Hawaii Island Political Races

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

If one coconut stay on top my head I would look pretty lolo because the only way one coconut would stay on top my head is if one wen drop on top.

Trouble with having a coconut for one head is that you gotta crack em open before the wata turns da meat to mush and da whole ting turn into one rotten, stinkin' mushy pulp. No good for the noggin.

The reason why there's so much opala just outside the landfill is because of one simple reason, no where else to dump their stinking baby diapers. Most people don't make special trips to the landfills. They typically are enroute to other places. Can you imagine going to work and stopping by the refuse center to drop off your two bags of garbage. It's closed and you have no time to find another site so you go to work and your garbage turns to compost using your car's trunk or worse yet, the passenger compartment.

After work 8-hours later while the car baked in the sun, you open your door and HO BOY DA HAUNA!! Junior's diapers and the rotten mango from the fridge just turned your car into a Hazmat emergency! That's why they dump it outside the gate. Keep the refuse centers open or leave a bin for those after hour drops and you wouldn't see that problem.

And the reason why people dump their stuff along the sidewalks fronting their apartments is because Bulk Refuse was supposed to pick up that stuff weeks ago but didn't see it. When I was leaving Oahu for the Big Island I left some bulky items out for Bulk Refuse to pick up the next day. Well guess what, they didn't come and I wasn't about to haul that stuff (broken washer, old furniture etc) back to the newly repainted and refloored house.

The city tells me they forgot that street and now 18th Avenue looks like a friggin landfill because some city refuse worker forgot that street and they won't come for another MONTH! Meanwhile I got a plane ticket outta here, no place to keep the stuff and a major problem on my hands. Most people will simply say, "hey I called for the pick up, I did my part, the city failed and for that it's their opala problem now not mine" Fortunately for me, my neighbor said he would keep the opala in his yard until the next pick up, fortunately for me.

Kden, why da peeps no go raise hell wit da government den? Could it be because da goverment no care? And who wen vote dose buggahs into office? Can dose same peeps vote da buggahs out of office just as easily? Only if dey CARE. Remeba: If you not part of da solution, you part of da problem.

And wat? Everybody so makule and lazy dey can oni tink about demselves or wat? Da hauna diapers going affect everybody if not disposed of properly! Wat eva happened to da kine cloth diapahs and den? Wat? Too much humbug to wash dem, yeah?

Miulang

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

kden too la dat. You goin wash em? Mo betta wrap em up and toss da buggahs.

After six boys I use disposables. My brother in law with his first born daughter only wanted the best (what proud daddy doesn't right?) so he told his wife to use cloth diapers. I told him, "Braddah, big mistake" after one week of daily soiled diapers in the wash, his wife revolted. After one day of washing diapers, he gave up.

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

kden too la dat. You goin wash em? Mo betta wrap em up and toss da buggahs.

After six boys I use disposables. My brother in law with his first born daughter only wanted the best (what proud daddy doesn't right?) so he told his wife to use cloth diapers. I told him, "Braddah, big mistake" after one week of daily soiled diapers in the wash, his wife revolted. After one day of washing diapers, he gave up.

Does anyone who resorts to disposable diapers ever wonder what parents in the 40s, 50s and 60s did? Disposable diapers hadn't been invented yet. Moms used to wash mountains of diapers and hang them out to dry on clothes lines. Nowdays with real estate being so valuable, no clothes lines, but there are baby diaper services. Yes, it costs kala, but doesn't it also cost to buy cartons of Luvs and then if people don't dispose of them properly (or at least clean off the poop before they toss them), what cost is there to the environment and the future of the kids who are now crapping in them plastic nappies?

Miulang

[BKHale2007]

Circuit Judge Rules Jimmy Arakaki Can Legally Serve

The front headline of today's Tribune-Herald: Court, Voters Agree: Judge Rules Arakaki, Re-Elected Last Month, Can Legally Serve

A Big Island judge ruled Friday that James Arakaki is eligible to serve on the Hawaii County council for another two years.

Circuit Judge Glenn Hara ruled that a charter amendment imposing term limits didn't apply to the 1996 election. He said applying it for the first time to the 1998 election would eliminate any question of a retroactive law and still honor the public's desire to limit council terms.

[Konaguy]

Re: Circuit Judge Rules Jimmy Arakaki Can Legally Serve

Circuit Judge Glenn Hara ruled that a charter amendment imposing term limits didn't apply to the 1996 election. He said applying it for the first time to the 1998 election would eliminate any question of a retroactive law and still honor the public's desire to limit council terms.[/I]

The ruling by Judge Hara could've been worse. He could've invalidated
the Charter Amendment entirely.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

http://starbulletin.com/2004/10/05/news/story12.html

Big Isle Council
gets new leader
Both the chairman and vice
chairman hail from outside Hilo

By Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.com

HILO >> Two members from outside Hilo will lead the Hawaii County Council, a major shift from the body's usual balance of power.

