Gubernatorial Debate

Just finished watching the Gubernatorial Debate. For those that weren’t paying attention Aiona said that the budget includes furloughs.
He also wants a management audit of the DOE. He stated that comparing 1978 to now the amount of students are the same yet the budget doubled. According to the Grassroots Institute the cost of the 1978 Con Con was $2.5 million, which translates to $8.4 million dollars in 2008. I think the administration owes the DOE some cash!

US House CD1

I guess I have to vote for Hanabusa. While I don't like her having Djou in congress is not productive.

A lesson in politics and recommendations.

Making recommendations in an election is a tricky business. Do you choose a candidate that best articulates your beliefs or just pick a winner? Do we choose to be part of a candidates’ main support or be a bandwagon jumper? The main purpose of recommendations is to help a candidate get elected. This is in hopes that you will be able to gain access and articulate your position to gain their support. It is not so a candidate blindly supports your position.

As an example of this an elected official can vote for your position 100% of the time, yet be in the minority. They must also be able to support and present your positions so that your positions are passed. They must be willing to lobby others on your behalf.

A recommendation is not just a list of candidates but also comes with abilities and responsibilities. First it allows us to give money to candidates. Unfortunately in Hawaii, history has shown that most candidates that run out of money for media buys close to the election lose. Second it allows the candidate to use the HSTA logo on campaign materials. But most importantly it allows HSTA members to wear their shirts and actively campaign for the candidate.

If teachers want their voice to mean something they need to learn to deliver the vote for the recommended candidates. I firmly believe that when HSTA members start bloc voting they will begin to gain more political influence.

HSTA BOD and elections

I attended the HSTA Board of Directors meeting today. It really astounds me how little the board knows about politics. They seem to have this belief that they have political power and can influence elections by withholding a recommendation.
It didn’t work before and it won’t work now. Teachers need to target a race and work hard for their candidate to win. There needs to be proof that teachers have the will to work hard for a candidate. When they do it will have an impact.
As an example if HSTA chooses to recommend Dwight Synan instead of Calvin Say. If HSTA then worked hard to campaign for the election of Dwight Synan. And finally if Dwight Synan won. That would prove that HSTA has the political strength to influence the legislature.
It proves nothing to withhold contributions and support.

Read This

Read this

http://neatoday.org/2010/04/21/florida-teacher-issues-rallying-cry-for-respect-for-educators/

A Thought

Watched Rep. Weiner from New York on the news and a replay on You Tube. He makes a point that using procedure to stall and then use it as an excuse or reason to vote no is cowardly.
It is a good point on how our leaders sometimes process or procedure to justify a vote. The House used this as a way to defeat the VEBA bill. Did they honestly vote against it because it was flawed or did they say it was flawed to give themselves protection?

Election 2010

Okay the candidate filing deadline is over. Interesting things on the list:
Mazie Hirono is the only democrat running in CD2.
Larry Price is running for senate and house. But I don’t think it is that Larry Price.
For the Senate Shan Tsutsui, Sam Slom, Brian Taniguchi, Suzanne Chun-Oakland, Donna Kim, Glenn Wakai, and Jill Tokuda have no primary race.
In the House Mark Nakashima, Jerry Chang, Clifton Tsuji, Bob Herkes, Denny Coffman, Gil Keith-Agaran, Angus McKelvey, Kyle Yamashita, Mele Carroll, Mina Morita, Scott Nishimoto, Scott Saiki, Tom Brower, Corinne Ching, Karl Rhoads, John Mizuno, Mark Takai, Roy Takumi, Ryan Yamane, Marilyn Lee, Marcus Oshiro, Kymberly Pine, Jessica Wooley, and Chris Lee have no primary race.
Gene Ward, Barbara Marumoto, and Cynthia Thielen face no opposition. All are Rs.
For the Board of Education Ray Hart and Barry Wurst are running in Maui. Both were teachers. In Central Eileen Clarke faces no opposition. At large Kim Coco Iwamoto is running for reelection and Roger Takabayashi is also running.

