Category: Uncategorized

Marjorie Ziegler emailed me this summary of the way politics works at the legislature:

“Hawaii Farm Bureau, fronting for plantation ag interests like A&B, has been
taking swipes at the State Water Code for about a decade, trying to end-run
the supreme court’s landmark Waiahole decision reaffirming water is a public
trust, not the plantations companies’ private property.  For the last couple
of years, legislators have known better than to mess with the law, refusing
even to hear any bills, but HFB has renewed their push this year.

The usual direct attack on the Water Code, HB 1946, was scheduled for an
early hearing (1/30) before the House WLO committee.  In the face of strong
opposition from DLNR and numerous community organizations and individuals,
the bill was deferred.

House leadership (Rep. Sharon Har) then tried the indirect approach of
imbedding water law language into a general “sustainability” bill, HB 2671.
Because committee members and the public weren’t shown the inserted
language, the bill slipped through the previous committees and was scheduled
for the last House hearing, before the Higher Ed committee (2/14).

Despite the smokescreen, the hijacked bill again met strong opposition.
Notably, farmers showed up in person to challenge HFB’s “water for
agriculture” shibai.  HFB/HC&S/A&B’s lobbyist was lurking in the crowd, but
did not testify.  The Higher Ed committee deferred the bill.

This is the first time that the House has tried to backdoor these water law
attacks, and we suspect it won’t be the last this session.  We hope we can
count on folks’ support to defend the rule of law against plantation
politics in the stewardship of our most precious resource.”

What I think is even worse is the tendency for the legisilature in general to fail to post proposed changes in bill in Ramseyer notation.  The only way you can see the changes is to do a word for word comparison between the original lawy and the proposed Act.  Nearly impossible for the average person, even for the above average person like me.:-)

Thanks to an Earth Justice attorney we were alerted to this monstrosity.  I just wonder how much is slipping buy unnoticed.

I there anyone out their who wants to advocate against this bill and attacks on the water code?  Please let me know what you are doing.  Iʻm trying to coordinate activities of the Natural Resource Management Committee and sure need help.  If you need help with your advocacy give me a call.

HB1893 proposes to exempt all state and county projects from Chapter 343 (Hawaiiʻs EIS law). Despite the liberal use of the word “narrow,” the exemption is actually quite broad — any project the Governor or Mayor deems worthy of exemption.

This is the most dangerous bill in my memory.  It has been re-referred to JUD.  By bypassing other committees this bill becomes exempt from dieing at 1st lateral.  Speaker Say has put this bill on the fast track to move forward.  Call the finance committee and express your concern.

HB1666 the Vulnerable Users bill is scheduled for hearing in the Transportation Committee 2/1 at 9am in Rm 309.  Please notify your members and generate as much testimony as possible. There is administrative opposition to this Bill.  HPD says it is unenforceable.  DOT says it will allow bicycles to use a full lane and jam up traffic.  We have a lot of education to do.  Both in Government and to the driving public.  Education is an ongoing effort and you folks do a good job.

The point is bicyclists and people in motorized wheel chairs have the same rights as cars to use the road.  Drivers who pass to close to vulnerable users risk fatal “accidents”.  Personally, I think this legislation is enforceable if the police use dashboard cameras to document violations.  If this legislation only provides an opportunity to bring the problem of close passes to more drivers, it will be worthwhile.

Vulnerable Users Laws have been passed in Washington, Oregon and Texas.
Vulnerable User Laws are being discussed and promoted in many states across the country
We need to generate testimony to the transportation committee, write letters to the editor in support of this legislation to help educate the public and generate support. share this information with you friends and post it to your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
Use this legislation to spread the word, “Share the road with bicyclists.”

Go here to track the bill and to submit testimony.  http://capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1666  Of course, personal testimony is best when people have time to sit through the hearings.  Personal contact with your legislators is even better.  When you want to contact legislators personally be sure to set up an appointment.  Dropping in to their offices usually lets you speak to staff and that may be more important than actually talking to your legislator.
This bill is high priority for Representative Wooley.  Your support is greatly appreciated.

FYI for discussion.  Not a possition of the Democratic Party

Does anyone know anything about the following?  It looks like it could have a major impact on Non-profits who own land.  What is the impact on Land Trusts?

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Nonprofits and the public have until Monday, Jan. 9, to appeal a recommendation to repeal the City of Honolulu real property tax exemption now enjoyed by nonprofit organizations.

City Council Chair Ernest Martin accepted a report from the Tax Advisory Commission that recommends nonprofits pay real property tax but asked the commission to keep the record open and to accept public testimony for 30 days ending Jan. 9.

The commission, a citizen advisory group created by the Honolulu City Council through a resolution passed in June, reviewed real property tax exemptions and submitted its draft recommendations to the council. Click here to read more.

Regarding nonprofits, the commission recommended: “… those entities which currently are totally exempt because they tend to be nonprofit in nature be subject to a levy of the real property tax albeit at a percentage less than full market value in recognition of the community benefit they provide. Such impost should be based on a percentage of the fair market value utilized for the exempt activities.”

