RENEWABLE ENERGY

GOALS IMPORTANT TO ATTRACTING INVESTMENT

Whether or not the goal of Hawai'i to have 70 percent of its energy come from renewable resources by 2030 is realistic or not is missing the point.

Without goals and commitments such as this from the state, investment in renewable energy from businesses will lag. It's a chicken-and-egg scenario and Hawai'i has set the bar high, which will invite corporate investment. It may even be possible for Hawai'i to provide enough energy for its own use in addition to selling it to other places in the U.S. and abroad who are not so rich in renewable/natural resources.

We can no longer afford to ignore the realities of energy; the time is now to encourage and invite investment.

This is particularly important for Hawai'i. Renewable energy can help make Hawai'i more self-sustaining and will help all of Hawai'i grow. The effect can be increased job growth on all islands as well as lower cost of living in Hawai'i.

The future of Hawai'i resides in growth of renewable, natural technologies. I commend the state for making this commitment and call on our community to support this plan and businesses to become Hawai'i's partner in investing in the future.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

SERIOUSNESS OF CHARGES WARRANT INCARCERATION

I know Judge Michael Town to be very competent and fair. However, I respectfully disagree with his decision regarding Ernie Gomez. Rob Perez's articles which highlighted Gomez's criminal case were very enlightening and disturbing. Ernie Gomez should be in prison today for terrorizing his wife with a semi-automatic handgun. He should not be allowed to roam freely while his pardon is being considered by Gov. Lingle. At the very least, after Gomez's appeal failed, he should have been incarcerated immediately for his crime.

A felony domestic violence conviction is serious. There have been many deaths this year because of domestic violence. The judge's decision is unprecedented, and it's the wrong precedent. As chair of the Public Safety Committee, I will consider legislation that would not let this situation occur again.

Ernie Gomez was arrested, tried, and convicted in our court system, and he must now pay the price for his crime. The five-year mandatory prison term may be harsh. It can be debated. But Gomez should not be receiving the treatment he is getting.

I agree with the advocates against domestic violence. Victims must know our judicial system will protect them. This is not the case here.

ECONOMY

A LONG-TERM VIEW IS CRUCIAL FOR HAWAI'I

Some of the best, most objective measures of our state's business and investment climate show that Hawai'i is succeeding at creating a more secure economic future.

Hawai'i jumped 10 spots in Forbes magazine's annual list of best states to do business. Of the six criteria taken into account, Hawai'i ranked fourth in the nation for economic climate and 10th for labor. Overall, Hawai'i ranked 27th, compared to 37th in 2007 and 42nd in 2006. This is a vast improvement from March 2002, when Forbes' infamous article said doing business in Honolulu had "become nearly equivalent to suicide."

Hawai'i also posted improvement in the State Technology and Science Index published by the Milken Institute, climbing 11 spots to 28th in the nation. The index examines states' abilities to leverage resources to achieve long-term economic growth.

The Milken report cited strides the state has made in the Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative, and praised the administration's efforts to improve science, technology, engineering and math education in our schools, one of several critical components of the Hawai'i Innovation Initiative.

Hawai'i's leap in rankings in the Forbes list and Milken index indicate that the foundation of our economy is relatively strong. The Milken report shows a growing recognition of how the initiatives we have in place will improve Hawai'i's future over the long term.

Hawai'i's climb in ratings offers a validation of our collaborative efforts, and serves as a clear reminder of why we can't go back to doing "business as usual." The status quo will not suffice in a world that is becoming more competitive, interconnected and technologically advanced by the day.

With the support of the Legislature, businesses and the community, the multifaceted components of the Hawai'i Clean Energy and Innovation Initiatives will put Hawai'i where it needs to be for our future generations to succeed.

RAIL TRANSIT

H-3 AND TRANSIT OFFER IMPORTANT SIMILARITIES

Although often cited as an example of "Windward has their H-3 so we should have our Leeward Rail" there are many differences and some similarities.

H-3 was opened Dec. 12, 1997, after 37 years of planning, engineering and construction. It was first estimated to cost $250 million and ended up costing $1.6 billion, the most expensive per-mile U.S. highway in history at that point.

It was nearly all paid for with federal funds. Only a miniscule amount of city and state money was used. The primary construction firm was Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade and Douglas Inc.

If any of this sounds familiar, it should.

Rail proponents and the frequent city radio ads paid for by taxpayers have said that Leeward residents deserve rail because Windward residents got their H-3.

The construction firm now calls itself simply Parsons Brinkerhoff, minus a few wealthy former partners, but with a new LLC Parsons Intraconsult which has mostly former Parsons Brinkerhoff employees.

The similarities to the present rail system dictated by Mayor Hannemann are remarkable.