Epiphany

Okay I finally figured it out. Okay I actually found this out. HSTA is not a union. Hence many of their positions and dealings now make sense.
We really need to correct this immediately. We need to start acting like a union.
At the NEA I couldn’t believe some of the positions. From the resolutions committee “we worked hard on the resolutions” to the many who were more concerned of the costs.
Also I was not happy with the behavior of our delegation. Many who should consider returning their travel allowances.

Candidates Position

Abercrombie Hanneman Aiona
Civil Unions Yes ??? No

Back to the Blog

Okay I’m finally done with my masters program. So it is time to get back to the blog. As a start here are a few things I noticed.
Mufi is pushing his executive experience in his run for governor. Okay but the only other gov that had that experience was Lingle, not a good comparison. Plus I don’t like the tone of his commercials.
Sen. Sakamoto has good ads. It really represents to me a person that has concern. It really very well represents him.
I don’t really have a good answer for how we lost VEBA. I hear conflicting versions and will investigate this. I also would like to know why HGEA chose to oppose our extension?
It is really early in the campaign and I have posted an early recommendation list. Most are incumbents, not that I think they did a good job but I put them in a place keepers. There are a few incumbents I left off because they deserve it. I also did not list Hanabusa, I really am not sure.
I’m heading off to New Orleans for the NEA.
Been doing some reading “The Lost City of Z”, “A Bright Shining Lie” and “A Spark is Struck”. What I have learned is how history repeats itself. Will write further on these books later. Also a lot of what I learned from school. GCU, GCU, rah, rah, rah!

recommended list

to clarify this is a working document. I will revise as the election season progresses. I have already eliminated a few incumbents and will probably eliminate more.

Recommended candidates as of 6/12

Race Recommended Candidate Reason
US Senate Daniel Inouye Incumbent
US House District 1
US House District 2 Mazie Hirono Incumbent
Governor
Lt. Governor Norman Sakamoto
State Senate District 2 Russell Kokubun Incumbent
State Senate District 4 Shan Tsutsui Incumbent
State Senate District 7
State Senate District 8
State Senate District 9 Les Ihara Incumbent
State Senate District 10 Brian Taniguchi Incumbent
State Senate District 11 Carol Fukunaga Incumbent
State Senate District 13 Suzanne Chun Oakland Incumbent
State Senate District 14
State Senate District 15 Glenn Wakai
State Senate District 19 Mike Gabbard Incumbent
State Senate District 20 Will Espero Incumbent
State Senate District 22 Michael Magaoay
State Senate District 24 Jill Tokuda Incumbent
State Senate District 25
State House District 1 Mark Nakashima Incumbent
State House District 2 Jerry Chang Incumbent
State House District 3 Clifton Tsuji Incumbent
State House District 4 Faye Hanohano Incumbent
State House District 5 Bob Herkes Incumbent
State House District 6
State House District 7
State House District 8 Joe Souki Incumbent
State House District 9 Gilbert Keith-Agaran Incumbent
State House District 10 Angus McKelvey Incumbent
State House District 11 Joe Bertram Incumbent
State House District 12 Kyle Yamashita Incumbent
State House District 13 Mele Carroll Incumbent
State House District 14 Mina Morita Incumbent
State House District 15 James Tokioka Incumbent
State House District 16
State House District 17 Gene Ward Incumbent
State House District 18
State House District 19 Barbara Marumoto Incumbent
State House District 20 Calvin Say Incumbent
State House District 21 Scott Nishimoto Incumbent
State House District 22 Scott Saiki Incumbent
State House District 23 Tom Brower Incumbent
State House District 24 Isaac Choy Incumbent
State House District 25 Della Au Bellati Incumbent
State House District 26 Sylvia Luke Incumbent
State House District 27 Corinne Ching Incumbent
State House District 28
State House District 29 Joey Manahan Incumbent
State House District 30 John Mizuno Incumbent
State House District 31
State House District 32
State House District 33 Blake Oshiro Incumbent
State House District 34 Mark Takai Incumbent
State House District 35 Henry Aquino Incumbent
State House District 36 Roy Takumi Incumbent
State House District 37 Ryan Yamane Incumbent
State House District 38 Marilyn Lee Incumbent
State House District 39 Marcus Oshiro Incumbent
State House District 40 Sharon Har Incumbent
State House District 41
State House District 42
State House District 43 Kymberly Pine Incumbent
State House District 44 Karen Awana Incumbent
State House District 45 Maile Shimabukuro Incumbent
State House District 46
State House District 47 Jessica Wooley Incumbent
State House District 48 Ken Ito Incumbent
State House District 49 Pono Chong Incumbent
State House District 50 Cynthia Thielen Incumbent
State House District 51 Christopher Lee Incumbent
Board of Education at large Donna Ikeda Incumbent
Board of Education at large Kim Coco Iwamoto Incumbent
Board of Education at large Karen Knudsen Incumbent
Board of Education 4th Eilenn Clarke Incumbent
Board of Education 6th John Penebacker Incumbent
Board of Education 2nd Mary Cochran Incumbent

