The following hearing notices, which are subject to change, were sorted and taken from the Hawaii State Capitol Web site. Please check that site for updates and/or changes to the schedule at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/docs/hearing/hearing2.asp?press1=docs&button1=current Go there and click on the Hearing Date to view the Hearing Notice.

Hearings notices for both House and Senate measures in all committees:

Hearing

”Date Time Bill Number Measure Title Committee”

1/23/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/23/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM

1/23/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing AGR

1/23/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing JHW PSM

1/23/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN

1/23/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN

1/23/03 1:15 PM None Informational Briefing TSM

1/23/03 2:00 PM None Informational Briefing JHW

1/23/03 2:00 PM None Informational Briefing JUD

1/23/03 4:00 PM None Electronic Town Meeting ECD/SAT

1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing HLT

1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM

1/24/03 10:30 AM None Informational Briefing WLH

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB14 RELATING TO TELEPHONE SOLICITATIONS. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB17 RELATING TO PAGER AND CELLULAR PHONE SPAM. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB22 RELATING TO CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTING. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB43 RELATING TO INSURANCE FRAUD. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB75 RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB93 RELATING TO THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF DESIGN PROFESSIONALS. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB96 RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB139 RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL INDUSTRY. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM HB140 RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL INDUSTRY. CPC

1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN

1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN

1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN

1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN

1/24/03 2:00 PM None Informational Briefing EDN

1/25/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing HLT/JUD/HTH/JHW

1/27/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM

1/27/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM/EDU

1/27/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing CPH

1/27/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB47 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB48 RELATING TO THE LEASING OF SUBMERGED LANDS. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB49 RELATING TO TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB52 RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB53 RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S MARITIME RELATED USES. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB57 RELATING TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB58 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES. TRN

1/27/03 9:30 AM HB60 RELATING TO IMPACT FEES. TRN

1/27/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN

1/27/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN

1/28/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/28/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM

1/28/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing TAC

1/28/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN

1/28/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN

1/28/03 1:15 PM None Informational Briefing TSM

1/29/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/29/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM

1/29/03 1:00 PM SB16 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU

1/29/03 1:00 PM SB17 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU

1/29/03 1:00 PM SB350 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU

1/29/03 1:00 PM SB701 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU

1/30/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/30/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM

1/30/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB98 RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN HEALTH. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB381 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PAYMENT OF DAMAGES FOR HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB381 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PAYMENT OF DAMAGES FOR HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB382 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB383 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB383 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB476 RELATING TO CEDED LAND REVENUES. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB477 RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS COMMISSION ACT. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB478 RELATING TO THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB610 RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS RESOLUTION UNDER THE HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB610 RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS RESOLUTION UNDER THE HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB615 RELATING TO SPECIAL ATTORNEYS GENERAL. JHW

1/30/03 9:00 AM SB638 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION. JHW

