Conference Committee: Where bills are laid to rest quietly
As we enter the last two weeks of the legislative session, it is a good time to explain the basics of the Conference Committee process. Please, stifle the yawn and force yourself if possible to read on. I promise that both, those of you who are intrigued and those who may be baffled by the lawmaking process, will find this fascinating.
Plant seeds, nurture them, and growth follows
There was a spring ritual in our family that began as the warm sun began to push back against the cold winter’s grasp.
Seeking solutions to derail homelessness
Maybe it was the rash of recent news on people becoming homeless, or maybe it was seeing people obviously homeless and camping in their cars or drifting around town that got to me. Maybe it was seeing that worn, young bag lady walking to nowhere special, a droopy bag of belongings tossed over her shoulder.
So, tax cuts didn’t happen for too many
Tax Day is here. What’s in your return?
Water war saga continues at Legislature
Yesterday marked another chapter in the ongoing water wars, aka HB1326 HD2.
Mayor offers overview of salary proposal
Mahalo to the many citizens who have expressed their valued opinions on the maximum administrative salaries proposed by the independent, volunteer-based Salary Commission.
Raises sound wrong, but they are right
Would it surprise you to know that Kauai’s police chief receives a salary of $144,133, but a police sergeant, with overtime, can make as much as $191,764?
Hawaii is jonesing for an NFL franchise
Stop the madness. It’s been reported that tickets for the preseason NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 17, are going for as high as $5,000 a ticket.
A thought for the Sabbath
As a father I have taken my boys on numerous father-and-sons campouts. Those campouts will forever remain as some of the highlights of our lives as we played wickedly awesome capture the flag games, learned of forest life as found in the plants, insects and animals, and talked under the stars about anything and everything until the wee morning hours, not wanting the experience to end.
Road usage charge about the same as gas tax
On Monday, March 18, 2019, The Garden Island published a guest opinion piece titled “Pay per mile proposal doesn’t add up.” The key data point used in this analysis of the Hawaii Road User Charge (HiRUC) concept was incorrect.