Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

    Of all the things to wish for, Sen. Colleen Hanabusa is introducing a bill to allow the State (i.e., you, the taxpayers) to purchase a private jet for $1.9 million. The excuse? The high cost of travel for elected officials who need to get from island to island.

    Seems to me some legislators have decided to become more high mucka mucka and have a private jet at their beck and call. The Gov. and the DOT are disavowing any knowledge of the bill.

    So just how many RT airfares on go! could state officials buy for $1.9 million? And that just covers the cost of the plane, not the fuel and ongoing maintenance charges!

    SB1977 was introduced by Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, by request. Hanabusa said someone approached her to introduce the bill at the last minute, but she couldn't remember whether it was forwarded to her office by a fellow lawmaker or a constituent.

    "Right now, I'm not in my office so I can't tell you who asked me to introduce the bill. It's not a bill that I came up with," Hanabusa said in a telephone interview yesterday.

    Hanabusa said Wednesday's hearing should be interesting. She recalled a similar discussion when she was Judiciary Committee chairwoman several years ago and a bill to buy a plane to transport prisoners came up.

    ..."The state does spend a lot of money in terms of travel costs," Hanabusa said. "But the question is going to be whether the additional costs, of course, the maintenance and the personnel cost and so forth, how that all becomes justified.
    Can you say, "political junkets, here we come" to the tune of $1.9 million plus $250/hour of flight time?

    Miulang
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

  • #2
    Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

    Grrrrrrrr.....the $ can be used for the Hungry and Homeless!!!

    Da Nerve!


    Auntie Lynn
    Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
    Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

      Way big difference between thinking about it and actually going and spend the money to do it. And right now they are only thinking about it.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

        Originally posted by helen View Post
        Way big difference between thinking about it and actually going and spend the money to do it. And right now they are only thinking about it.
        That they're even thinking about it, given more pressing problems like the homeless situation, is pretty astounding. That and the fact that the person introducing the bill, Sen. Hanabusa, apparently has no recollection of who suggested that it be submitted (since Sen. Hanabusa said it wasn't her idea but one that was given to her at the "last minute" either by a colleague or a constituent) really makes me wonder if the legislators are really taking the time to do their homework before submitting bills. More than likely it'll die a quiet death, but because the local dailies made note of it, there could be a hidden agenda on the part of the newspapers. Or maybe it was just a very slow news day in the Legislature.

        Miulang
        Last edited by Miulang; February 4, 2007, 02:17 PM.
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

          it should come out of their pay. in fact, how about a pay cut anyway? they should get minmum wage.
          Last edited by Hellbent; February 4, 2007, 04:12 PM.
          Aquaponics in Paradise !

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

            I like to see the record books to see how much in travel costs did our politicians rack up in a year? I seriously doubt it's $1.9 mil. I'm not talking about room and board, or food stipend, just the cost of plane rides. And you can't factor in any trips to anywhere outside of Hawaii either because the little plane they are considering buying doesn't have the range to take them there so throwing those figures in is stuffing the figures.

            But assuming if the books do show that it would be cheaper to have the state own and operate their own plane, I don't see why Hawaii should bid on Alaska's 20+ year old jet. If the state wants a private jet, they should look at the new class of VLJs (Very Light Jets). The Eclipse 500 only costs ~$1.5 mil new.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

              Shelling out the initial 1.9 million dollars for the purchase of the jet (or plane as the case maybe) would be a one time thing. It is the on going cost to run the jet, like fuel, landing fees (which might be wavied), salary cost for the plane's crew, cost for the ground crew or hiring out to an aircraft maintenace firm, spare parts and other supplies to operate such a craft that needs to be compared what the state is spending for air fare travel.

              Even if one compares the on going cost of operating such a jet to be much lower than what is spent on air fare, it doesn't have the flexibity that commerical routes have to offer and the state jet can only be at one place at a time, where as if members of group needed to be at different places at the same time.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                Originally posted by helen View Post
                Even if one compares the on going cost of operating such a jet to be much lower than what is spent on air fare, it doesn't have the flexibity that commerical routes have to offer and the state jet can only be at one place at a time, where as if members of group needed to be at different places at the same time.
                Actually a private jet will give you more scheduling flexibility as it doesn't abide by a fixed schedule. And different groups can be accommodated by staggering the flight schedules of the different groups. But you are right if there is a group of people that exceeds the plane's capacity at one time. I still doubt the justification for a private plane. I don't think there are THAT many business trips by politicians between the islands annually.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                  why a jet? why not a cessna? Something little, easy on the gas, wind up da rubbahbands and can shoot 'em from Hilo to HNL in 90minutes.

                  pax

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                    Then again this begs the question as to who can use the state jet? For sure it would be the governor and the lt. governor. The other state cabinet members?

                    Members of the Legislature?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                      Why not just make government travel free for government officials and give the airlines a tax break for accomodating the state government.

                      If our elected officials don't want to give out many tax breaks, then they will limit their travels to important ones only.

                      Seems to me it's better to use what's available and negotiate some bartering system with what you have that the other wants. Airlines can give out free tickets...legislators can vote on tax breaks.

                      Oh but democrats don't like tax breaks. Stupid me I forgot.
                      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                        Craig's idea is a good one, and there's also another alternative: if the State buys up large blocks of tickets, they could probably get smoking discounts on the per ticket price. Corporations do that all the time and I don't see why the State doesn't do that too. I bet they could get tickets for less than the $29 OW that go! offers. Plus, it'll be good for whichever airline company that gets the contract because they'd get the money up front and would be guaranteed the fare, even if the ticket went unused. Put the contract up for competitive bidding and see what happens. Do this every 2 or 3 years and control travel expenses that way.

                        Miulang
                        Last edited by Miulang; February 5, 2007, 09:52 AM.
                        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                          Originally posted by Miulang View Post
                          Craig's idea is a good one, and there's also another alternative: if the State buys up large blocks of tickets, they could probably get smoking discounts on the per ticket price. Corporations do that all the time and I don't see why the State doesn't do that too.
                          they already do that with the interisle carriers. I think the idea of a State Jet is crocked.

                          pax

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                            Originally posted by Miulang View Post
                            there's also another alternative: if the State buys up large blocks of tickets, they could probably get smoking discounts on the per ticket price. Miulang
                            But Miulang...there's a smoking ban in effect
                            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Legislature to ponder private jet purchase

                              What the government needs is a old chinese man in the approvals. "$900k for Nuuanu signs? I got a son in law who can do it for $3k"
                              "$1.9M for a jet? Heres $150, go get bus passes or use the superferry, you approved it"
                              Maybe its because I'm naive about politics, but I dont think the politicians should be able to give themselves raises. They should get minimum wage, then a bonus based on how useful they were after their term ends.
                              Aquaponics in Paradise !

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X