$44 million clerical error adds to state's cash woes - Hawaii News

Already facing a deficit approaching $1 billion for the current two-year budget cycle, the state now finds itself $44 million deeper in the hole after the recent discovery of a clerical error in accounting records.

[Eric]

The 7 past years of the Lingle Administration has been one of financial negligence. Remember the 40 million dollar debacle for building the pier for the Super Ferry. Now counting 44 million dollar in taxed twice! I'm ready for the 2010 electiion, we need to clean house!

[mommabecca]

I cannot believe the incompetence of the people we have running our states, this includes Michigan also. Who is keeping track of the money that we operate on? I can't believe the situations that our state governments have gotten us into. Where did they learn their accounting practices?

[-Lana-]

As long as they do not use the personal property of Hawaiians to "make up" for this.

Hawaiians and their legal heirs still hold title to land and do not authorize anyone else to use it without their express written consent.

Consider this a public notice.

[-Lana-]

mommabecca wrote:

I cannot believe the incompetence of the people we have running our states, this includes Michigan also. Who is keeping track of the money that we operate on? I can't believe the situations that our state governments have gotten us into. Where did they learn their accounting practices?

Exactly.

Who is watching the watchers?

[willie]

Eric wrote:

The 7 past years of the Lingle Administration has been one of financial negligence. Remember the 40 million dollar debacle for building the pier for the Super Ferry. Now counting 44 million dollar in taxed twice! I'm ready for the 2010 electiion, we need to clean house!

By all means elect an all DNC government, come up short? No problemo, just jack up taxes to make it up.

As to the SF, heaven forbid a NEW business start in the state. We all need to go back to just living off the land and if we want to visit friends or relatives on other islands we can use our dug out canoes.

[Chief Taxum]

-Lana- wrote:

As long as they do not use the personal property of Hawaiians to "make up" for this.
Hawaiians and their legal heirs still hold title to land and do not authorize anyone else to use it without their express written consent.
Consider this a public notice.

Just wait until we move you to the Reservation. You'd make a nice cock-tail waitress at the casino.

[Fur Low]

At least we know how our union employee picnic was paid for. Great door prizes, I got a sack of rice and a credit union pen plus a coupon for saimin next time I go Vegas.

[hmmmm]

-Lana- wrote:

As long as they do not use the personal property of Hawaiians to "make up" for this.
Hawaiians and their legal heirs still hold title to land and do not authorize anyone else to use it without their express written consent.
Consider this a public notice.

hmmm --- interesting point

maybe Hawaiian land could be used to fund Hawaiian public schools (including special needs kids) in the new nation

[Edward Kennedy]

Era...Era....Era

[wife and mom]

-Lana- wrote:

As long as they do not use the personal property of Hawaiians to "make up" for this.
Hawaiians and their legal heirs still hold title to land and do not authorize anyone else to use it without their express written consent.
Consider this a public notice.

Who are the legal heirs...and how or what makes them the legal heirs? Many generations have passed. There are many people who say they are the heirs...so how or what makes one or a few the legal heirs? Inquiring minds would like to know...

[hulu]

-Lana- wrote:

As long as they do not use the personal property of Hawaiians to "make up" for this.
Hawaiians and their legal heirs still hold title to land and do not authorize anyone else to use it without their express written consent.
Consider this a public notice.

or else what? lol. hawaiian army is gonna rise up out of their comfy city, state, and union jobs to rebel? i dont think so. the sad reality is that most Hawaiian's are just happy with the status quo.
also...you're laying the Hawaiian people's "official ultimatum" here on the comments
section of a Star Bulletin story? brilliant strategy. highly effective, inspiring, and far-reaching.

[WhatsGoingOn]

Hanabusa says: "it is interesting that we find out this error in the middle of collective bargaining negotiations."

Hanabusa is also the one who said: Let them eat cake, they are used to high taxes.

Hanabusa is a true politician, when she talks you know there is only crap coming out, when the GETax stopped coming in which caused the shortfall, she proposed raising the GETax!

Before any bargaining can take place the Legislature needs to give back the 35% raise it took this year, to prove they are working for the people of this state.

Hanabusa can say anything she wants but who can consider anything from her corner till she joins us the working people of Hawaii and gives like we have.

AS usual the politicians fire volleys at those trying to make a difference, but do nothing to rectify the problem themselves.

HANABUSA: GIVE BACK OUR MONEY!

[Edward Kennedy]

Why do you clones have to turn an accounting "era" into some Hawaiian nation passion play sob story? It's ancient history and the hate is passed on from generation to generation. If not for US annexation, whether illegal or legal, there would not be all the welfare bennies and rights that the people have. Not only that, the Japanese would have taken over the Hawaiian islands during WWII and would Honolulu been Hiroshima? Just end it! It's not like some one drowned in a car.

[midpacificpat]

Perhaps the "clerical error" is due to the fact that the Chief Financial Officer of the State of Hawaii is someone who does not have a college degree and is not a CPA. How does someone with the lack of credentials get one of the most critical jobs with the State? You are the friend of the Governor and you worked for her before. And undoubtedly made the same mistakes before if you check the facts of when one was Mayor of Maui and the other the CFO.

This administration is the most incompetent of recent memory. Should anyone believe anything the Governor or any of her appointees say? NOT!

[makani]

Nab job bufo.

[Kaneahi]

$44,000,000.00, now that's a lot of money. The governor needs to hold State Tax Director Kurt Kawafuchi accountable for this SNAFU and demand answers.

[Scammers]

Just FYI.....those 2 state budget departments are on opposite sides of an office cubicle divider. Blissfully crunching their numbers day in and day out, only when they decided to look over the top at their neighbors caluclator tape did they realize that they had made a slight error. So what they thought - it's only other people's money.

[Duzy]

This administration is pathetic. Blame it on a clerical error, but it's really the professionals who are responsible. I'm convinced that someone dropped the ball, not just now, but over the past 7 years. The lesson for a future governor is, make sure you hire for competency and experience, especially for the most important positions in your administration, especially the ones in-charge of state finances!!!! If you don't, everybody suffers, long after you're long gone.

[Blah]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! Are you kidding me? Our government is being run by idiots!

[lookie here]

not surprised at all it took 13 months to figure this out. Gov. Lingle and her budget director have no clue what the actual status of the budget really is - this is not the first time they've double-counted numbers.

she previously double-counted savings from furloughs and layoffs to make her plan look more appealing, against the advice of her analysts who warned her she couldn't double-count cost savings.

she sent Kawamura into negotiations with this information, and when the unions pressed for figures and an explanation of the formulas used to calculate these figures, she got mad and walked out, then accused the unions of not negotiating in good faith.

all they did was ask for clarification, and she couldn't give it.

given this kind of accounting background (or lack thereof) it's not surprise that Kawamura and her staff let this mistake happen. that 13 month "investigation" was probaby more like a 13 month attempt at a cover up.