End of Furloughs?

While I can applaud the efforts to end furloughs, what good does it do if the governor won’t release the funds?

I hope people can see what is going on. Pass a bill to allow an amendment for her to appoint the superintendent or she won’t release the money? Isn’t that extortion?

Asking the board to allow her to appoint the superintendent? Isn’t that circumventing the constitution?

What more does she have to do to prove she knows nothing about government?

Hopefully she can take some political science courses when she is out of office. Maui Community College is a good choice. She and her budget director needs some remedial work.

Sign the petition

Please sign the petition to save the Hawaii County Band at

http://www.petition.fm/petitions/savetheband/

Regardless of where you live the county of Hawaii needs to know that people value live music. Many times people criticize the young for what they listen to but then do not offer alternatives to the child.

Hawaii County Band

Dear Editor,

The news that the Hawaii County Band will not be funded should be viewed as a disgrace to the state of Hawaii as well as Hawaii County. It is unfortunate that the decision makers in government do not understand the importance of live music and fine arts.

Many adults and parents complain about the kinds of music children listen too. But by not funding live music groups such as the Hawaii County Band it shows that people really have no reason to complain. By not funding these alternative sources children will listen to what they hear on radio and television.

With the decline in education funding less school music groups will survive. With the budget priorities set by the counties the Hawaii County Band may be no more and questions are raised about the Royal Hawaiian Band. And who knows about the future of the Honolulu Symphony.

John Adams said, “I must study politics and war … My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, … in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.” In @250 years it is amazing how backwards we have gone.

Egan Kawamoto
Ewa Beach

Another Letter

Dear Editor,

As one of a group of people who try to take an interest in politics I have recently become disappointed with a few of the legislators. When emailing them some receive an automated reply that they are too busy and unable to respond. Or one representative that will only look at emails from his district. Legislators, especially those who chair committees, should not do this.
At election time many state that they will be open to the input of the public. It seems that many are beginning to use this as election rhetoric.

Egan Kawamoto
Ewa Beach
808-2929-4986

Lobby Day

Rep. Sagum had a crazy idea about education according to Kauai team.
Sen. Kim did not have time to meet with us. In all my years in lobbying I think I met her once. Not very accessible.
Sen. Bunda as always very open. Yet some discussion was disturbing to me. Also some of it was not from him.
Rep. Magaoay was very busy. We were only able to say hi and bye.
Sen. Sakamoto I met informally on the lanai. Like always he impressed me with his knowledge of the problems. While I do not always agree he does have ideas that are debatable. Many just come up with whacko ideas.
Rep. Wakai sent a facebook message to say he supports VEBA.

