$5B budget relies on tax hikes and federal funds

now how hard was it to balance the budget?

A billion here and a Billion there, the legislators got their act together fast and furious.

From now on the state does not have to worry about any deficit. We the people of the State of Hawaii should thank our legislators on their expedient leadership to solve a large scale problem our state is facing this year.

hooray for our state legislators.

Balance Budget 101 - TAX TAX TAX

"using an infusion of federal stimulus cash"

great and next year when there is NONE and the economy is still in the toilet....what is the plan?

Would these individuals plan their household budgets this way? Of course not. But hey, someone else pays for it! These guys need a reality check!

While the state population is cutting, and saving, and hurting, most all understand or live the reality of fewer funds .... except these jokers. Time to get a group of people in their that will work for the population - not the interest groups

Yeah, and then suddenly the Goddess Pele appeared on a rainbow and banished the idiots in a fiery malestrom. Get real, its over and Hawaii's done.

"We tried. We gave it our best." What a sorry state your state government is in, not unlike my California state government. Totally clueless, out of touch, and grossly stupido.

"What a roller-coaster ride it's been," said Sen. Donna Mercado Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa). "And obviously, I don't care too much for roller coasters."

That's my girl !:)

I can't wait for my $1 rebate. All news media please keep us up to date on this
$1 rebate otherwise I can't sleep dreaming about it.

" Oh when, oh when will my rebate come in? "

tax oil $1 a barrel you got to be kidding that is the most regressive tax that will affect the poorest tax payers the most.they are the ones who can't afford the rents that are closest to town so they live the farthest away thus uses more gas to get to work.

When interviewed on TV she indicated she had not negotiate fairly, she spoke as a union boss and though many businesses in Hawaii are furloughing employees and taking huge pay cuts she gave very little and only wanted to raise taxes.

Well we can only hope the residents of Kalihi... Valley-Halawa do not vote solely by name recognition next time and oust this obviously one sided tax based idiot.

Kim said: "I don't care too much for roller coasters."

We say: "We don't care too much for Kim!"

"No one will be completely happy with this budget," said House Finance Committee Chairman Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa-Poamoho). "We tried. We gave it our best."

This is the same jerk who did not show up to legislate 15 year old murderers being tried as adults.

This guy never gives his best.

"When do you know Oshiro is lying?"

"When he's talking".

This guy is quickly becoming bad news. Get rid of him!

Oshiro is ineffective but lingle has destroyed the credibility of the republican party in Hawaii

Internet purchases?
Most states that do require a tax(very few) only require it's own residents to pay for products purchased on the internet FOR PRODUCTS FROM THEIR OWN STATE.
I don't don't think this will pass the legal muster required on interstate commerce...but that hasn't stopped our state leaders from trying again to tax the little guy...I'm REALLY surprised they didn't extend the tax burden to garage sales...there's always next year though...thank you government, can I have another

alice wrote:

Oshiro is ineffective but lingle has destroyed the credibility of the republican party in Hawaii

Do you follow the news? She has vetoed the tax increases but the other inept fools will probably override her veto.
Cut services especially to out of state leaches such as yourself. Do you contribute even one cent to Hawaii's economy?

Their best? They took the easy way out: no thought of budget cuts/pay cuts. Why not a state lottery? This does not automatically open the islands to casinos. We will happily buy our tickets, the state will make money without calling it a tax, everybody's happy. Allow dinner boats to open slots/gaming tables beyond the 3 mile limit: charge $$20 for 4 hour trip all you can eat & drink. Works in Florida.Think of all the money the state can rake in with licensing fees; not to mention the job prospects that will open up.

Nobody likes taxes, but that's what makes the world go 'round folks. The only people that consistantly gripe about raising taxes, are the Republican [i.e. Linda Lingle]. They are a "necessary evil" for us all, but let's make sure we spend any revenue Federal or locally generated taxes on what they were earmarked for, not create a pot of money [typical for most Politicians] to be used for something else than they were intended for.
Right now we don't know if the "Super Rail" will ever materialize, being that now those who voted for it are displacing their neighbors homesteads for progress.
I have an idea - Let's use the increased G.E.T. to offset our revenue shortfall now temporarily & when we've seen a turn around in the economy, use it for the Rail IF it becomes reality.

Tax revenue shortfall?$5 billion dollar state budget? Millions spent on enforcement, manpower, court costs, "green Harvest", etc.. Use our limited & stretched thin law enforcement resources to battle "harder drugs - like Methamphetamine.
Legalize Marijuana like alcoholic beverages, tax it, decriminalize it for those 21+. We save $$$ in the long run and Hawaii now becomes a tourist destination for outsiders who have heard the buzz about Hawaii's buds. Let's think out of the box - NOW.

did it include a bill to cancel all of their 36% raises?

If not, they did not give it their best.

Mercado Kim and Oshiro are HSTA/HGEA/UPW union stooges.

They have not down-sized government one bit. They have not cut out any bloated mid and upper DOE dys-"functions", and have made monkeys out of rank and file teachers, and victimized children for another generation by not taking this opportunity to seriously streamline and economize the worst school system in the nation.

Teachers and kids will get the short end of the stick as the DOE continues to gobble up resources before they reach the classroom.

Meanwhile our union is sending out email blasts that insult the intelligence of teachers by using scare tactics (just like they did for the con con).

What a crock.

Roger wrote:

Would these individuals plan their household budgets this way? Of course not. But hey, someone else pays for it! These guys need a reality check!
While the state population is cutting, and saving, and hurting, most all understand or live the reality of fewer funds .... except these jokers. Time to get a group of people in their that will work for the population - not the interest groups

Yeah, keep dreaming. The voters have always put the rascals back into their comfort zone during election time. But the voters of Hawaii has always been known to talk up a good story about how they will never vote for those rascals again, those rascals know better and don't even consider those as threats.

oldfart wrote:

did it include a bill to cancel all of their 36% raises?
If not, they did not give it their best.

On the contrary, they did do their best. They included another 36% increase for next year. They felt that if the voters really liked seeing them get an increase, they thought why not do it on an annual basis. After all, it is not really their money.

WhatsGoingOn wrote:

"No one will be completely happy with this budget," said House Finance Committee Chairman Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa-Poamoho). "We tried. We gave it our best."
This is the same jerk who did not show up to legislate 15 year old murderers being tried as adults.
This guy never gives his best.
"When do you know Oshiro is lying?"
"When he's talking".
This guy is quickly becoming bad news. Get rid of him!

But you all will send him back into office when election time comes around for him. I am pretty sure of that and they are absolutely sure as well.