IRS “Loses” Emails | Ige Surges, Aiona Ahead | “I’m sorry, so sorry (NOT!)”

BY SEN. SAM SLOM – “I’m sorry, so sorry…(NOT!)” Last Sunday’s monopoly Star-Advertiser, a long time and unwavering supporter of the $9.03 billion Honolulu rail to nowhere, published an “apology” ad from John White and the Pacific Resources Partnership (PRP), a union political activist organization. The ad is a result of a defamation lawsuit during the 2012 Honolulu Mayoral campaign, when White and PRP constantly lied and defamed former Governor Ben Cayetano, an avowed opponent of rail. Even some Democrats were upset with the scurrilous nature of the PRP’s nearly $5 million negative campaign to defeat Cayetano and install Kirk Caldwell. To settle the suit, PRP agreed to “apologize,” and bought a half page ad in the SA which happily accepted all the ads during 2012 as well. Many people had trouble finding the “apology” below the fold, and cleverly, the font and grey scale that PRP chose, made it even harder to read.

But PRP didn’t apologize. Read it yourself. They’re not sorry. They’re laughing. So they kicked in $100,000 to Cayetano’s UH Medical School charity and another $25,000 to the Hawaii Humane Society, but that’s chump change to this organized crime-like organization. PRP knows they won: they defeated Cayetano, preserved the financially unsustainable rail, and enjoy Caldwell to grant their every want, while continuing to force City taxpayers to bankruptcy over the rail. Negative mud works. Lesson learned.

Read the Newspaper (?) Mark Twain said: “If you don’t read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed.”

Ige Surges, Aiona Ahead-For Now. The latest independent campaign poll confirmed that Senator David Ige is ahead of incumbent Governor Neil Abercrombie.The Honolulu Civil Beat reported that Ige is 11 points ahead, 48-37 percent, with just eight weeks until primary election day on August 9. A poll also showed that even in a three-way race (Ige, Hannemann and Aiona) Republican Duke Aiona, former Lt.
Governor, would win. It’s still early, and that is encouraging news for Republicans, but never count Abercrombie-a master campaigner-out.

Okuda Chosen for House. Gov. Neil Abercrombie last Friday announced the appointment of George Okuda to the state House of Representatives seat for District 48, a position left vacant by recently appointed Director of Environmental Quality Control Jessica Wooley. His appointment is effective immediately and ends after the November election. Okuda has served as a legislative aide for state Rep. Ken Ito since 2000. In addition, Okuda worked with school principals in Rep. Ito’s district on capital improvement projects needed at schools. In prior years, he served as a legislative aide for state Sen. Bob Nakata. Okuda was also a member of the Kahaluu Neighborhood Board for six years, two as chair. Okuda is a licensed civil and structural engineer and previously worked for the Hawaiian Electric Company. A resident of Kahaluu since 1973, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Let’s Have More Work Furloughs (NOT!) Last weekend there were two more escapes from OCCC – Good job Administration- and one of the prisoners walked away from his work furlough program. He is a convicted attempted murderer, rapist and kidnapper. Why, oh why, are dangerous felons like this on community work furlough? You too could ask these questions at today’s Senate Public Safety briefing, chaired by Sen. Will Espero, at 1 pm, Room 224 in the Capitol.

IRS “Loses” Emails. Former IRS official, Lois Lerner, champion of using the 5th Amendment, a year into the Congressional investigation of IRS misdeeds against Tea Party and other conservative groups, says she “lost” all her E mails about the IRS actions on her computer which crashed. Really? But wait, there’s more. Yesterday six more IRS officials said they too lost all their pertinent E mails pertaining to misdeeds involving the Tea Party. There is mandatory back up of ALL government records by agency. These officials should be jailed. Use that “lost” excuse the next time the IRS comes calling on you.

