Small Business Hawaii | Volume 24 Number 2 | February 1999
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
The unofficial "Mayor of Manoa," a gentle man named Don Burns (father of Local Motion founder Rob Burns and brother of tv comedy writer/creator Alan Burns) died last month. Burns, a former SBH member and a kindly man who fell on hard times in recent years, was Mr. Aloha. Most did not know he was an Annapolis grad, former architectural engineer, Mensa qualifier (though he refused to join any exclusive organizations) and self-spun philosopher. He gave money away to the poor (though he was living in his car). He was entitled to a government pension, but didn't believe in government excess so refused it. He wrote good letters to the editor and was a good libertarian. More importantly, he was a good man and we will miss him. Eleven months to the millennium and Y2K. The State is not ready but has exempted itself from liability. Some now calling on citizens to stock up on batteries, canned goods and of course, old copies of SB News. Stonewalling continues. A quote to remember from Governor Ben Cayetano appeared in Pacific Business News more than a month ago: "Larry Johnson (Bank of Hawaii's chairman and CEO) and Walter Dods Jr. (First Hawaiian Bank's chairman and CEO) assured me there is no difference between the way big business and small business operate." Subsequent to the article, the Governor's office and the bankers offices were deluged with complaints about the stupidity of the statement. That prompted the Governor's office and First Hawaiian CEO, and longtime Democrat Party activist/Cayetano supporter, Walter Dods, to write PBN charging the statement was never made. Guess what? No less than a dozen PBN editorial board members and staff heard the Governor say it in his office-and it is on tape (not available at your local record store). Won't anyone in or connected with this Administration ever fess up and accept responsibility for what they say and do? Hope floats. The Governor did say the proposed deal between the union Public Employees Health Fund and the union dominated Royal State National Insurance Company, "smacks of favoritism." He of course is right. And this Administration sure knows about favoritism. But it looks like UPW union domo Gary Rodrigues has fallen on hard times with two sexual harassment suits, criticism from union rank and file, a possible federal investigation, the Gov's abandonment, and Senate President Norman Mizuguchi's opening day legislative speech calling for an end to public worker strikes. A press release outlined the probems of locating "minority organ donors" in Hawaii. Sure, I took it personally and thought it referred to Republican members of the legislature. Fireworks in Hawaii are definitely an endangered species now that the Governor is behind a move to ban the crackers. Seems he got choked up on New Year's Eve in Hauula. He wants the Legislature to act. Too bad he didn't get choked up about our bankruptcies, foreclosures, and exodus of small businesses. The removal of tilapia from the pools in the State Capitol years ago has prompted a new controversy since it costs nearly $75,000 a year to keep the pools clean - a job the fish did for free. Senator Rod Tam suggested a creative solution: get rid of the water pools and replace them with "imaginary water" Hmmm. Maybe we should have an imaginary state government instead. Some have suggested reintroducing tilapia and having the Legislature go into the aquaculture business. Perhaps we could fund OHA payments, union contracts and no-bid insider contracts with the revenue from the once dubbed "trash fish." Several campaign spending reforms are being proposed. One "new" idea - first advanced in 1984 and repeated annually by SBH and PAYCHECKS HAWAII - is to ban fundraisers by lawmakers during legislative sessions. The SBH position is that this is extortion since lawmakers want you to buy tickets to their cash events while debating issues involving your business and your life. SBH supports meaningful campaign reforms. City & County of Honolulu faces a $130 million+ budget shortfall and has another task force suggesting ways to increase your taxes and fees. The Honolulu Salary Commission is meeting now to determine whether city officials should get a pay raise. First things first. Why did Mayor Jeremy Harris jump in, with PR cameras blazing, siding with two disgruntled drivers, castigating Charley's Taxi & Limousine Service, a successful small business? Taxi drivers are independent contractors free to provide their services where they choose. Charley's has some tough, but equally applied, work rules. In these tough times, all businesses must adjust how they do business to survive and meet customer demands. Too bad government isn't forced to do the same. Troubling news: lawyers are under much stress here because of lack of business, more competition, "low" pay. Our judges need more money-they have a hard time getting by on $90,000+ perks- but are unwilling to change their lucrative 10 year early retirement. What to do? Maybe fundraisers for your favorite barrister? Or, they could sell cookies or Zippy's chili. News only in Hawaii: the 10 pm nightly television news will now start at...10 pm. Wow! The Legislature is open until May 4 and some nice words were said about small business on opening day. Let's implement those words, and hold the politicians' feet to the fire.
 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.
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Editor: Sam Slom
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