Thursday, March 3, 2011

Sen. Akaka retirement opens floodgates for Hawaii candidates, Honolulu mayor proposes more, Hawaii County mayor, less, new top doc named, elected attorney general considered, Waikiki hotel workers to strike, more

Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka's announcement yesterday that he will not seek re-election in 2012 creates a rare open seat in Hawaii in a year when the balance of political power in the Senate will be at stake. Star-Advertiser.

"Senator Akaka is a very, very good man," says Art Caleda, President of the Hawaii World War II Fil-Am Veterans Organization. KHON2.

US Sen. Daniel Akaka announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2012. Hawaii News Now.

Sen. Daniel Akaka announced on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in 2012. KITV4.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, announced Wednesday that he will not run for re-election in 2012. Pacific Business News

Democratic U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii announced Wednesday he won't run for re-election next year after 22 years in the Senate. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s Senior Senator Daniel Inouye announced on PBS Hawaii, February 24, that although he’d helped U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka raise “six figures” for his 2006 election bid, “circumstances have changed” and he doubted he could make that kind of commitment again. Hawaii Reporter.

Sen. Daniel Akaka, who has served Hawaii as senator and as a representative for 35 years, announced today he is not running for re-election next year, when his term expires. Molokai Dispatch.

How crowded will the race be to replace Daniel Akaka in Washington? Civil Beat.

The announced retirement of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka means a Hawaii Senate seat is up for grabs for the first time in decades. Star-Advertiser.

The announcement allows the race to begin for the U.S. Senate seat, and it could be a crowded field in the primaries. KHON2.

Here are some of the official statements released Wednesday on the announcement of the retirement of Sen. Dan Akaka. Hawaii News Now.

Lenny Klompus is leaving his job with state House Minority Leader Gene Ward at the end of the week. Honolulu Notes.

A Kaimuki native and Sacred Hearts Academy product has been tapped by Gov. Neil Abercrombie as the state's new health director. Star-Advertiser.

A bill calling for a proposed state constitutional amendment that would allow voters to select the attorney general is scheduled to be heard this afternoon by the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee. Star-Advertiser.

The state House Finance Committee, worried about legal implications, agreed to end state Medicare Part B reimbursements only for future public worker retirees hired after July.Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle has crafted an operating budget for next year that's $114 million, or 6 percent, bigger than this year's — mostly to cover "skyrocketing" debt and "unsustainable" rising benefit costs for employees. Civil Beat.

Mayor Peter Carlisle is counting on tax hikes, user fee increases and across-the-board cuts to public worker salaries as he seeks to follow through on campaign promises to rein in spending and put forth a lean, fiscally responsible administration. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle on Wednesday announced his plans for the city's $1.932 billion budget that includes several fee and tax hikes and an end to furloughs. KITV4.

Honolulu mayor Peter Carlisle presented his administration's first executive budget on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle is calling for a mix of spending cuts and fee increases in his inaugural budget, including higher gasoline taxes, lower labor costs and increases in a number of fees. Hawaii Reporter.

Mayor Peter Carlisle unveiled his 2012 budget proposal today… one that doesn’t raise property taxes … and proposes a long-term “pay-as-you go” system. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Tuesday promised not to raise property taxes as he unveiled a budget that unfunds 100 vacant positions, eliminates worker furloughs, restores the 2 percent land fund, adds a $1 bus fare and postpones $29.1 million to the next budget year. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Tuesday proposed a $366.1 million budget that would cut Hawaii County spending for a third straight year, end worker furloughs and reinstate open-space funding. Tribune-Herald.

County Council members offered praise, along with a little regret, for the $366.1 million budget proposal they received earlier from Mayor Billy Kenoi. Tribune-Herald.

Comedian Roseanne Barr is seeking a temporary restraining order against a woman who complained to the county about grading done at Barr's Honokaa macadamia nut farm. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council on Tuesday evening confirmed all nine nominees to the county Redistricting Commission, despite grumbling about the last-minute timing of the nominations. West Hawaii Today.

Community members on Wednesday packed Council Chambers in Nawiliwili, voicing their views on a bill that would carve new exemptions in the county’s plastic bag ban. Garden Island.

A Maui County Council committee gave unanimous support Tuesday to a proposed $1.9 million federal grant application for fiscal year 2012. Maui News.

Proposed regulations for vacation rentals would be referred to the Maui, Molokai and Lanai planning commissions under a resolution recommended for approval Monday by the Maui County Council Planning Committee. Maui News.

Hotel employees who work at the four Starwood Hotels and Resorts properties in Waikiki (Sheraton Waikiki, Princess Kaiulani, Moana Surfrider, Royal Hawaiian) voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to authorize a strike in their ongoing contract dispute with management. Hawaii News Now.

An agenda item posted last week for the monthly Charter Review Commission meeting Monday has raised the eyebrows of community members. Garden Island.

No comments:

Post a Comment