1/31/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing TMG

2/4/03 1:15 PM None Informational Briefing SAT/ECD

2/21/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing TMG

Dick Rowland Image ‘Shoots (News, Views and Quotes)’ – Rule of Law is Paramount, Friedman Now Says Ten years ago, Nobel laureate Milton Friedman had just three words of advice for countries crawling out from under communism: Privatize, privatize, privatize. But now he says he was wrong — that establishing the rule of law is probably more basic than privatization. In fact, in some countries, privatization without the rule of law is just stealing. Friedman isn’t alone in changing his mind to champion the role of law in societies. Robert Lawson, economics professor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and an author of “Economic Freedom of the World,” published annually by the Economic Freedom Network, has elevated the rule of law over the role of taxes as the key building block of successful economies. The report rates 123 of the world’s economies and the best-off turn out to be those with trusted legal systems — where people can own and transfer property with confidence. The two top countries in economic freedom are Hong Kong and Singapore, and while neither is very democratic or politically liberal, both once belonged to Britain and drew on British common law — as did 8 of the top 10, including the U.S., which came out at number 3. Economic freedom was on the wane in the 1970s, but picked up speed in the 1980s, the report contends. On a 10-point scale, average economic freedom worldwide rose from 5.1 in 1975 to 6.6 in 2000. Lawson reports a general worldwide trend toward an expansion of the rule of law, holding the line on taxes, and promoting sounder monetary policies and freer trade. Also, governments are getting smaller and regulation is less onerous. Source: Brian Mitchell, “Economic Freedom Depends on Rule of Law, Survey Says,” Investor’s Business Daily, July 9, 2002. For more on Legal Systems, see: https://www.ncpa.org/iss/int Above article is quoted from https://www.ncpa.org Daily Policy Digest 7/9/02 – Some Truths Johannesburg Should Remember The anti-globalization contingent attending the U.N. Earth Summit on “sustainable development” in Johannesburg is convinced the world is in trouble. But observers say they might want to keep the following in mind: The average resident of a poor nation lives nearly twice as long as his 19th-century counterpart — and most of humanity enjoys better health and longevity than the richest people in the richest countries did just 100 years ago. Thanks primarily to U.S. medical researchers almost all the major killer diseases prior to 1900 — tuberculosis, typhoid, smallpox, whooping cough, polio and malaria — have been nearly eradicated, and child death rates in just the last 20 years have been halved in India, Egypt, Indonesia and scores of other nations. Worldwide, fewer people in absolute numbers died of famine in the 20th century than in the 19th century — even though the world population is some four times larger today that it was 100 years ago. Illiteracy has fallen by more than two-thirds in the U.S. and by an even greater percentage in many poor nations. Pollution is a favorite topic among the anti-growth crowd. But U.S. smog levels have declined by about 40 percent, and carbon monoxide is down nearly one-third since the 1960s — even though we now have nearly twice as many cars. By any measure, natural resources have become more abundant and cheaper, and life has improved thanks to free market capitalism, observers say. If only the intellectual elite in South Africa would deregulate their economies and cut tax rates and government regulation, poverty could be alleviated in a generation or two. Source: Stephen Moore (Club for Growth), “Surer Way to Sustain the Planet,” Washington Times, August 30, 2002. For text, see: https://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20020830-96837656.htm For more on Environment, see: https://www.ncpa.org/iss/env/ Above article is quoted from https://www.ncpa.org Daily Policy Digest 8/30/02 ‘Roots (Food for Thought)’ – Reflections on the Battle of Ideas By Matthew J. Brouillette If you love liberty as much as I do, you wake up everyday to a war-a war of ideas, a war of competing philosophies of freedom, a war on our basic human rights to life, liberty, and property. And the truth is that it is a war that can be downright discouraging. If you’re keeping score-and I encourage you not to-the time-honored virtues that made this country the freest, most prosperous nation in history are taking hits on a daily basis. Now don’t get me wrong. I am an optimist to the core of my being — I already know the end of the story. But I must admit that it is very easy to fall into the trap of pessimism. Yet I can’t. I have two small, smiling faces at home that force me to get up and fight every day. In fact, I even burdened my daughter with my cause by naming her Liberty! But when I think about things in an historical perspective, I am reminded of those people who have gone before us in this fight for freedom. They most definitely had reasons to throw in the towel — but didn’t! Consider William Lloyd Garrison. This man spent his entire life trying to abolish slavery in America. He never led or managed much more than a small band of followers. But it was his steadfast determination and passionate commitment to the cause of freedom that made him a catalyst of significant change. For thirty-five years, Garrison published more than 1,800 issues of his anti-slavery newspaper, The Liberator. And, today, I draw my inspiration from the editorial in the first issue of his paper on January 1, 1831-more than 30 years before Garrison’s dream of abolition would be realized. His words encourage me in the justness and urgency of our own current struggle for freedom. Here’s what he wrote: “I am aware, that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen;-but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest-I will not equivocate-I will not excuse-I will not retreat a single inch-and I will be heard!” In 2002, despite what may appear as insurmountable opposition to our cause, remember that we are on the winning side! Remember William Lloyd Garrison and stay the course. Let me conclude with a quote from Samuel Adams-a man who many times, I am sure, felt like giving up in his struggle for freedom. He reminds us that “It does not take a majority to prevail. but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” Do not equivocate, do not excuse, and do not retreat a single inch. ”Matthew J. Brouillette is president of the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market public policy organization in Pennsylvania. This article was excerpted from his closing remarks at the Commonwealth Foundation’s Third Annual Dinner. Above article is quoted from https://www.heritage.org/about/community/insider/2002/oct02 ‘Evergreen (Today’s Quote)’ From Reason Magazine 10/02 comes this: Residents of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, would be wise to register their bicycles. City officials say the registration helps reduce bicycle thefts and makes it easier to return stolen bikes. In case that doesn’t convince bikers, the city has added an extra incentive: If police catch a biker without the decal showing he’s paid his registration fee, they seize the bike and give it to the homeless. GRIH Comment: Oh, ducky! Just think, given enough bikes to sell, some of the homeless could rent a house. Oops, then no longer homeless. But could buy a car. Don’t you love those incentives? For example, enterprising homeless could visit schoolyards & scrape off decals before calling the cops. ”See Web site” https://www.grassrootinstitute.org ”for further information. Join its efforts at “Nurturing the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a civil society. …” or email or call Grassroot of Hawaii Institute President Richard O. Rowland at mailto:grassroot@hawaii.rr.com or (808) 487-4959.”

Suzanne Gelb Image ‘Deceived — Will My Flowers Grow?’ Dear Dr. Gelb: I just love flowers and I bought this beautiful plant and I was guaranteed that it would grow under those grow lights. But somebody told me that those lights are not healthy for you if you are in the room with them very long. I feel deceived. Deceived A: Dr. Gelb says . . . Dear Deceived: I can appreciate the disappointment. In terms of the health aspects of those types of lights, it might be useful to contact the supplier or the issuer of the guarantee to find out more about the health-related issues you are questioning. Those people who enjoy surfing the Internet would probably try to handle a problem such as you describe by researching the topic on the web. I know of one person who recently wanted to research a health-related issue, and on her computer there is a little menu on the left hand side with all kinds of options to click on, one of them being “Health.” If you have access to a computer, you might consider a similar research approach. I imagine you could find quite a bit of information about light rays, fluorescent, gamma, infrared and all those fascinating topics that I know little about, and that could probably be quite informative. ‘Heartache — Does Crying Hurt?’ Dear Dr. Gelb: I have had my share of pain in my life, both physical and emotional. However, why do people say that when they lose a loved one or divorce, that they have a “heartache.” Does the heart really ache? Heartache A: Dr. Gelb says . . . Dear Heartache: The concept of “heartache” is one that many people tend to associate with the grieving process. In my opinion, the hurt that can be felt when losing a loved one is an emotional experience. Grief is required to deal with loss, and crying is the natural process for expressing grief. If a person cries openly and freely, he or she is not likely to feel the pressure that is sometimes experienced when grief is suppressed. This typically occurs when a person whimpers or chokes back tears, rather than freely expressing them. You may have heard the expression, “I’m just choked up with grief, my heart is killing me.” I believe that in such instances, if people would permit themselves to cry openly and relieve the emotion, they are more likely experience a sense of relief, rather than pain. ”Suzanne J. Gelb, Ph.D., J.D. authors this daily column, Dr. Gelb Says, which answers questions about daily living and behavior issues. Dr. Gelb is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Honolulu. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Human Services. Dr. Gelb is also a published author of a book on Overcoming Addictions and a book on Relationships.” ”This column is intended for entertainment use only and is not intended for the purpose of psychological diagnosis, treatment or personalized advice. For more about the column’s purpose, see” “An Online Intro to Dr. Gelb Says” ”Email your questions to mailto:DrGelbSays@hawaiireporter.com More information on Dr. Gelb’s services and related resources available at” https://www.DrGelbSays.com

