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Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

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  • Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

    http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/b...122957053.html

    [Note: My "bolds"]

    Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed into law a measure allowing him to spend money from the state’s hurricane relief fund to help balance this year’s budget. The measure is meant to get the state through the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

    It authorizes the governor to first spend $42 million from the $117 million hurricane relief fund, and then drain it entirely if needed. Abercrombie’s administration planned to use hurricane money, rainy day savings, special funds and a 10 percent restriction on departmental operating costs to plug a $232 million shortfall since April.

    Without the fund, residents and businesses would be at risk of not being able to get insurance coverage if insurance companies stop issuing policies after a major hurricane.
    Anyone else besides me have a problem with the fact that money that I put into an insurance fund to protect against a specific hazard is now being hijacked for another use?
    Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

  • #2
    Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

    Too bad that the $50 million that's sitting around collecting dust in the "Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund" survived SB120 without so much as a penny taken from the principle.

    -Professional lobbyist rings that make money from this fund - yes,
    -New spending -yes,
    -White elephant rail project -yes,
    -Hurricane relief - no,
    -taxpayers - no.
    Your wonderful legislature has spoken.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

      And...
      "Hurricane season begins today and Honolulu has been placed at the top of the list for “Hurricane Overdue Cities.”
      The ranking from “The Weather Channel” was based on how many years it has been since cities received a direct hit from a significant hurricane.

      The top five cities were:

      Most Overdue City: Honolulu, HI
      Second Most Overdue: San Diego, CA
      Third Most Overdue: New York City, NY
      Fourth Most Overdue: Savannah, GA
      Fifth Most Overdue: Tampa, FL"



      http://www.khon2.com/content/news/de...mFPsI6lkw.cspx
      Life is either an adventure... or you're not doing it right!!!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

        Neal is proving to be a worthless A-hole, at best. He'll have to pull endless pink bunnies of wonderment out of his butt to overcome my already severe disappointment in him after decades of support.
        https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

          Anybody actually surprised??


          Really??
          FutureNewsNetwork.com
          Energy answers are already here.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

            Originally posted by timkona View Post
            Anybody actually surprised??
            Really??
            Surprised? Nope, he is following the same path that he's been on for decades.
            Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

              Abercrombie?
              What would Sansei say?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                This article from August, 2009 (Lingle administration) says that the fund had $186 million in it. Today's article says there is $117 million there. What happened to the difference of $69 million?

                http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...908040343.html


                i'm just kind of curious - before I start blaming Abercrombie for doing what the legislature asked and plugging holes in the major deficit left to the state by the Lingle Administration. Those who have a problem with this bill need to tell their legislators that they don't like the way they are doing things - either by phone or mail or.........................in the voting booth. I know - shocking idea to actually suggest that eligible voters actually vote!
                Last edited by anapuni808; June 2, 2011, 11:26 PM.
                "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                – Sydney J. Harris

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                  Originally posted by AlohaKine View Post
                  Too bad that the $50 million that's sitting around collecting dust in the "Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund" survived SB120 without so much as a penny taken from the principle.

                  -Professional lobbyist rings that make money from this fund - yes,
                  -New spending -yes,
                  -White elephant rail project -yes,
                  -Hurricane relief - no,
                  -taxpayers - no.
                  Your wonderful legislature has spoken.
                  Before you start complaining that the tobacco settlement fund is not being used, I would suggest you read this:

                  http://lrbhawaii.info/reports/legrpt..._15dhrs_11.pdf
                  "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                  – Sydney J. Harris

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                    Originally posted by Amati View Post
                    [URL="http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/122957053.html"]Anyone else besides me have a problem with the fact that money that I put into an insurance fund to protect against a specific hazard is now being hijacked for another use?
                    I don't own a home but I'm sure this factors into the amount of rent I pay each month. How much of your insurance premium goes into this fund?

                    My understanding was that the majority of the funds were contributed by the insurance cos. themselves and also from recording fees. My understanding is that individual homeowners can buy their own policies but this fund covers everyone, privately insured or not.

                    "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                    – Sydney J. Harris

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                      Originally posted by anapuni808 View Post
                      Before you start complaining that the tobacco settlement fund is not being used, I would suggest you read this:

                      http://lrbhawaii.info/reports/legrpt..._15dhrs_11.pdf
                      It says it took in $50.9 million and cost $1.1 million to run in FY2009-2010.
                      The total funds taken in since 1998 = $490 million.

                      What the report doesn't show is how much money has been retained and how much has been spent. Only 2% goes to run the program. What about the other 98%?

                      HRS 328L talks about how over 30% goes to the trust fund/health dept. which goes to their "tobacco prevention and control board" (stocked with cronies, of course) and/or their choosen "non-profit"(the HCF), as well as non-specified DOH "programs". From this point on public information is hard to come by, in this secretive world, as to what monies are going excactly where.

                      In the end, about $10 million a year comes out the other end of this mess and ends up in the pockets of full time professional lobbyist rings, with some token amount going to run the uneffective quit line, and appearently some other small and next to useless local quit groups. These token quit groups can then be used to downplay the fact that a lot of the money is going to lobbyist rings when the anti-smoking lobby's funding gets challenged.

                      You'll find that every dollar that falls into the DOH/trust fund black hole doesn't go to the general fund.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                        its not supposed to go into the general fund and its not taxpayer dollars.
                        "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                        – Sydney J. Harris

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                          Originally posted by anapuni808 View Post
                          Before you start complaining that the tobacco settlement fund is not being used, I would suggest you read this:
                          http://lrbhawaii.info/reports/legrpt..._15dhrs_11.pdf
                          I think that report is only on the TOBACCO ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL FUND, of which
                          FY 2009-2010 DEPOSITS TO TOBACCO ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL FUND
                          Master Settlement Agreement funds 350,000
                          Cigarette tax stamp fees/interest/fines 1,760,915
                          Total $ 2,110,915
                          Meanwhile, the report also says

                          In fiscal year (FY) 2009-2010, the State received $50,922,091.79 in Master Settlement Agreement moneys.
                          For an accurate picture of where the entirety of the annual tobacco settlement money is spent, a different report will be needed, one about the annual tobacco settlement funding (not TOBACCO ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL FUND). Because this reports only accounts for the $350,000 (for tobacco enforcement) of the $50,922,091,79 in annual tobacco settlement funds.

                          A majority of the funding for the TOBACCO ENFORCEMENT SPECIAL FUND comes from cigarette taxes, etc. [see above].
                          Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                            Amati, I believe there are restrictions on how the state can spend that money. It is not taxpayer $$$ but part of a national class action suit that was brought against the tobacco companies. I could be understanding it wrong but that is how it was explained to me by a lawyer.
                            "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                            – Sydney J. Harris

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Hurricane fund being hijacked by Abercrombie

                              Originally posted by anapuni808 View Post
                              Amati, I believe there are restrictions on how the state can spend that money. It is not taxpayer $$$ but part of a national class action suit that was brought against the tobacco companies. I could be understanding it wrong but that is how it was explained to me by a lawyer.
                              I do not think, but I could be wrong about it, that there are restirictions. I think the spending is set by the legislature, and they can spend it however they want.

                              Googling tells me that:46 states that joined the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) with the nation’s major tobacco companies. Under the MSA, state lawsuits against cigarette manufacturers are dismissed in exchange for annual payments to states totaling billions of dollars.

                              I think it is up to the states on how that money is spent. There are common sense and appropriate catagories where it should be spent (to address tobacco and health issues, for example), but are the states mandated on "how" to spend their dollars? I believe not (but am open to learning more if someone else chimes in with info).
                              Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                              Comment

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