Small Business Hawaii | Volume 24 Number 9 | September 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
Small Business Hawaii | Volume 24 Number 9 | September 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
 I first met Desmond Byrne twenty years ago. He stood for all that was good in our society and government (See related story). NO ONE knew more about budgets or how to find the truth in any financial statement. In 1986, while campaigning for Democrat Brian Yanagi for PAYCHECKS HAWAII, I noted Des - who many erroneously suspected of being just a stodgy Brit bean-counter - was quite the romantic, and amidst signwaving and smiling in Kaimuki, fell in love with Jo Kamae. Yanagi lost the race, but Des won the beautiful, intelligent and talented Jo as his wife and business partner. Politics sometimes makes wonderful bed partners. At the August 15 funeral, son Jahan said, "My father spent his last year preparing to meet God. We hope someone has prepared God to meet him." God and Des are both chuckling now. Goodbye dear friend; we'll continue your work.During my recent trip East to Allentown, Pennsylvania, I attended a State House Finance Committee public hearing on economic development and tax relief. It was notable in contrasts to Hawaii. The hearing was held not in Harrisburg, the Capitol, but in Allentown, 90 miles away. The Committee is headed by savvy Republican Karl Boyes. Republicans control Pennsylvania's legislature by a handful of votes, but were smart enough to include Democrats in key positions in order to work out meaningful solutions to economic problems in an open, bipartisan manner. My highly qualified and experienced stepbrother, Robert Kassoway, a lifelong Democrat, is a continuing key executive with the Committee. Pennsylvania is challenged by high tech states, low cost labor, and states with better weather. The Commonwealth is competing. It is not a Republican or Democrat issue; it is about the state's future and opportunities for its people. The hearing brought together executives from major firms headquartered in the area: Lucent Technologies; Air Products; Binney & Smith (Crayola); Lutron Lighting, Mack Trucks and others, as well as business associations. The lawmakers actually listened to business, asked intelligent questions, then proceeded to urge major and immediate tax cuts for all businesses. The lawmakers pointed out that while they wanted to attract new business, they did not want to ignore businesses who contributed so much over past decades. Hawaii does the opposite: ignores existing businesses and courts glamorous outside businesses with tax breaks, permit exemptions and fast tracking. Pennsylvania also created a "Team Pennsylvania" of local leaders to promote the state from a business standpoint. CEOs in the Keystone State personally call CEOs in other states. It was a refreshing change. I've been a UH football season ticket holder and loyal fan for more than three decades. Previously, you received your tickets by certified mail, under tight security (someone might want to steal them and see a team that went 5-31 during the past three seasons). So it was surprising that this year, with all the hype and enthusiasm associated with new coach June Jones, a rebuilt team , and exciting schedule, the tickets arrived in a plain brown non-descript envelope, mailed from Tacoma. Is there a message here, or is it just a continuation of receiving ever more correspondence from Hawaii-based institutions from the Mainland? Pacific Business News moved into plush new offices (even founder and legendary thrift-monger George Mason was impressed!) PBN had been in Kaka'ako for 30 years but left Victoria Ward, moving to Waikiki (the old FAA building). Now its the PBN Building. GTE Hawaiian Tel assigned PBN new phone numbers. After the numbers were printed, GTE gave away the same numbers to the Hale Koa Hotel. New numbers were assigned. Congrats to young dynamo, Gina Mangieri, new editor of PBN. By the way, when you renew PBN you send the remittance to Boulder, Colorado. Death of colorful and powerful Carpenters Union labor boss Walter Kupau brought back memories ‹ including several threats to do me bodily harm. Kupau threatened Maui contractors Cher & Walter Mungovan in 1982. Kupau was convicted of perjury, sentenced to two years, served six months. Walter went into the federal witness protection program. Cher was the first recipient of SBH's "Small business Person of the Year" award in 1983. My last contact with Kupau was when he lobbied me to support Margery Bronster and personally came to thank me after my vote. Change is coming to Hawaii. One harbinger, is the loss of past influential players by death, or indictment. Governor Cayetano now says it is the "massive tax cuts" (that he took credit for during last year's campaign) stretched out 4-7 years to blame for Hawaii's projected $235+ million deficit by 2004. Is Ben's Baywatch Speedo too tight? It's the $166 million in union pay raises, 800 new employees, Convention Center debt, and bloated CIP without real business relief causing Hawaii's problems. Linda Lingle now has a weekly (Monday) 7 am slot on Rick Hamada's KHVH morning show. But, tell us it isn't so: Linda's listed as a cosponsor of a union fundraiser for Lech Walesa to benefit "CLEAR," the union propaganda, antibusiness, anti free market taxpayer supported UH program created by the unions. Fred Hemmings quietly exploring a possible 2000 run against Neil Abercrombie. Summer is pau; back to work for the final quarter of the Century. Make Hawaii better.
 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:smallbusinesshawaii@yahoo.com
Editor: Sam Slom
Hosted on: H4, Hawai`i's Data SuperHighway
Top of this Page | Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 4 Copyright 1999 Small Business Hawaii. All rights reserved. |