Gary Safarik, councilman from the lower Puna area, has been named chairman by a five-member majority, said Councilman Bob Jacobson, who represents the huge district from upper Puna to South Kona. Jacobson was named vice chairman of the nine-member council.

Safarik will replace the current chairman, Hilo member Jimmy Arakaki, when a new Council term begins in December.

In addition, two newly elected Council members from West Hawaii, Angel Pilago from North Kona and Pete Hoffmann from North and South Kohala, will share chairmanship of the key Planning Committee, which controls land development on the island. The dual chairmanship has never been tried before on the Council, Jacobson said.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

Safarik really sold his soul! Before being re-elected he decided to vote with the West Hawaii board members to disapprove of certain developments there, now he'll be the chair!

Before that vote he could have cared less about West Hawaii! He's such a traitor to his own district of Puna it's rediculous,now there's a new Old boy network going on in Hawaii Council. Same old same old

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

I'm holding out hope that things will be better with new leadership
on the council. The really good news is Angel Pilago and Peter Hoffman
will co-chair the planning comittee.

How is Safarik a traitor to the Puna district ? I believe politics
played a part in Safrik's decision to vote not to override Mayor
Kim's veto of Cliftos Kona Coast rezoning. But I'm giving
him the benefit of the doubt that the same old good ole boy
council won't happen to the extent as it occured in the past.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

When asked if he would support Hawaii's public charter schools (in which a majority are on the Big Island) he declined.

When asked to come to a public charter school board meeting in Puna District, he declined.

Public Charter schools are DOE schools and provide a necessary alternative to those children who are in fact left behind in our DOE school system. Most kids attending PCS (Public Charter Schools) are either from Title 1 families or are special needs students.

When these students are enrolled in standard DOE schools and fall thru the cracks those "special needs" funds that were meant for those kids stay at the original school while that student is typically expelled after the first semester. Where do these kids go? Charter Schools offer a learning environment that's suited for these kids but the federal funding doesn't follow that child to that PCS, it stays at the original DOE school where that child doesn't attend anymore.

So the problem is when a PCS takes in a special needs child but isn't granted the funding for that child's enrollment. Enter our government leaders starting at the county level. Only recently has PCS been supported by the Hawaii County council with the exception of Safarik. Now with him in the leadership position, Hawaii's PCS is in far greater danger of failing.

Public Charter Schools are important because they fill a need. It also needs to survive because these schools are the litmus test to see if Governor Lingle's desire for separate school boards will happen. If PCS cannot make it here, then separate school boards won't either.

This may sound partisan but it isn't. Some of the original authors of the Hawaii Public Charter Schools were from Democrats. Lingle has supported PCS with the exception of her own attorney general (who is a democrat by the way).

Safarik represented the lower Puna district where most reside in East Hawaii. Whose voices was he representing when he changed his mind? Not East Hawaii. Now suddenly he will replace Arakaki? Was that his "reward" for voting with the now majority on the council?

[BKHale2007]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

I think my district came out well with the election of Donald Ikeda. As for Safarik, Craig raises some good points about dealmaking and representing one's district.

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

Safarik represented the lower Puna district where most reside in East Hawaii. Whose voices was he representing when he changed his mind? Not East Hawaii. Now suddenly he will replace Arakaki? Was that his "reward" for voting with the now majority on the council?

Why does his opinion on charter schools come into play here
The county of Hawaii has no responsibilities in handling education affairs, but the state does.

In regards to him changing his mind ? I assume your referring
to his vote in regards to Clifto's Kona Coast.Did you want
that project to be built ? I live very close to where that
project was going to be built. Thus I was strongly opposed
to that massive project.

From my viewpoint the council deals with no only Puna
issues by islandwide issues like Cliftos Kona Coast. Until
Safarik changed his mind Clifto's, I had a very negative
impression of him. I thought he was too Puna-centric
frankly, just like Holschuh is too Hamakua-centric.
Thus my point is we are an island, you cannot just focus
on one district's issues or there will be more rumblings
to split West and East Hawaii.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

Clifto's Kona coast development meant those workers who travel from Puna to the Waikoloa Village wouldn't have to travel as far. There was speculation that if this development continued many employees within the Waikoloa Village would leave and find employment at the closer development. That would have left a major void in hotel employment there.

Safarik represents the Lower Puna district, his voice must reflect his constituents desires, just as any representative should. By voting against the Clifto project, he undermines those constituents that live in Lower Puna and must travel the extended distances to Waikoloa Village.

As for PCS, there is this move by the State Attorney General to put Health and Safety permitting at the State level. Chris Yuen has said he wants to enforce Home Rule, empowering the County to take on those issues.

The difference as to who gives out those permits is vitally important to PCS. At the State level Health and Safety falls under the State's special use permits. Just the environmental impact statements that would be necessary would bury most PCS budgets. The State of Hawaii drafted legislation several years ago allowing PCS to be built on AG-1A lands and left the permiting process to be handled at the county level (Home rule). There are several PCS schools that are affected by this State Mandate to their benefit. The county can deal with public health and safety without the need for special use permits thus establishing these PCS aren't so financially daunting.

