March 2006 | Small Business News
Small Business Views
By Sam Slom, President and Executive Director of Small Business Hawaii
SB News error: In Last month’s (Feb. 2006) SB Views, a typo appeared (that many members called to our attention!) regarding the age of U.S. Senators Dan Akaka and Dan Inouye. They are both 81, not a youthful 71 years old.
All the hurried talk among City Councilmembers in Honolulu about real property tax relief is just that; just talk. Charles Djou is the exception and the real deal.
Meanwhile, businessmen Bob Kessler and Paul Smith race to get the required 60,000 signatures by August to amend the City Charter to allow taxpayers the right to tax initiatives to protect themselves. Go to www.lethonoluluvote.org.
The City Charter Commission has recommended against term limits for City Councilmembers — a law that has been in effect for only about 12 years. The Mayor, Governor and Neighbor Island Councilmembers are two term limited but not the State Legislature. Most politicians hate term limits. I believe in them. Every year for the past 10 years in the State Senate I have introduced legislative term limit bills; they almost never even get a hearing.
Sad to report the deaths of Kailua businesswoman, Mary Jane (Norton) Lundquist, past president and co-founder of Hardware Hawaii, a real community leader, and businessman and nautical enthusiast from Hawaii Kai, Bill Aspengren. Bill had a courier service, started the Hawaii Kai Christmas Boat Parade and was actively supporting the SuperFerry, H4.
The decision by the University of Hawaii presidential search task force to offer the job once again to interim president David McClain was a sound one amidst the shrill criticism from Senator Clayton Hee and Representative Tommy Waters. Hee’s disdain for Governor Lingle, her appointed Board of Regents, and McClain’s independence, are well known. Hee and Waters also tried to force McClain to assign one of their personal friends to a job on a UH campus in a blatant show of arrogant interference. McClain took over in a time of crisis two years ago after the Evan Dobelle debacle and has proven to be the best person for the job with an active open door policy. He is not political and did not campaign for the post. He also took a positive stand for the UARC UH-Navy research which would benefit the University and the community. He accepts responsibility for leadership.
Welcome to new SBH Directors, Andy Mertz of Andy’s Pool Service and Matt Muccio of Techniques Hawaii. SBH Directors are volunteers, business mentors and community leaders.
Save Saturday, September 9 in your calendar; that will be the date of a gala 30th year SBH celebration banquet at the Ala Moana Hotel.
Del Monte Pineapple's announced closing in Kunia after 92 years is a sad event and will affect 700 workers. But there is a two-year window of opportunity to diversify and to assist the workers.
Hawaiian Air, fresh out of bankruptcy (as is Aloha Airlines) is suing new interisland air competitor, Mesa Airlines alleging Mesa stole trade and operating secrets from HAL while it was in bankruptcy.
One half of the 2006 State Legislature is pau and no tax or business relief bills have passed. Governor Lingle’s measure to reduce Unemployment Comp tax wage base from $34,000 to $7,000 (matching the federal FUTA rate) was stripped by Democrats. Likewise for worker’s Comp reforms or teeth to go after fraud.
Democrats have had a change of heart-at least in the House-and now want to jettison the ill conceived gas cap control law. But Senator Ron Menor, godfather of the gas cap and other socialist anti-market legislation , is now also a candidate for Congress, but says he won’t even hear the bill.
Congratulations to new Hawaiian Electric Industries CEO, Constance Lau who will succeed Michael May. Lau is one of the few women heading a major Hawaii corporation and is fully qualified.
Over at LavaNet, the internet and services company announced that Pali Ka’aihue will replace Yuka Nagashima as president, March 6.
The NFIB gave a fond farewell to Bette Tatum last month for her 25 years of service. NFIB announced a free market high school scholarship to be named for Tatum. Melissa Pavlacek is the new state coordinator.
Is it true half the Legislature is running for Ed Case’s congressional seat? Is it true, Congressman Neil Abercrombie was the only member of Congress to vote to continue U.S. aid and subsidy to the Hamas terrorists who now govern Palestine?
Don’t forget to regularly check our website at www.smallbusinesshawaii.com for the most updated employer alerts.
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