Obama Library Bid In Play. Hawaii officially made a bid for the Barrack Hussein Obama Presidential Library last Friday. Land has been put aside in Kaka’ako on the waterfront. Daniel Dae Kim did the voiceover for the slick presentation.The deadline for other sites was Monday. A reported total 8 other sites in Illinois and New York were also submitted. The Library would not need much space to hold Obama’s books and papers: Saul Alinsky’s community organizing radical book, Big Bird-The Book, Golfing for Dummies, How to Travel on Only $1 Million a Day on the Taxpayers, the Rev. Wright’s most racist Chicago church sermons, Mao’s Little Red Book, and Hillary Clinton’s “Hard Choices.” Best guess: there will be a primary library (not here) and branches elsewhere (one here) where there are golf courses.

State Librarian Retires. Richard Burns, who has served as the State Librarian of the Hawaii State Public Library System since January 2008, has informed the Board of Education of his retirement at the end of the year, completing more than 30 years of service, the last
seven as Hawaii’s State Librarian. It was Bird who several years ago sought to remove the independence of several volunteer “Friends of” public library organizations by strong arming them to be part of the statewide Friends of the Library. Legislation removed that threat.

Outrigger’s Carey Army Awardee. The 2014 U.S. Army, Pacific, Mana O Ke Koa “Spirit of the Warrior” award which recognizes active community leaders that embody the “Warrior Ethos” was awarded last Friday evening to W. David P. Carey III, president and chief executive officer of Outrigger Enterprises Group at the U.S. Army, Pacific Birthday Commemoration at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki.

UH Receives Big Bucks. This week the University of Hawaii received its largest grant ever, $40 million, from the prestigious Simons Foundation to the School of Ocean and Earth Science Technology to continue its ocean and marine research. The grant will be made @ $8 million per year over the next 5 years.

In FLUX. NMG//Nella Media Group announced FLUX Hawaii, its Hawai’i arts and culture magazine, will expand its distribution nationwide and to Japan with the fall issue in September 2014 making it the only Hawaii lifestyle magazine distributed internationally. Published quarterly and online at FLUXHawaii.com, FLUX Hawaii is a publication for the forward-thinking demographic that reorients how people think about Hawaii, showcasing the vibrant arts, culture, and community that continue to incite wonder and allure in those around the world. In addition to expanding internationally, FLUX Hawaii’s distribution within the state of Hawaii will increase with direct mail circulation to the up-and-coming Honolulu neighborhood of Kaka`ako.

US SBA Adjusts Size Standards. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an interim final rule that will adjust monetary based small business size standards (i.e., receipts, assets, net worth and income) for inflation to allow more small businesses to become eligible for SBA’s financial and federal government procurement assistance programs.  The interim final rule was published in the Federal Register last week.
SBA estimates that more than 8,400 additional businesses will gain small business status under the adjusted size standards and become eligible for SBA’s financial and federal government procurement programs.  These changes can also possibly lead to more than $150 million to $200 million in additional federal contracts awarded to small businesses and 80 additional loans totaling about $30 million.  The public may submit comments on this interim final rule to:  www.regulations.gov, identified by the following RIN number: (RIN 3245-AG60).

Federal Lands Takeover Jeopardizes Budgets. Carl Graham, director of the Coalition for Self-Government in the West (CSG-W), told an audience at Americans for Tax Reform that the financial future of the western United States is being jeopardized by federal ownership over large swaths of land. With over 50% of the land in this region controlled by the federal government, western states (California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii) face a serious financial risk. The federal government’s ownership of this vast area has caused states to become increasingly dependent on federal funding, since states are unable to tax federal land or develop it for their own economic purposes. In effect, these states have become beholden to the federal government to take care of basic state functions, such as education and road maintenance, through federal subsidies and grants.

Graham explained that because federal funds to states are allocated through discretionary funding, they are likely to be squeezed between mandatory entitlement spending and national debt service in the next several years. Federal funding for states will inevitably decrease and Graham says that it is up to states to prepare themselves for the worst-case scenario. With one-third of state budgets provided by the federal government, he argues that states ought to consider ways to reduce that dependence and mitigate the financial risks involved.

Jammin’ At Winners’ Camp. Aloha, Happy Campers! It’s time to start planning for July and here is your special invitation to Winners’ Camp Hawaii Leadership Academy.   They are now accepting registrations for their Jammin’ July 20-26 program. For more than 25 years, Winners’ Camp has been providing teens and tweens with the tools to make positive choices.   Our campers learn Respect, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Restraint and Resilience. Contact Winners’ Camp to find out more about partial scholarships for military, siblings and friends.  Send an email or call 808-306-8008.