The following hearing notices, which are subject to change, were sorted and taken from the Hawaii State Capitol Web site. Please check that site for updates and/or changes to the schedule at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/docs/hearing/hearing2.asp?press1=docs&button1=current Go there and click on the Hearing Date to view the Hearing Notice. Hearings notices for both House and Senate measures in all committees: Hearing ‘Date Time Bill Number Measure Title Committee’ 1/23/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/23/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM 1/23/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing AGR 1/23/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing JHW PSM 1/23/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN 1/23/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN 1/23/03 1:15 PM None Informational Briefing TSM 1/23/03 2:00 PM None Informational Briefing JHW 1/23/03 2:00 PM None Informational Briefing JUD 1/23/03 4:00 PM None Electronic Town Meeting ECD/SAT 1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing HLT 1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/24/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM 1/24/03 10:30 AM None Informational Briefing WLH 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB14 RELATING TO TELEPHONE SOLICITATIONS. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB17 RELATING TO PAGER AND CELLULAR PHONE SPAM. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB22 RELATING TO CONSUMER CREDIT REPORTING. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB43 RELATING TO INSURANCE FRAUD. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB75 RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB93 RELATING TO THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF DESIGN PROFESSIONALS. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB96 RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB139 RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL INDUSTRY. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM HB140 RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL INDUSTRY. CPC 1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN 1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN 1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN 1/24/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN 1/24/03 2:00 PM None Informational Briefing EDN 1/25/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing HLT/JUD/HTH/JHW 1/27/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM 1/27/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM/EDU 1/27/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing CPH 1/27/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB47 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB48 RELATING TO THE LEASING OF SUBMERGED LANDS. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB49 RELATING TO TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB52 RELATING TO CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB53 RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S MARITIME RELATED USES. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB57 RELATING TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB58 RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES. TRN 1/27/03 9:30 AM HB60 RELATING TO IMPACT FEES. TRN 1/27/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN 1/27/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN 1/28/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/28/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM 1/28/03 9:00 AM None Informational Briefing TAC 1/28/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing FIN 1/28/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing Summary FIN 1/28/03 1:15 PM None Informational Briefing TSM 1/29/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/29/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM 1/29/03 1:00 PM SB16 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU 1/29/03 1:00 PM SB17 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU 1/29/03 1:00 PM SB350 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU 1/29/03 1:00 PM SB701 RELATING TO EDUCATION. EDU 1/30/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/30/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing WAM 1/30/03 8:30 AM None Informational Briefing Summary WAM 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB98 RELATING TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN HEALTH. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB381 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PAYMENT OF DAMAGES FOR HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB381 MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PAYMENT OF DAMAGES FOR HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB382 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB383 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB383 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB476 RELATING TO CEDED LAND REVENUES. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB477 RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS COMMISSION ACT. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB478 RELATING TO THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB610 RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS RESOLUTION UNDER THE HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB610 RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS RESOLUTION UNDER THE HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TRUST. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB615 RELATING TO SPECIAL ATTORNEYS GENERAL. JHW 1/30/03 9:00 AM SB638 RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION. JHW 1/31/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing TMG 2/4/03 1:15 PM None Informational Briefing SAT/ECD 2/21/03 1:00 PM None Informational Briefing TMG

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (UPI) — Secretary of State Colin Powell indicated Monday that Pakistan will remain on the list of the countries whose citizens are considered a security threat in the United States.

Pakistan was placed on the list on Dec. 18, 2002.

Longtime Pakistani visitors and non-permanent residents in the United States are required to register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service between Jan. 13 and Feb. 21.

Talking to journalists after addressing the U.N. Security Council in New York, Powell said while the United States recognizes Pakistan’s contribution to the war against terror, it cannot be removed from the INS list.

“I have discussed this with (Pakistani) President (Pervez) Musharraf and Foreign Minister (Khurshid Mahmud) Kasuri … I think one has to appreciate that the United States has an obligation to secure our borders and the purpose of these procedures is not to target anyone or to intimidate anyone,” said Powell.

However, he acknowledged that registration program was “having a negative effect” on Washington’s relationship with Pakistan.

