It's about the 'money'

The Maui News
Sunday, January 15, 2006

By VALERIE MONSON, Staff Writer

There's a different mood at the State Capitol this year that can be summed up in one word.

"Money," said Sen. Roz Baker.

A rare state surplus has Baker and her Maui colleagues in the Senate – J. Kalani English and Shan Tsutsui – hoping that the backlog of projects stymied because of previously empty piggy banks will finally get resolved. All of them are opposed to a rebate of $100 per taxpayer that's being rumored as part of Gov. Linda Lingle's strategy.

Lingle will likely address all of her major recommendations in her State of the State address scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 23 before both houses of the Legislature.

"Here's the point where we have the resources to catch up," said English. "If we don't do it now, it would be a wasted opportunity. For $100, you could take the family out to dinner, but take that money collectively and we can repair our schools, our water systems, our infrastructure. If people know where the surplus money is going, I think they'll support it."

Baker and Tsutsui agree.

"I think everybody feels like it's time to address some of the things we couldn't in the past," said Baker. "There's such a pent-up demand for repair and maintenance at the schools, new school facilities, and DLNR has taken it on the chin for so many years. So, yeah, it's nice to have some money instead of the other way around."

Tsutsui said it's imperative that the state take advantage of the surplus to fix nagging problems.

"This (extra money) could be a blip, and the prudent thing to do is to take care of what we haven't been able to do in previous years," he said.

Putting the surplus to good use seems to be among the top priorities of the Maui contingent on both sides of the Capitol.

The senators are prepared, once more, to push for those needs that sound like broken records – the Lahaina and Paia bypasses, a new correctional facility, more enforcement positions for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and a high school for Kihei.

But they've also got other ideas to push: Baker will introduce an increase in the cigarette tax to support a Hawaii cancer research center, English will lobby (again) for green buildings and other alternative energy measures, and Tsutsui will pound the drums for a tax shift that would reduce income taxes for residents and jack up the transient accommodation taxes (TAT) to be borne by tourists.

"People on fixed incomes are having a hard time with rising property tax rates, but the state has no control over property taxes," said Tsutsui. "Maybe we can look at reducing the income tax and increasing the TAT."

In years past when tight purse strings meant that sometimes even the bare bones of government couldn't always be covered, the atmosphere at the Legislature would be dismal. But with more money for improvements, English said, lawmakers feel optimistic heading into Wednesday's opening ceremonies.

Of course, challenges remain, especially those set by skyrocketing energy costs. Tsutsui said electricity costs for the state Department of Education facilities are expected to go up $16 million and student transportation expenses will jump $9 million. Other agencies are reporting huge increases in those costs, too.

As the high price of energy hits the state with shock waves, English believes the climate could be right for a measure for "green buildings" that he's long supported. Last year, his bill that would have required all government buildings to be certified as energy efficient failed, but with the changing times, he's already finding previous naysayers talking to him more about it. Those doubters who worried that initial construction costs of "green buildings" could be higher realize that, in the long run, there will be a cash savings on energy costs as well as a reduction in dependency on nonrenewable sources.

"Now, I have reluctant partners in the administration," said English.

Always a proponent of Earth-friendly legislation, English will also push for the use of photovoltaics and other alternative energy methods. He expects much more attention on these issues this year.

"I think the stars are aligning for a major shift in our energy policies," he said.

While there's a move afoot to cut back on fuel-generated energy, there might be more energy put into bulking up the paltry enforcement staff of the state's land agency. Although DLNR is responsible for the state's parks, forests, natural area reserves, small-boat harbors and more, there's only a handful of officers to patrol the areas. The administration has put forth a healthy request for DLNR in the budget that will be handed to the Legislature.

"The governor has positioned us," said Baker. "She's got us in an interesting little box. . . I think there has been the sense that we wanted to do something in the past for DLNR, but there hasn't been the money."

But English said DLNR leaders need to take responsibility, too. The agency has been hammered by lawmakers and others in the past year, resulting in a critical audit.

