statewide community, not one that is O‘ahu-centric.
While the Office of the Lt. Governor will continue to conduct business in the State Capitol in Honolulu, plans are under way to establish an additional office on Maui, expanding the office’s reach and accessibility to all island communities.
In the past, Neighbor Island elected officials might have thought they had to move to Honolulu in order to serve. In my view, this may no longer be necessary, especially as technology brings us closer together and the state’s IT transformation plan affords greater opportunities to conduct state business from all islands.
Looking forward
The Council of Revenues forecast revisions for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 are consistent with my administration’s analysis of the overall economy. The tourism economic sector is performing strongly, other sectors are showing signs of improvement, and state unemployment rates continue to decline.
The unadjusted unemployment rate on Kaua‘i improved to 6.4 percent in November, down from 8.5 percent just one year earlier. (Nationally, the unadjusted rate was 7.4 in November).
I am pleased that the council is taking a long-term view of our economic future, which coincides with our financial plan — working responsibly toward a stable fiscal growth.
The state’s 2013–15 fiscal biennium budget, which I presented last month to the Legislature, aims to build upon these sound strategies to continue revitalizing our local economy, while moving forward on IT transformation initiatives to better prepare Hawai‘i for an increasingly technological age.
I have also proposed significant investments in early education and health initiatives, improving the support system for our kupuna and addressing fixed costs and long-term liabilities.
There is much more work to be done but we are excited about Hawai‘i’s future. We have laid the groundwork for a stable foundation and commit our energies to making our Hawai‘i a place for all of us to prosper.
I look forward to my State of the State Address on Jan. 22 as an opportunity to further share our goals for 2013 and beyond.
• Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s guest column runs monthly.