On the first anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration introduced new restrictions on immigrants visiting the United States. These require citizens from 25 mainly Muslim countries to be registered, photographed and fingerprinted while in America.

The program has stirred angry protests by immigrants and human rights groups who describe it as biased against Muslims and have urged the Bush administration to revoke it.

The Pakistani foreign minister, who is expected to arrive in Washington next week after attending the U.N. Security Council, has said he would urge U.S. officials to remove Pakistan from the list.

The foreign minister is scheduled to meet Powell, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, and other senior officials in Washington next week.

“Nobody should see this as something targeted against Pakistan,” said Powell while addressing the issue at his briefing in New York. “It’s an effort to know who is in our country and to secure our borders.”

“Those individuals who are … here legally with proper documentation have nothing to fear from these registration procedures.”

He said some people do have concerns but he encouraged them to “step forward, register and resolve whatever out of status situation they may be in.”

Powell said there’s “a certain risk” for those who do not have proper documents but “nobody should see this as something targeted against Pakistan.”

Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (UPI) — Secretary of State Colin Powell indicated Monday that Pakistan will remain on the list of the countries whose citizens are considered a security threat in the United States. Pakistan was placed on the list on Dec. 18, 2002. Longtime Pakistani visitors and non-permanent residents in the United States are required to register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service between Jan. 13 and Feb. 21. Talking to journalists after addressing the U.N. Security Council in New York, Powell said while the United States recognizes Pakistan’s contribution to the war against terror, it cannot be removed from the INS list. “I have discussed this with (Pakistani) President (Pervez) Musharraf and Foreign Minister (Khurshid Mahmud) Kasuri … I think one has to appreciate that the United States has an obligation to secure our borders and the purpose of these procedures is not to target anyone or to intimidate anyone,” said Powell. However, he acknowledged that registration program was “having a negative effect” on Washington’s relationship with Pakistan. On the first anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration introduced new restrictions on immigrants visiting the United States. These require citizens from 25 mainly Muslim countries to be registered, photographed and fingerprinted while in America. The program has stirred angry protests by immigrants and human rights groups who describe it as biased against Muslims and have urged the Bush administration to revoke it. The Pakistani foreign minister, who is expected to arrive in Washington next week after attending the U.N. Security Council, has said he would urge U.S. officials to remove Pakistan from the list. The foreign minister is scheduled to meet Powell, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, and other senior officials in Washington next week. “Nobody should see this as something targeted against Pakistan,” said Powell while addressing the issue at his briefing in New York. “It’s an effort to know who is in our country and to secure our borders.” “Those individuals who are … here legally with proper documentation have nothing to fear from these registration procedures.” He said some people do have concerns but he encouraged them to “step forward, register and resolve whatever out of status situation they may be in.” Powell said there’s “a certain risk” for those who do not have proper documents but “nobody should see this as something targeted against Pakistan.” Copyright 2003 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

“Lingle Right Before State – State Centered”

”State of the State Offers Surprises, Controversy, New Beginning for Hawaii”

Gov. Linda Lingle addressed both Houses of the state Legislature yesterday, offering lawmakers, members of the public and the media a review of her plans beginning in 2003 through 2007. She focused primarily on measures to boost the economy, restore trust in government and strengthen public education, though she did propose solutions to Hawaii’s increasing drug problem.

In audience were state Legislators, former Governors George Ariyoshi and John Waihee, former first lady Lynn Waihee, Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Congressman Ed Case and his wife Audrey, and three county mayors. Conspicuously absent was former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, the Democrat who defeated Lingle in the General Election in 1998, but is blamed by many in his party for essentially sealing Lingle’s 2002 win because of his hostile and dictator-like leadership style.

While the audience was enthusiastic giving Lingle a standing ovation at the conclusion of her speech, many of the Democrats, including Abercrombie, sat stone faced without offering applause. However, the county mayors, including Democrat Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, clapped enthusiastically when Lingle, who is a former mayor, proposed giving 100 percent of the revenue from unadjudicated traffic fines back to the counties, something the mayors have long fought for. Senate President Bobby Bunda also was pleased that Lingle supported one of his most controversial proposals introduced during his speech on the opening day of the Legislative session to mandate the drug testing of public school students.

Some of the more surprising ideas that Lingle debuted included weakening the hold Hawaii’s public unions have over Hawaii’s public education system by exempting school principals from the public union and by giving charter schools more autonomy and double the funding they currently are authorized. Also surprising was Lingle’s backing of Bunda’s proposal to drug test children in public school. Though in her speech she called the testing “optional,” she and her lieutenant governor later explained the testing is mandatory for all students unless parents opt out their children. They say if children test positive for drugs, they will be sent to mandatory counseling, though no criminal charges will be filed against them. Saying the concept is new to Hawaii and needs to be studied further, Lingle and Aiona could not yet answer questions about how the information would be collected, where it would be stored, who would have access and who would run the testing.

Predictably Lingle continued to plug her concept of breaking up Hawaii’s single, statewide, centralized school district into seven districts, a measure that will require changing Hawaii’s state Constitution through a constitutional amendment presented to the public during the 2004 General Election.

“The people of Hawaii want better schools, with real alternatives for children who have not been able to thrive in a one-size-fits-all statewide system. They want a system that puts the interests of the children above those of anyone else, including union leaders and politicians. They want schools that prepare their children for a better life,” Lingle said.

