The Honolulu City Council Votes to Raise Gas Tax by 6 Cents over 3 Years
Seven of 9 Honolulu City Council members today voted to raise the city gas by 6 cents over the next 3 years. The city administration wants the revenue to replenish the city highway fund.
The plan includes a 1 cent, 2 cent and 3 cent increase over the next 3 years, with each 1 cent hike generating $3.1 million in estimated revenues.
Council members Tom Berg and Ikaika Anderson voted against the measure saying gasoline taxes are already high enough.
Berg and Anderson pointed out that the city had cut the $77 million already allocated by the council for road repairs down to $45 million but wants now wants the tax hike, supposedly to replenish the highway fund.
“The council appropriated $77 million to roadways, the administration is proposing to allot $45 million, yet they are saying they want the 1 cent to rehab our roads. This does not jive. I fail to see logic,” said Anderson.
Several other council members expressed concern about the tax hike proposal, however they supported the bill on second reading, largely because Council Member Ernie Martin, the budget chair, asked them to keep the option alive.
The bill passed second reading, and has to pass third reading before going to the mayor for his approval.
The only member of the public to testify on the measure was Marsha Rose Joyner. She opposed the measure and said there would be rioting in the streets if the council passed a gasoline tax.
To contact council members about the gas tax hike, log onto https://www1.honolulu.gov/council/ccl.htm
Honolulu City Council Opposes State Legislature’s Proposal for Instant Runoff Voting
Today, the Honolulu City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 11-116 which urges the Hawaii State Legislature to defer action on House Bill No. 638, HD1 SD1 which would force the City & County of Honolulu along with the County of Hawaii to implement a new type of voting procedure during special elections called ‘instant runoff voting’ or ‘ranked choice voting’ which requires voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than merely selecting one candidate to vote for.
Honolulu City Councilman Tom Berg, who was elected on 29 December 2010 in a special election to fill a vacancy on the council, describes the sudden push for ranked choice voting this way: “It’s a huge infringement on the long established concept of home rule and an assault on our democratic form of government in clear violation of the Constitutional principle of one man-one vote. It’s also an unfunded, discriminatory mandate on just two of our four counties during a time of scarce resources. And it’s obviously a partisan, vendetta-flavored overreaction to the elections of Charles Djou to Congress and Tom Berg to the City Council, both of which occurred during special elections.”
Berg continued: “It’s a non-reform masquerading as a reform. Bill 638 will destroy our democratic form of representative government by further suppressing the two party system and perpetuating a one party stranglehold on Hawaii. Minority representation will be harder to achieve. And if anything has been proven in recent months, it’s that Democrats alone cannot run Hawaii properly.”
The State House bill, introduced by Berg’s former opponent for State House, Rep. Rida Cabanilla, is scheduled to be considered by a conference committee tomorrow morning at 10:30am at the State Capitol in conference room 325. – Submitted by the office of Council Member Tom Berg
OFFICIAL CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION:
https://www4.honolulu.gov/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-111420/11-116.doc
OFFICIAL STATE LEGISLATURE BILL:
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/Bills/HB638_SD1_.HTM
CB Richard Ellis Group Inc – No. 1
National Real Estate Investor, the leading magazine for professional real estate investors, has ranked CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (CBRE) the No. 1 U.S.-based commercial real estate brokerage firm for the eighth year in a row. The ranking, featured in the publication’s April 2011 issue, is based on the aggregate value of sales and leasing transactions completed globally during 2010.
CB Richard Ellis was responsible for $128.1 billion of global sales and leasing transactions in 2010. This total was nearly twice the transaction value of the number-two firm, which reflected CB Richard Ellis’ lead over the second-place firm widening by $17.5 billion – or 10 percentage points – compared with 2009. – Submitted by CB Richard Ellis
Five Women Honored By YMCA for Leadership
YWCA of O‘ahu announces five women to be honored at the 34th annual Leader Luncheon, a fundraiser for the YWCA of O‘ahu on Wednesday, June 8, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
They include Vicky Cayetano, president & CEO of United Laundry Services; Colleen Minami, vice-president of Aloha Medical Mission; Suzanne Chun Oakland, Hawaii State Senator; Catherine Payne, retired principal of Farrington High School; and Linda Rosario, owner/operator of Grelyn of Hawaii, Inc., the state’s largest McDonald’s franchise company.
Since LeaderLuncheon’s inception in 1977, nearly 170 women have been honored. Sponsor tables are available at the $10,000 ‘Ilima level; $7,500 Lehua level, and $5,000 ‘Ohai Ali‘I level. General tables of 10 are available at $2,500; individual tickets are $125 for YWCA members and $175 for non-members. For registration or information: Telephone (808) 538-7061 ext. 675. Online at www.ywcaoahu.org – Submitted by YMCA
Boy Scout Makahiki Scout Show on Saturday April 30th
The Aloha Council, Boy Scouts of America will be holding its annual Makahiki Scout Show on Saturday April 30th from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ala Moana Beach Park. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Makahiki Scout Show, making it the oldest scout show in the United States. Hawaii was the first ever to host a Scout-O-Rama back in 1911. Now, every State as well as Country celebrates a similar event.
The public is invited to visit the Makahiki throughout the day to enjoy hundreds of scouting displays, various scout competitions and local entertainment acts. There will also be a Scouting Alumni booth for former scouts to reconnect with scouting. Come see what Scouting in Hawaii has to offer on April 30th. – Submitted by John Fielding, Makahiki Chair