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LETTERS for the June 29 issue

By Staff | Jun 30, 2023

Governor’s budget cuts wise and courageous

My colleagues and I at the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii are not shy about challenging the actions of public officials. It’s part of our mission to promote a freer, more prosperous Hawaii.

But we also want to celebrate wins and give credit where credit is due — which is why I would like to praise Gov. Josh Green for his recent courageous and wise budget cuts.

Already faced with a budget-busting appropriations bill that threatened to deplete the state’s projected surplus, the governor then had to contend with bad news from the state Council of Revenues.

The council’s general fund projection for fiscal 2023 featured a 2 percent increase as recently as March. In mid-May, however, that projection was downgraded to a 1 percent decline.

This news prompted Gov. Green to announce that he planned to trim approximately $1 billion from the Legislature’s proposed biennial budget via 22 separate line item vetoes, the most substantial of which include cutting:

$500 million from the state’s Emergency Budget Reserve Fund for fiscal 2025 but allowing $500 million to be paid into the fund in fiscal 2024.

$120 million for planned teacher housing, leaving $50 million to continue the project.

$88.8 million from an irrigation infrastructure project, leaving $5 million.

$42 million for Kalaeloa electric upgrades, leaving $5 million.

$25 million for state parks renovations and improvements.

These and other cuts are likely to draw criticism, but in fact, the budget passed by the Legislature was so excessive that we’re still $1 billion over the state’s constitutionally mandated spending cap.

Ironically, some of the complaints about the governor’s budget cuts are for allocations that remain higher than the previous year. For example: even after the cuts, the state Department of Education’s general fund budget will be 8 percent more than in fiscal 2023.

The governor catching heat for reducing a budget item that still amounts to an increase provides some insight into the political courage it took to make such decisions.

For those of us who support fiscal responsibility, it serves as a glimpse into the difficult balance the governor has to strike between protecting the financial future of the state and working with the different factions involved in budget decisions. It can’t be easy navigating between the principles of sound budgeting and political reality.

Gov. Green also had to work with what he was given: an appropriations bill with record-high spending that landed on his desk at the same time that the state’s financial outlook began to dim. The fact that he did the right thing and cut spending — as difficult as it was — deserves recognition.

It is encouraging to see that the governor is willing to listen to all sides and make tough decisions. That’s the spirit of “E hana kakou” in action.

And if Gov. Green is in need of any more ideas about how to reduce state spending or improve Hawaii’s economy for the benefit of all, we at the Grassroot Institute remain eager to help.

DR. KELI’I AKINA, President & CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Tobacco bill takes away adults’ freedom

This is a matter for all American adults and Freedom.

I just learned today about Senate Bill 975, and in reading the bill, it was my understanding that this was supposed to be about protecting minors.

Instead, what I noticed is that it now seems all tobacco and tobacco products are now illegal to buy online and have shipped in to Hawaii, especially as it relates to online e-Commerce sites that sell tobacco and tobacco products.

While no one is disputing making laws to protect people, especially minors, what we should have been disputing — and not allowing this to pass into law — is the fact this is taking away American adults’ Freedom.

Tobacco isn’t illegal in the USA; now they made it illegal for a U.S. citizen to buy tobacco and tobacco products online and have them shipped to Hawaii.

Also, as it concerns American business, did any of the legislators sit down with any big tobacco industry professionals to look at how this will also negatively affect American businesses too? Now we are talking about every tobacco and tobacco-like product that no business in the Mainland U.S.A. can send to Hawaii. This certainly has to be a huge impact for American businesses as well.

Every business, by law, already in the U.S.A. has to have a business license to legally sell tobacco and tobacco products. These businesses should also then be registered under a Government Tobacco Department, with a system in place so that the local or federal government can verify that every online purchase was made by an adult with a legal form of ID. This is how this should have been properly handled instead. We are still not allowed in the U.S.A. to sell to minors, and e-Commerce, by law, is supposed to follow this law. This system can work, but Hawaii thinks it can’t. That is wrong.

Or, the State of Hawaii could have created a Tobacco Registry, if they cared about Americans’ Freedom — the same way there are Medical Marijuana cards.

I’m sure we can also agree that in today’s day and age, young people are very smart with the technology. Is the government not aware that there are Parcel Forwarding Services?

Again, let’s all be clear. I’m sure we are all in agreement on making laws that help and protect!

But, let’s also agree to make laws that don’t take away our Freedom as Americans!

It’s always been my understanding as an American that the job of government in the U.S.A. was to run a country — not the lives of its people. Since when did the State of Hawaii begin to believe it was okay to run the lives of adults in the State of Hawaii?

It’s not the job of the government to tell adults in the U.S.A. how to live their life, what they can and can’t do, as long as they are not breaking the law. Tobacco is not illegal in the U.S.A; therefore, they should have not made a law in this manner.

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