Also surprising was Lingle’s timid proposal for tax cuts. During her campaign for governor, she pledged not to raise taxes and to fight for tax cuts on food and medical services. Yesterday, she said the state could not yet afford to take the expected $240 million tax cut, and proposed instead a more modest reporting change for low income residents, a move expected to cost the state between $20 million and $50 million. Republicans in both the House and Senate earlier announced in their legislative packages their steadfast support to remove the excise tax on the sale of food and medical.

Lingle stressed she will look for more ways to cut waste in government and is auditing every department as promised during her campaign and early days in office. She again pledged not to touch the state’s Hurricane Relief Fund, a $180 million fund former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano earmarked before he left office to balance the 2003 state budget, a move that will immediately create a $180 million shortfall. She promised to make up the state’s $3 billion unfunded liability in the state retirement system and give $10.3 million owed to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Under Lingle’s leadership, there will be more scrutiny of Hawaii’s procurement system and more openness in the bidding process. Lingle says her administration will make the government bidding system more transparent through a “reverse eBay” system earlier proposed to her by a state worker.

But the state will need to find a way to make up for the $3 billion, both because of the obvious legal obligation, and because it would be “morally wrong to push this debt onto the shoulders of the next generation,” she says.

Overall her speech did propose many groundbreaking concepts for Hawaii in the areas of education, economic reform and government accountability. However Lingle will surely face criticism from public unions, whose leaders will feel threatened by her proposals, by Democrats who will remain partisan, and by conservative Republicans who will feel Lingle’s proposals were not strong enough in the area of tax reform and economic stimulus.

To see her complete speech, go to: “State of the State – Jan. 21, 2003”

”Reforming the Election, Campaign Processes Might Finally Happen”

Gov. Linda Lingle also called for reforms in Hawaii’s election, campaign spending and procurement laws.

The Democrats and Chief Elections Officer Dwayne Yoshina have flatly refused for all the years they’ve been in power to post the election results of each poll at each poll before the results are delivered to the central counting center at the Hawaii State Capitol. The argument by Yoshina and others who support him is the media would run from poll place to poll place (including those on the neighbor islands), frantically add up the results from each one, and incorrectly add up results, leading to misinformation disseminated to the public on election days.

However, Lingle and the majority of Republicans disagree, saying it is necessary to post the results to prevent fraud in the election system. Lingle is proposing mandatory posting of election results at each precinct, and mandatory recounts in especially close elections.

She says the public also is rightly concerned about the large amounts of money contributed to political campaigns by businesses that then get millions of dollars in non-bid contracts. “Accordingly, I ask that you enact a law prohibiting political contributions by anyone benefiting from non-bid contracts,” she says. Lingle is reinforcing the position of the state Campaign Spending Commission and several lawmakers who passed legislation last year to this effect, but was vetoed by the former governor who himself benefited from this exchange of government contracts for campaign donations.

“Randy Roth and Lenny Klompus S – S 2003 Centered”

”Appointee May Face Rocky Road to Confirmation”

The majority of Gov. Linda Lingle’s appointees should be confirmed without delay or hassle by the Hawaii State Senate, largely because many of the appointees are business people from the private sector with little or no state government experience and little exposure to Hawaii politics.

However that may not be the case for at least one appointee –

“Lingle Right Before State – State Centered”

”State of the State Offers Surprises, Controversy, New Beginning for Hawaii”

Gov. Linda Lingle addressed both Houses of the state Legislature yesterday, offering lawmakers, members of the public and the media a review of her plans beginning in 2003 through 2007. She focused primarily on measures to boost the economy, restore trust in government and strengthen public education, though she did propose solutions to Hawaii’s increasing drug problem.

In audience were state Legislators, former Governors George Ariyoshi and John Waihee, former first lady Lynn Waihee, Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Congressman Ed Case and his wife Audrey, and three county mayors. Conspicuously absent was former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, the Democrat who defeated Lingle in the General Election in 1998, but is blamed by many in his party for essentially sealing Lingle’s 2002 win because of his hostile and dictator-like leadership style.

While the audience was enthusiastic giving Lingle a standing ovation at the conclusion of her speech, many of the Democrats, including Abercrombie, sat stone faced without offering applause. However, the county mayors, including Democrat Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, clapped enthusiastically when Lingle, who is a former mayor, proposed giving 100 percent of the revenue from unadjudicated traffic fines back to the counties, something the mayors have long fought for. Senate President Bobby Bunda also was pleased that Lingle supported one of his most controversial proposals introduced during his speech on the opening day of the Legislative session to mandate the drug testing of public school students.

Some of the more surprising ideas that Lingle debuted included weakening the hold Hawaii’s public unions have over Hawaii’s public education system by exempting school principals from the public union and by giving charter schools more autonomy and double the funding they currently are authorized. Also surprising was Lingle’s backing of Bunda’s proposal to drug test children in public school. Though in her speech she called the testing “optional,” she and her lieutenant governor later explained the testing is mandatory for all students unless parents opt out their children. They say if children test positive for drugs, they will be sent to mandatory counseling, though no criminal charges will be filed against them. Saying the concept is new to Hawaii and needs to be studied further, Lingle and Aiona could not yet answer questions about how the information would be collected, where it would be stored, who would have access and who would run the testing.

Predictably Lingle continued to plug her concept of breaking up Hawaii’s single, statewide, centralized school district into seven districts, a measure that will require changing Hawaii’s state Constitution through a constitutional amendment presented to the public during the 2004 General Election.