"For the longest time, we've had confidence problems with the leadership," said English. "We never get any straight answers. Until we get some frank and concise answers, I don't know if the dollars will come. And if the chair can't provide those answers, then the board needs to step in."

Baker also hopes her colleagues will help to jump-start requests by the Ahihi-Kinau Advisory Group and the Natural Area Reserves System Commission to address the abuse at the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve and the adjoining state lands at Keoneoio. Baker's bill would authorize DLNR to close the main road near Ahihi-Kinau at night and close off sensitive areas in the reserve "that are not user friendly and should only be accessible by ranger-guided tours," she said.

Makena residents and others who ask permission to use the shoreline at night (such as fishermen) would be allowed through the gate, Baker pointed out.

"It would just implement the management plan that the advisory committee and NARS commissioners have endorsed, but they have to go through the (DLNR) rules process, which takes so long," she said.

Baker will ask for money for signage, rangers and a gate in the bill.

"We have the resources, so let's put some in that area," she said.

Tsutsui thinks the state could tap into more resources from the visitor industry while giving residents a break in dealing with the ever-increasing cost of living. What prompted this thought was a recent family vacation in Anaheim, Calif. As they were checking out of the hotel, Tsutsui noticed that the TAT was nearly 13 percent, nearly twice what Hawaii charges.

"When we made our reservations, we never asked what the tax was," said Tsutsui. "I think our visitor industry is strong, and I don't think a 3 percent increase in the TAT will have people saying they don't want to come to Hawaii."

Tsutsui also wants to gather statistics from other resort communities on rental car surcharges to see if Hawaii should increase those fees.

With the global situation still unstable, Tsutsui doesn't see Hawaii vacations tailing off in popularity.

"There's still terrorism in other parts of the world, and more people are looking at Hawaii as a safe destination," he said.

With more resources coming from the visitors who often use the state parks and beaches for free, there would be opportunities for lawmakers to reconfigure income taxes for residents, said Tsutsui.

The three senators will continue to try to shake loose money and finally get such overdue projects as the Lahaina and Paia bypasses closer to reality. All three express the same frustration as their constituents

"We'll keep pushing for the usual things that we push for," said English. "Now that there's money, we're saying 'Hmmmmm, maybe something will happen.' "

They will advocate construction of a high school in Kihei and press for other new facilities. Baker said Lahaina needs another elementary school; Tsutsui said Central Maui needs an elementary and a middle school. English said a new school building is needed on Lanai. (English was also pleased to see the administration proposing $4.8 million for a new Makawao library, something he had twice put forth in bills – when the first one passed, the administration failed to release the money, he said.)

The Hawaii Superferry, more controversial on the Neighbor Islands than it is on Oahu, will get reviewed again, said Tsutsui. Of the $40 million authorized to the project last year, only half was released last year, with the other half still being withheld for anticipated release this year.

Baker has health-related bills that will, respectively, target smokers and relieve caregivers. She will propose a 40-cents-per-pack increase on cigarette taxes, with proceeds going to the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii operational funds so it can do more research and trials, and offer more patient services.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has done studies that show that higher prices for cigarettes discourage young people from starting and persuade smokers to quit, said Baker.

Caregivers would be given $500 a year to help them provide better long-term care for their loved ones, if another Baker bill passes. The money could be spent on such things as providing respite services for caregivers to keep them from getting burned out, or on installing wheelchair ramps or "pull bars" in bathrooms.

English has some philosophical ideas for his colleagues, too. Troubled that he hears more and more Maui residents complaining that they're not happy anymore, he wonders if there needs to be more of an emphasis on measuring growth in terms of quality-of-life issues rather than just by economic numbers.

He's also fed up with studies being required to justify funding no-brainer projects.

"It's called the 'blink' concept," he said. "Instinctively we know we need to put resources toward something, but we study it, we analyze it and nothing gets done. So let's blink. Let's get it done."

Valerie Monson can be reached at vmonson @ mauinews.com.

Copyright © 2005 The Maui News.

Original article URL: http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=16049

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