My views, as the sole commission member who supported no change to the current tax rate, which is a $300 minimum tax for 501(c)(3) entities, are included in the report — click here to download a copy. It’s now up to nonprofits to echo and support HANO’s opposition.

Today, when demand for nonprofit services is increasing and resources are declining, is not the time to increase the financial burdens of nonprofits, many of which are providing services formerly provided by government. We expect more reasonable views will prevail, but the City Council must hear a clear unified voice from our sector by Jan. 9.

Happy New Year,

Lisa Maruyama
HANO president and CEO

Climate scientists are telling us that CO2 is accumulating in our atmosphere far faster than anyone had predicted.  Some are forecasting we are on track for a 6 degree increase in global warming in this century.  We either control carbon emissions or civilization as we know it will perish.

Jeremy Rifkin as a sollution but can we do it fast enough?  Check it out.

The Environmental Caucus is asking its members to become Citizen Advocates.
We need people who will volunteer to advocate for an issue of their choice.

We know people participate in the Environmental Caucus for their own reasons. Some just want to know what’s going on. That’s fine, and will do our best to keep you informed about issues and will occasionally ask you to support a position or take a poll.

Now we need, and what Hawaii needs, are Citizen Advocates who will embrace an issue and work to resolve it. You can see a list of issues that have come before the Caucus by going to http://goo.gl/b73SW, or you can bring your own issue to the Caucus Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee supports it, you can potentially have the influence of the Democratic Party behind what you are trying to accomplish. The Environmental Caucus also provides advocacy training, shows you how to use the Legislative Reference Bureau database to track legislation and how to use the Hawaii Policy Portal to assist you in building support for/against legislation.

Work with the subcommittee chairs to make sure they know what you’re doing and can help you with your advocacy.

The subcommittees and their chairs are:

Food and Farm Sustainability, Juanita Kawamoto–Brown, farmfreshhawaii@yahoo.com, 808-330-6224
Energy and Climate, Lisa Rey, hinanorey@gmail.com, 672-2202
Natural Resource Management, Bill Sager, bsager42@gmail.com, 375-1114

We have 3 ways of communicating with you:

1. You can subscribe to our blog. We use the blog for informal discussions. Anyone can comment to express their opinions. We encourage everyone whether or not they are a Democrat to participate in our discussions. You can find our blog at www.environmentalcaucusofthedemocraticpartyofhawaii.com.  When you subscribe, you will get an e-mail notifying you when there has been a blog comment or update.
2. You can join our e-mail list. We use this list for official Caucus communications. This is where we inform you of the official policies which have been adopted and other actions by the Caucus. Join our mailing list by looking for “join our e-mail list” on the blog navigation bar.
3. Occasionally we asked the Democratic Party to send an e-mail blast to all their members. If you are getting the Democratic party e-mails but not the caucus e-mails you have not joined our mailing list.

Democratic Party caucuses are autonomous. Once the Environmental Caucus has voted to support your issue you may say in your testimony that the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party supports your testimony. Of course, it is best that you have written testimony that the Environmental Caucus has voted to support. However, we recognize that you often have to respond to a hearing and as long as you indicate the Environmental Caucus supports the issue you’re free to testify as you see fit. You can only say that the Democratic Party supports an issue if you can refer to a resolution adopted at the State Party Convention.

Please join the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii at its next General Meeting and Yearend Celebration

Date:  December 9, 2011
Time:  6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: The Kaka`ako Makai Community Cultural Marketplace
(Take the Makai (Oceanside) exit at the corner of Ward Avenue and Ala Moana Blvd, then drive one block Makai and look for the marketplace tents. Loads of free parking.)

5:00 to 6:00 Caucus Sign In, during which time you can wander through the market, listen to live music, meet some of our local vendors, eat great foods, fill up on fresh produce, and do a little holiday shopping. Special Caucus Fundraising tickets are available for $15 per person; tickets can be traded in at our Caucus booth for market script worth eight dollars; the remaining seven dollars will go to support the Caucus this upcoming year.

Tickets are not required to attend the meeting; they are just a great way to support the Environmental Caucus. You may purchase these special fundraising tickets using following the PayPal link. Simply bring a copy of your receipt to our booth when you arrive so that we can give you your market script.
Here is the link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VPQWEKN8VQHWN

6:00 to 7:30 Caucus Yearend Celebration, Honors, and News

7:45 Watch the Fireworks off of Waikiki

The Hawaii State Legislature’s website (http://ow.ly/7njcJ) has been redesigned. For anyone who wants to advocate for legislation or oppose bad legislation this tool is a must have.  The Public Access Room November Newsletter will walk you through the changes.  Check it out.  If you need help contact the Public Access Room. Phone:  808/587-0478*
TTY:  808/587-0749
Fax:  808/587-0793
Email:  par@capitol.hawaii.gov