“The people of Hawaii want better schools, with real alternatives for children who have not been able to thrive in a one-size-fits-all statewide system. They want a system that puts the interests of the children above those of anyone else, including union leaders and politicians. They want schools that prepare their children for a better life,” Lingle said.

Also surprising was Lingle’s timid proposal for tax cuts. During her campaign for governor, she pledged not to raise taxes and to fight for tax cuts on food and medical services. Yesterday, she said the state could not yet afford to take the expected $240 million tax cut, and proposed instead a more modest reporting change for low income residents, a move expected to cost the state between $20 million and $50 million. Republicans in both the House and Senate earlier announced in their legislative packages their steadfast support to remove the excise tax on the sale of food and medical.

Lingle stressed she will look for more ways to cut waste in government and is auditing every department as promised during her campaign and early days in office. She again pledged not to touch the state’s Hurricane Relief Fund, a $180 million fund former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano earmarked before he left office to balance the 2003 state budget, a move that will immediately create a $180 million shortfall. She promised to make up the state’s $3 billion unfunded liability in the state retirement system and give $10.3 million owed to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Under Lingle’s leadership, there will be more scrutiny of Hawaii’s procurement system and more openness in the bidding process. Lingle says her administration will make the government bidding system more transparent through a “reverse eBay” system earlier proposed to her by a state worker.

But the state will need to find a way to make up for the $3 billion, both because of the obvious legal obligation, and because it would be “morally wrong to push this debt onto the shoulders of the next generation,” she says.

Overall her speech did propose many groundbreaking concepts for Hawaii in the areas of education, economic reform and government accountability. However Lingle will surely face criticism from public unions, whose leaders will feel threatened by her proposals, by Democrats who will remain partisan, and by conservative Republicans who will feel Lingle’s proposals were not strong enough in the area of tax reform and economic stimulus.

To see her complete speech, go to: “State of the State – Jan. 21, 2003”

”Reforming the Election, Campaign Processes Might Finally Happen”

Gov. Linda Lingle also called for reforms in Hawaii’s election, campaign spending and procurement laws.

The Democrats and Chief Elections Officer Dwayne Yoshina have flatly refused for all the years they’ve been in power to post the election results of each poll at each poll before the results are delivered to the central counting center at the Hawaii State Capitol. The argument by Yoshina and others who support him is the media would run from poll place to poll place (including those on the neighbor islands), frantically add up the results from each one, and incorrectly add up results, leading to misinformation disseminated to the public on election days.

However, Lingle and the majority of Republicans disagree, saying it is necessary to post the results to prevent fraud in the election system. Lingle is proposing mandatory posting of election results at each precinct, and mandatory recounts in especially close elections.

She says the public also is rightly concerned about the large amounts of money contributed to political campaigns by businesses that then get millions of dollars in non-bid contracts. “Accordingly, I ask that you enact a law prohibiting political contributions by anyone benefiting from non-bid contracts,” she says. Lingle is reinforcing the position of the state Campaign Spending Commission and several lawmakers who passed legislation last year to this effect, but was vetoed by the former governor who himself benefited from this exchange of government contracts for campaign donations.

“Randy Roth and Lenny Klompus S – S 2003 Centered”

”Appointee May Face Rocky Road to Confirmation”

The majority of Gov. Linda Lingle’s appointees should be confirmed without delay or hassle by the Hawaii State Senate, largely because many of the appointees are business people from the private sector with little or no state government experience and little exposure to Hawaii politics.

