Letter to Editor

wrote this. don't think they will publish. so..

Dear Editor,

I can agree with your editorial on 5/29. In this time of economic uncertainty strong leadership is needed. But you did not seem to include the governor. What is the role of state government in this? Across the board cuts is not leadership. Cutting payroll and health costs do not stimulate the economy. Digging in and not doing anything to generate income is not going to solve the problem.

In a letter that appeared from Kathleen Nullet, she is right that by cutting salaries and benefits to government workers it will only cut spending by that group. If furloughs or job cuts occur will the people of the state understand when things happen slower. It seems the mayors of Hawaii understand and are making do with what is being dealt to them.

As new money from the federal government comes down, if government workers are furloughed who will oversee the construction and contracts? Will we depend on the private sector to keep to all specifications of their contract? Will those receiving the contracts “share the pain” and work for less?

Yes leadership is needed. But not one who abdicates responsibility. Not one who attacks her employees. Not one who uses the media to as a bully’s pulpit

Egan Kawamoto

The governor, cyber bully?

I was wondering about this. Would the governor qualify as a cyber bully by her actions? She seems to be bargaining in the media. In essence using the media to threaten public union employees of sanctions if their union doesn’t comply with her wishes. All we have ever gotten from this governor are threats. If you don’t do this, this is what will happen. Threats, threats, threats. I am tired of it. And I will not be bullied.
Now union employees are being told that the governor has not brought forth a proposal. Her budget strategy was to cut millions from the budget and tell the unions “that’s all folks”. Is that a leader or Bugs Bunny we have on the 5th floor? I hope it is very clear to all that this was an administration that spent more time looking good than leading.
It is easy to criticize the legislature’s actions. Raising taxes is not a good thing. Especially the tax on tobacco products (cigars). But what else can you do? You need to raise revenue. Her plan to lay off or furlough workers only reduces revenue. It may cause some workers to apply for assistance; it will lower income through tax revenues. She may be correct in saying you cannot tax your way out of a recession, but neither can you just lower people’s pay and benefits.
I believe the legislature did what they thought they had to do. The legislature did not allocate more money for health benefits so we will pay more for it. The legislature raised certain taxes that will cause us to pay more. The legislature created a budget that works now what will the governor do?

I feel like a mushroom

I feel like a mushroom. Kept in the dark and fed poop. It seems the only information we get from the union lately is when they need help. Give us info.
I still don’t understand the MBC problem. The governance manual referred to in the new amendments doesn’t exist yet.
Now we are asking the leg to override the governor’s veto. Why? Because it will cost us money. The real reason should be that that is what is needed to balance the budget. While the governor insists that we cannot tax our way out of the recession, neither can we just cut services and get out of it. The president is correct in putting in a spending program as well as tax cuts.
But what is the governor’s plan? Does she have a plan? Seems only she knows it and shares it with the media. She hasn’t even brought anything to the negotiation table. I don’t understand why our union is not responding?

Grandstanding

The public veto of the proposed tax hikes by the governor is plain grandstanding. Vetoing tax hikes is okay but what alternatives does she have? She hasn’t put an offer on the table to any of the public unions. She did not submit any plan to the legislature. If she has a plan to handle the shortfall let’s hear it. Her only plan that has been articulated (in the media) is share the pain.
It seems that it is the only thing she is looking at. But what pain? She and her appointees are taking a 5% cut. What isn’t said is they have already gotten a 9% cut. Which works out to a @3.5% raise. And in the papers she is asking for public workers to take a furlough that would amount to @12% cut. If this is sharing the pain I am willing to give more pain to the governor and her appointees.
And where is the LG? Is this problem too complex for him? Where is the leadership? Leadership is making hard decisions. After talking of a $2 billion shortfall why does it all hinge on a $278 million dollar takeaway? Show me the math.