VEBA

My sample testimony

Dear Senator,

My name is Egan Kawamoto and I teach at Wheeler Middle School. Please hear bill SB2797. VEBA helps teachers and its sunset should not be based on a flawed report.

The auditor’s report is flawed.
1. The report says that the premiums paid by the state would decrease. History shows that this is not true. The cost to the state did not decrease and the premiums were higher than projected. When moved to the EUTF teachers faced significant increases in their costs as well as a decrease in their benefits.
2. The report states that the administrative costs were duplicated. When in fact those costs are set and will not be a savings but would be transferred to the EUTF.
3. The report fails to report that during those years the Department of Education (DOE) realized lower contribution rates for teachers (from March 1, 2006 through June 30, 2009, the employer contribution savings was $3,145,309.00). In addition, the State of Hawaii General Fund received experience refunds for teachers totaling $3,518,760.00. The DOE and the State of Hawaii realized a total savings of $6,664,069.00 from March 1 2006 through June 30, 2009. For Retirees, the State of Hawaii has essentially been at breakeven between contributions, costs, and refunds as compared to EUTF.

The EUTF is not well run.
1. The trustees have not met in January and February. Though the governor insists that this is due to the unions, I do not care who is responsible. A group responsible for the health plans for government workers should work smoothly.
2. They have misplaced @1500 enrollees. What will happen when there is a need to enroll @13,000 teachers?
3. The public unions are calling for a reorganization of the EUTF. I believe there are bills to that effect.

The EUTF does not operate proactively.
1. The cost of our health benefits will increase hence the cost to the state will also increase. This I feel is caused by the inability to actively negotiate with the providers. It is because of the VEBA trust that HMA/Summerlin is involved and HMSA changed their policy to allow more choice in the EUTF.
2. The cost of maintenance drugs is handled by an out of state entity. This causes a loss of revenue to the state and also does not support local businesses.
3. They should know that there has been no adverse selection since the law requires that all teachers in Bargaining Unit 5 must be enrolled in the VEBA plan as an employee.

While I have usually been swayed by the auditor’s reports this report leaves much to discuss. It basically asks you to make a decision based on a lack of information.

Sincerely,
Egan Kawamoto

Furloughs

What happens when teachers return under the governor’s plan?
No library services. No access to computer labs. No office staff to handle early leaves and tardies. No health aide to handle sick students. No administrators on campus for discipline problems.

VEBA

Sorry I took awhile to digest the VEBA letter from Marion Higa.
Her findings were that VEBA promotes adverse selection and increases premium costs, duplicates administrative costs and does not provide transparency.
It does promote adverse selection but that is because many retirees were afraid of the pilot nature of VEBA. I have talked to many retirees who have asked, “If the VEBA is made permanent will there be an enrollment period? By its nature the EUTF has increased premium costs. There cannot be competition if the amount of companies bidding is too few.
Duplicates administrative costs is true. Why it costs so much? I don’t know, but I believe it involves the bankruptcy that occurred.
VEBA is a trust under ERISA a federal program and as such the information is available for anyone to see. That the auditor was unable to obtain needed information must be explained to me.
There are a lot of questions but we should be allowed to respond. Also HSTA needs to act with a sense of urgency.

Central Chapter Elections

I have decided to run for HSTA Central Chapter President. I believe that the leadership has stood together and has not represented the general membership. They have not asked the right questions and have been satisfied with poor explanations.

In the past year I have seen HSTA become an unhappy place. It needs to become a place that is open. It promotes itself as the most democratic union, yet has not demonstrated it. I want to change it. I believe I can change it.

Sports Commision

Aiona proposes a sports commission to promote sports events in Hawaii. I was going to comment on the Advertiser website but after 8 hours no one has commented. He has not demonstrated knowledge of what leadership in government entails. A few years ago I heard him on the radio suggesting building a smaller stadium. But if the stadium is smaller, no Pro Bowl.

He also asked to the parties in the furlough issue to meet. But did he do anything except talk to the news media?

I wonder if he knows how to introduce a bill?