Tax Foundation Helps You Navigate the Capitol. Do you have an idea that you want in the statute books, or do you want to know how to follow bills in the legislative process in order to make sure your opinion is heard?  You need to understand the Hawaii legislative process!  Those who do can more effectively communicate concerns and wishes to legislative leaders. Come and find out what happens during the 60-day legislative session, what you can do, and how you can voice your concerns to make a difference.  The actual session begins in January, but to make maximal use of it you should start formulating your ideas and strategies now.

Mark your calendars for next Monday, June 23, 2014, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 pm at the Law Offices of Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, 999 Bishop Street, 16th Floor.  Presenters from Hawaii’s Public Access Room of the State Capitol will provide insight into how you can make a difference by understanding the legislative process, making sense of calendar deadlines, and how to effectively use the legislature’s newly redesigned website.
CPA attendees will qualify for two (2) CPE credits.  Attendance is limited so reserve your space now!  Special rates have been set for Tax Foundation members at $15.00 and nonmembers at $20.00.  This price includes a bento lunch (please advise of any dietary restrictions).

Deadline for registration has been set for June 19th.  If you are interested in attending, please use the registration form.  Questions and specific details may be directed to the Foundation’s staff at 536-4587.

Aloha Opens in Lahaina. Aloha Petroleum last weekend celebrated the grand opening of their new Aloha Petroleum Aloha Island Mart location in Lahaina.

V.I.P. Appoints Hsia. V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc. welcomes Duncan Hsia as the new sales manager. The mid-sized mortgage banking firm launched its Hawaii headquarters this past February in the Gentry Pacific Design Center at 560 N. Nimitz Hwy.  Hsia will manage Oahu loan officers and help to significantly expand the company’s local presence. Hsia has previously worked at Honolulu Home Loans where he was vice president/loan manager. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in engineering and business from the Wharton School of Business.

SBH Sunrise June 26. The next SBH Sunrise Networking Breakfast will be held on Thursday, June 26, 7-8:30 am in the Pineapple Room of Macy’s Ala Moana Center. Jane Sawyer, District Director of the Hawaii US SBA (Small Business Administration) will be our speaker. Details on the SBH website or by calling 396-1724.

Want More Business? JOIN SBH! Is YOUR business a member of SBH?  No? Lots of benefits. Strong networking organization. Call 396-1724 or go online to  smartbusinesshawaii.com.

Hawaii Reporter.com, Hawaii’s first electronic daily newspaper launched in 2002, has all the breaking news and unlike other publications in town, is still free. Award winning Hawaii Reporter and Malia Zimmerman report daily (M-F) on the Rick Hamada Show heard on KHVH radio on 830 AM at 7:05 am. Malia will share the news behind the news.

Tune in to Panos Prevedouros. SBH Director and UH Engineering Professor Dr. Panos Prevedouros is a weekly guest on Rick Hamada’s morning radio show every Tuesday from 7:05 a.m. to 8 am. Tune in!

Read SB NEWS. Don’t forget to read your current monthly SB NEWS by PDF attachment or link. More expanded news and views for the Hawaii business community.

Advertise Here. Some readers have inquired about placing an ad on the right margin of these weekly blasts, which reach more than 15,000 people. Interested? If you want your business ad posted, the cost is $50 for one placement or $150 per month (4-5 placements). Contact 396-1724.

Want more local business information? Please visit the several SBH websites at www.smartbusinesshawaii.com, www.educate808.com and www.sbhfoundation.org

Celebrating a business milestone? Your business press releases are welcome in the weekly SBH News & Views e-News, which reaches more than 15,000 business owners and government leaders in Hawaii.

What? Not receiving your copy? Send PR, additional requests and email address to  SBH@lava.net or call 396-1724.

As always, SBH appreciates your support, so please consider joining or sending a donation to help SBH continue to assist the private, independent businesses in our community.

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