By the State Attorney General's opinion (under Lingle) he says that the State is responsible for public health and safety which undermines the previous attorney general (Cayatano's admin) statement allowing PCS to be built under the jurisdiction of the County by right of home rule.

So how does Safarik fit in this mess? He wanted to pass the health and safety issues back to the state and forfeit home rule. That's like giving away power granted to you. Why did he take this position? Who knows but somewhere someone is happy for his decision. As for PCS, his decision didn't help the plight of those schools caught in the crossfire and to those kids who desperately need PCS in order to graduate and Puna has a lot of kids who fall into this catagory. Like I said, he's a traitor to his own district, he sold out for personal gain. That sucks big time!

[Konaguy]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

About the home rule stuff you mentioned, I am not familiar about that so
I cannot comment further about it. In regards to your comments about
Cliftos I absolutely do not understand your logic. Do you even know
where this project was planned to be built ? From Puna to Waikoloa
is closer than Puna to Kona Int'l Airport.I should know I drove from Hilo
to Kona today.

There was absoultely no benefit whatsoever for Puna folks in regards
to Cliftos. There was a negliable benefit for the people living Waikoloa
though. More shopping would be closer to them. But I guess you don't
care how jammed up Queen Kaahumanu Highway gets at peak hours.
This project would've jammed it up further.

I guess I know why it doesn't matter to you. Lemme see within
the last 6 years how many new roads have opened in East Hawaii.....
hmmmmmm. No wonder there is a portion of people in West Hawaii
who want a seperate county.

[BKHale2007]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

Today's Hawaii Tribune-Herald has a front-page article
Developers know who they like
At least 4 winning council candidates received hefty contributions
By JASON ARMSTRONG
Tribune-Herald staff writer

Large developers have donated thousands of dollars to help certain County Council members win re-election, while other candidates were victorious despite having rejected the special interest money.

That's according to a review of available campaign spending reports from the nine lawmakers who will comprise the new council that starts its term Dec. 6. The mandatory reports--some have not been filed--covered the period from Jan. 1 up to the Sept. 18 primary election.

The biggest recipient of developers' money was Chairman James Arakaki of Hilo, who has served 14 years on the council and raised $26,127 in campaign donations this year.

Arakaki received $1,000 each from Stanford Carr Development Corp., Hualalai Realty Inc., SunStone Realty Partners LLC and Continental Pacific LLC, among others.

Efforts to reach a representative from each of those companies Friday was unsuccessful.

Continental Pacific, an Alabama-based company, is seeking rezoning approval to build "Pepeekeo Point Subdivision," a 92-lot housing project located near the coastline on former sugar land.

Arakaki was out of the country Friday and unavailable for comment, his aide said.

He also accepted $2,000, the maximum allowed under Hawaii law, from the Honolulu law firm of McCorriston, Miller, Mukai and Mackinnon LLP.

William McCorriston, whose law firm defended Hawaii County against a police corruption lawsuit and another one filed over the privatization of the Puuanahulu landfill, did not immediately return a phone call to his office Friday.

The firm also gave $500 to both Puna Councilman Gary Safarik and Hamakua Councilman Fred Holschuh.

Holschuh said he doesn't know why the lawyers gave him money.

He also got $2,000 from 327 Kona LLC--the same California-based developer who gave $2,000 to Safarik--$500 from GW Construction, and $250 from Stanford Carr.

"I don't know these donors," Holschuh said. "I've never spoken to any of them. I know this sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

He, however, does know Earl Bakken, who gave Holschuh $2,000 this year.

"Earl, of course, is just a sweet, philanthropic guy who happens to like me," said Holschuh, a retired doctor. "He's always been my biggest donor."

Safarik also received money from Kaupulehu Developments ($500), GW Construction ($500), Ocean Kona Development LLC ($250), Stanford Carr Development LLC ($250), Concept Development Inc. ($2,000), and Okahara and Associates Inc. ($150), a consulting firm that works with developers and the county.

Safarik, expected to replace Arakaki as council chairman, said the money won't influence his vote and his donors know that.

"These people support our type of candidacy," he said, adding that donating to a political campaign is a form of free speech.

Safarik and Holschuh also each received a maximum $2,0000 [sic] contribution from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, or SHOPO. Safarik is a former Honolulu police officer.----
The article continues for fifteen more paragraphs. Those who refused developers' money were Donald Ikeda and Bob Jacobson.

[Miulang]

Re: Hawaii Island Political Races

Just another confirmation that he who gathers the most money also is beholden to more special interests. It's not what you know (unless it's worth money to somebody for everybody else not to know it) but who you know (in which case, it's the same thing as knowing what you do know and can use against somebody). Ain't politics grand?

Miulang