Small Business Hawaii | Volume 23 Number 2 | February 1998
Sam Slom is also a State Senator from the 8th District (Waialae Iki to Hawaii Kai)
and has a website at this URL: http://hotspotshawaii.com/sam/slom.html
Sam Slom is also a State Senator from the 8th District (Waialae Iki to Hawaii Kai)
and has a website at this URL: http://hotspotshawaii.com/sam/slom.html
If you missed the 22nd SBH Annual Conference January 14, you missed a real opportunity to see the Governor and challenger Linda Lingle together and to make up your own mind who Hawaii needs for leadership and who can best serve. (Catch Linda on KHVH radio Thursdays, 6:30 am.) The Hula Bowl on Maui was a real coup for the Valley Island, public-private cooperation -- and the leadership of Lingle. The ESPN telecast helped Hawaii as a whole. If Maui is no ka oi, the State can be too with real leadership and attitude.It takes a can-do person. Just wondering: is there anything that is happening that is not linked to "El Nino?" Hmmm. Only the State Legislature could be more dangerous than skiing into a tree. KITV's Pamela Young did a recent "Mixed Plate" on San Miguel, Mexico where several Hawaii folks have homes. Architect Norman Lacayo described how it is to build without restrictive permits and government interference--a real eye opener. He also told how residents really get involved in local government. Fireworks are unrestricted there too. The recent Insurance Task Force at least met out in the open (unlike the Governor's Task Force on the Economy) and it showed. Real debate occurred, especially on the "pay-at-the-pump" issue which is yet another tax for big government, not insurance reform. When the Bishop Estate Trustees are finally removed or replaced, whatever will the Honolulu Advertiser & Honolulu Star-Bulletin have to write about? Certainly not continuing scandal in state government. Interesting that retired Judge, Patrick Yim, (a relative by marriage to Trustee Henry Peters) destroyed depositions and evidence to "protect" people who came forward in the inquiry. The Honolulu Advertiser, has been blocking letters and stories in opposition to the Task Force tax hike and belittling critics--because publisher William Fuller was a Task Force member. Fuller surprised many by anouncing his resignation in mid-January. Coincidence? Snakes on Maui? It was a hoax but nice to see the Governor show off a handsome snakeskin on his desk. (Some thought it was the hide of small business owners). Education Week magazine gave Hawaii education a C- grade (we can still play sports and graduate with a D-). Whatever happened to "Education second to none?" It is leadership, and enforcement of meaningful standards, not money that will improve education. The Wall Street Journal (1/15/98) did a major piece, "Hawaii Suffers as Rest of Nation Booms," ("Economy in Hawaii Stagnates Amid Boom in Other Parts of U.S.") and ABC-TV and The Jim Lehrer News Hour (PBS-TV) came in late January to document why Hawaii is politically and economically out of step. How many more stories do we need? Former State Senator Steve Cobb and wife Tanya visited from Bylerousse, Russia and spoke to the Small Business Coalition at the Capitol on January 6. Cobb's son graduated with honors from Hawaii Pacific University but Steve and Tanya are moving to Northern Virginia. His comparison of post Soviet Russia and Hawaii economies is striking. The 9th Circuit Court expected to rule on Hawaii's Con-Con election any day now. The PGMA insurance company fraud has familial ties to Gary Rodrigues and the UPW union. The firm is accused of fraud and allegedly $18 million in payments were not made. The Hawaii State Civil Rights Commission should be abolished. It is anti-civil rights for employers and honest citizens and a conduit for business harassment. Its latest foray is to force employers to disregard arrest or conviction records and hire felons. How many state employees does it take to screw in a light bulb--or "manage" the new 1.6 mile H-3 tunnel? Reportedly, at least 40 new state employees. And how 'bout that new $1.2 million UH Wahine Softball Stadium that prohibits fans from seeing home plate? Just another in a long list of botched, no-bid, jobs given to those who donate right politically. Our sympathies to the families: two giants in Hawaii politics who died recently, former State Senator Mary George; former Maui Mayor, Hannibal Tavares; and SBH civic awardee, Msgr. Charles Kekumano surfer Rell Sunn, and "Hawaii 5-0's" Jack Lord. Nike changed its corporate slogan from "Just Do It!" to "I CAN!" The citizen assault on arrogance of Bishop Estate Trustees and the UH basketball 'Bows unbelievable victory over #2 Kansas, show us anything is possible. Don't believe you are powerless or can't make a difference. In 1998, we CAN (AND WILL)! Happy Valentine's Day. Roses are red; Violets are blue; Hawaii doesn't deserve the government we have, so change a lawmaker or two.
 Small Business News comments can be addressed to:
Small Business Hawaii SBH also accepts articles relating to small business issues about its members and Hawaii. Submit your articles to SBH by the 10th of the month for publication into the next month's issue.
E-Mail:macpro3000@yahoo.com Be sure to include the letters SBH in the subject header of any email sent to Small Business Hawaii. This requirement is due to the growing number of unsolicitated commercial email spam that the webmaster does not like. Small Business News is part of The Hawai`i NewsList family of internet features. Select this link for more information on how to subscribe.
Editor: Sam Slom
Hosted on: H4, Hawai`i's Data SuperHighway
Top of this Page | Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 4 | SBH Calendar Copyright 1998 Small Business Hawaii. All rights reserved. |