However that may not be the case for at least one appointee –

State Centered ‘State of the State Offers Surprises, Controversy, New Beginning for Hawaii’ Gov. Linda Lingle addressed both Houses of the state Legislature yesterday, offering lawmakers, members of the public and the media a review of her plans beginning in 2003 through 2007. She focused primarily on measures to boost the economy, restore trust in government and strengthen public education, though she did propose solutions to Hawaii’s increasing drug problem. In audience were state Legislators, former Governors George Ariyoshi and John Waihee, former first lady Lynn Waihee, Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Congressman Ed Case and his wife Audrey, and three county mayors. Conspicuously absent was former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, the Democrat who defeated Lingle in the General Election in 1998, but is blamed by many in his party for essentially sealing Lingle’s 2002 win because of his hostile and dictator-like leadership style. While the audience was enthusiastic giving Lingle a standing ovation at the conclusion of her speech, many of the Democrats, including Abercrombie, sat stone faced without offering applause. However, the county mayors, including Democrat Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, clapped enthusiastically when Lingle, who is a former mayor, proposed giving 100 percent of the revenue from unadjudicated traffic fines back to the counties, something the mayors have long fought for. Senate President Bobby Bunda also was pleased that Lingle supported one of his most controversial proposals introduced during his speech on the opening day of the Legislative session to mandate the drug testing of public school students. Some of the more surprising ideas that Lingle debuted included weakening the hold Hawaii’s public unions have over Hawaii’s public education system by exempting school principals from the public union and by giving charter schools more autonomy and double the funding they currently are authorized. Also surprising was Lingle’s backing of Bunda’s proposal to drug test children in public school. Though in her speech she called the testing “optional,” she and her lieutenant governor later explained the testing is mandatory for all students unless parents opt out their children. They say if children test positive for drugs, they will be sent to mandatory counseling, though no criminal charges will be filed against them. Saying the concept is new to Hawaii and needs to be studied further, Lingle and Aiona could not yet answer questions about how the information would be collected, where it would be stored, who would have access and who would run the testing. Predictably Lingle continued to plug her concept of breaking up Hawaii’s single, statewide, centralized school district into seven districts, a measure that will require changing Hawaii’s state Constitution through a constitutional amendment presented to the public during the 2004 General Election. “The people of Hawaii want better schools, with real alternatives for children who have not been able to thrive in a one-size-fits-all statewide system. They want a system that puts the interests of the children above those of anyone else, including union leaders and politicians. They want schools that prepare their children for a better life,” Lingle said. Also surprising was Lingle’s timid proposal for tax cuts. During her campaign for governor, she pledged not to raise taxes and to fight for tax cuts on food and medical services. Yesterday, she said the state could not yet afford to take the expected $240 million tax cut, and proposed instead a more modest reporting change for low income residents, a move expected to cost the state between $20 million and $50 million. Republicans in both the House and Senate earlier announced in their legislative packages their steadfast support to remove the excise tax on the sale of food and medical. Lingle stressed she will look for more ways to cut waste in government and is auditing every department as promised during her campaign and early days in office. She again pledged not to touch the state’s Hurricane Relief Fund, a $180 million fund former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano earmarked before he left office to balance the 2003 state budget, a move that will immediately create a $180 million shortfall. She promised to make up the state’s $3 billion unfunded liability in the state retirement system and give $10.3 million owed to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Under Lingle’s leadership, there will be more scrutiny of Hawaii’s procurement system and more openness in the bidding process. Lingle says her administration will make the government bidding system more transparent through a “reverse eBay” system earlier proposed to her by a state worker. But the state will need to find a way to make up for the $3 billion, both because of the obvious legal obligation, and because it would be “morally wrong to push this debt onto the shoulders of the next generation,” she says. Overall her speech did propose many groundbreaking concepts for Hawaii in the areas of education, economic reform and government accountability. However Lingle will surely face criticism from public unions, whose leaders will feel threatened by her proposals, by Democrats who will remain partisan, and by conservative Republicans who will feel Lingle’s proposals were not strong enough in the area of tax reform and economic stimulus. To see her complete speech, go to: “State of the State – Jan. 21, 2003” ‘Reforming the Election, Campaign Processes Might Finally Happen’ Gov. Linda Lingle also called for reforms in Hawaii’s election, campaign spending and procurement laws. The Democrats and Chief Elections Officer Dwayne Yoshina have flatly refused for all the years they’ve been in power to post the election results of each poll at each poll before the results are delivered to the central counting center at the Hawaii State Capitol. The argument by Yoshina and others who support him is the media would run from poll place to poll place (including those on the neighbor islands), frantically add up the results from each one, and incorrectly add up results, leading to misinformation disseminated to the public on election days. However, Lingle and the majority of Republicans disagree, saying it is necessary to post the results to prevent fraud in the election system. Lingle is proposing mandatory posting of election results at each precinct, and mandatory recounts in especially close elections. She says the public also is rightly concerned about the large amounts of money contributed to political campaigns by businesses that then get millions of dollars in non-bid contracts. “Accordingly, I ask that you enact a law prohibiting political contributions by anyone benefiting from non-bid contracts,” she says. Lingle is reinforcing the position of the state Campaign Spending Commission and several lawmakers who passed legislation last year to this effect, but was vetoed by the former governor who himself benefited from this exchange of government contracts for campaign donations. “Randy Roth and Lenny Klompus S – S 2003 Centered” ‘Appointee May Face Rocky Road to Confirmation’ The majority of Gov. Linda Lingle’s appointees should be confirmed without delay or hassle by the Hawaii State Senate, largely because many of the appointees are business people from the private sector with little or no state government experience and little exposure to Hawaii politics. However that may not be the case for at least one appointee -? State Attorney General Mark Bennett -? for three main reasons. Many of the state Senators are attorneys who do not like the private law firm Bennett came from ?- McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinn. That is in part because the firm is defending current Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, leader of a different and competing faction of the Democrat party, and his appointees and campaign managers against possible criminal charges that may be filed against them by the Honolulu City Prosecutor. Bennett has not been involved in the Harris defense, but is a litigation partner with the firm. Bennett also was appointed by the federal court to defend Felix consultants Ivor Groves and Judith Shrag from subpoenas issued by the state House-Senate Felix Investigative Committee looking into the $1.4 billion spent on Felix related services since 1994. Shrag and Groves refused to appear before the legislative committee to discuss how they have profited from their involvement in Felix and about some of the decisions they’ve made as appointees for the court, something that greatly upset the committee. In addition, Bennett, who will face a state Senate with 20 Democrats and 5 Republicans, was the legal counsel for the Republican Party of Hawaii in 2002. Bennett will surely face an uphill battle to confirmation with these potential three strikes against him. ‘Taxi System to be Revisited by New Task Force; Contract Temporarily Procured to One of Three Bidders’ One of the most contentious procurement situations currently under way is at the Honolulu International Airport, where the current monopoly taxi operator -? SIDA of Hawaii -? has fallen more than $680,000 behind in rent payments to the state over the last 16 months. The state Attorney General recently tried to negotiate an aggressive repayment schedule with SIDA, which included an increase in what the company has been paying monthly from $15,000 to $35,000. But SIDA has not attempted to repay the debt, nor is the company willing to pay the $35,000 per month, as it did two years ago. “Lingle and Awana 2003 S – S Image” According to Bob Awana, chief of staff for Lingle, that led the state to consider bringing in a new company to operate the taxi system on a temporary basis until April of 2003, giving the administration time to study the taxi system at the airport. The contract has not yet been signed. But Awana confirmed in an interview last night with HawaiiReporter.com that the company, which will likely take on the contract, is The Cab, one of three companies that expressed interest in operating the taxi airport system by submitting an intent to bid notice in December 2002. Two other companies submitted intents to bid, including VIP and Roberts Hawaii, though Roberts currently operates the bus and shuttle system at the airport, leading other taxi operators to claim Roberts would have monopoly on airport transportation if selected. The Cab is willing to operate the system on a temporary basis until the state can construct a new system and pay the state $35,000 per month, Awana says. Meanwhile, the Lingle administration is convening a taxi taskforce tomorrow to determine the kind of system that should be in place at the airport ?- closed or open. They will have to decide if one company should operate the service, allowing only its cabs to provide transportation from the airport, or if the system should be open to all qualified and licensed taxi drivers. In the past, SIDA of Hawaii operated the cab system for 40 years, with just a 2-year exception when a company called OTM took over. Competing companies claimed SIDA treated their drivers unfairly thereby violating its contract with the state -? a position that was supported in a 1998 lawsuit filed in First Circuit Court, Harris vs. SIDA of Hawaii. The court’s ruling was never enforced by the state and SIDA of Hawaii continued its anti-competitive practices, according to several sources in the industry, which they say ultimately led to poor service for airport customers. ‘Taxi Procurement Change May Come at Bad Time for Oahu’ When the contract to operate the taxi system at the Honolulu International Airport briefly changed hands from SIDA of Hawaii to OTM in 1994, SIDA’s operators did not go quietly into the night. The company had the contract for nearly four decades, and its operators were not pleased when the contract was let to another company. In fact, according to those cab drivers working at the airport during the change over, SIDA was down right mad. In retaliation for losing the contract, SIDA personnel reportedly vandalized state property, ripping out toilets from the facility the company vacated, cutting communication lines and ordering the electric power be turned off. When OTM took over, the new operators could not communicate with cabs, use the bathroom in the facility or even turn on the lights. There was a brief interruption in taxi service at the airport, but the experienced operators and other cab drivers in the industry pulled together to make the system work until everything could be repaired. According to state airport directors, no action was taken against SIDA for the severe vandalism, and in fact, the company was later rewarded by again winning the contract from 1996 to 2002. Those in the industry now fear history will repeat itself when The Cab takes over SIDA’s operations. They say they already are hearing that the company has plans to once again not go quietly into the night. Unfortunately for the state, the timing could not be worse as more than 16,000 people are expected to pour into the state for the ProBowl, scheduled for a week and a half from now, right in the heart of the transition. ‘Doing Hard Time With a Diet for the Rich and Famous’ No, the testimony by Dept. of Public Safety directors in a Senate Ways and Means hearing yesterday was not about how to feed the rich and famous in Hawaii. Rather about the way the state feeds its prison inmates. In addition to allowing for special religious practices and providing educational materials, entertainment facilities, exercise equipment and $13 million in excellent health care annually (better than most children, single moms and low-income children in Hawaii) the state also is careful of the meals the prisoners are fed. Apparently the food services department spends $10 million annually for prisoners in order to provide multiple therapeutic diets including vegetarian, bland, diabetic, reduced fat, low fat, low cholesterol, low sodium, renal, liquid and aids/HIV. And still the department is requesting more money to make sure that all of the nutritional needs of all 4,000 convicted prisoners in Hawaii are met. ‘Public Safety Director Finds New Home ? Back in Prison’ Ted Sakai, former director of the state Department of Public Safety, has left his post because he was not reappointed by Gov. Linda Lingle, according to his own statement yesterday in the Senate Ways and Means Hearing. However, Sakai will not be released from the prison system yet -? he will manage Hawaii’s most troubled prison ?- OCCC -? which is extremely overcrowded and has been the site from which many prisoners have escaped. He voluntarily took the position and will start in two weeks. Senators jokingly questioned Sakai as to whether he’d be living in the prison, or managing it. ‘New Hero or Scoundrel Voting Feature a Hit, Kawamoto Not’ Sen. Cal Kawamoto, D-Waipahu, was the first legislator to be put on an unofficial trial as a hero or scoundrel for his proposals to raise Hawaii’s gasoline taxes by 2 cents to fund a rapid transit or light rail system. Hawaii’s gasoline taxes already are the highest in the nation. Ironically, Kawamoto signed a pledge with the Americans for Tax Reform that says he will not introduce, support or vote for a tax increase. Breaking his pledge did not sit too well with HawaiiReporter.com readers. The results ?- 155 people voted Kawamoto a scoundrel, while 11 people voted him as a hero. ‘Vote Lingle – Hero or Scoundrel – For Education Reform Proposals’ Today Gov. Linda Lingle is on trial for her controversial education reform proposals offered yesterday in her state of the state address. Make sure to vote. The system is set so no one can vote more than once and so that results will be forwarded to the person featured. Regularly, a new person and their proposal will be featured, giving people a chance to voice their opinions on issues important to Hawaii and to send a message to the leaders of the state.