Hawaii Legislature begins 2016 session, focuses on homeless
STAR-ADVERTISER / AUG. 4 ,2015
Religious leaders, homeless individuals and homeless advocates delivered letters to the mayor, council members, legislators and governor outlining their ideas to deal with homeless in August.
Homelessness and affordable housing will be key topics as the Hawaii Legislature begins its 2016 legislative session.
The House and Senate began their legislative session today, talking about the need to create a more economically viable community.
People were singing and chanting outside the chambers about protecting Hawaii’s delicate environment, and students and families were lining up to get a seat before the session began.
As Senate President Ron Kouchi began the chamber’s first official meeting of the year, the senators sang “Hawaii Ponoi,” a song about Hawaii, while wearing flower lei.
The Rev. Bob Nakata, a housing advocate, said he’s hopeful that the Legislature will provide more money for affordable housing this year.
“The crisis is so bad it can’t really be shifted to the side,” Nakata said.
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Democratic Rep. Matt LoPresti said he planned to introduce legislation to regulate police body cameras and to protect online privacy for students and adults.
“We need to realize that legislation has not kept up with the technology,” LoPresti said in a news conference. “We should be able to keep our social media profiles private.”
12 responses to “Hawaii Legislature begins 2016 session, focuses on homeless”
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We need to raise the gas tax to provide for relief of societal needs. The monopoly party has failed to provide for the homeless and for education, among many other things. They do a great job paying lavish retirement benefits to unionized workers who put them in office and keep them there. It is the way of the Nei.
Our gas taxes are already the highest in the nation, and the State government is already swimming in a sea of money purloined from hard working, overtaxed citizens who are already struggling with high housing costs. Give them a break. The last thing we need is more taxes. There is already enough money to raise our education standards and provide for societal needs, if only the bureaucrats would stop wasting money and re-order their priorities.
Agreed. Let’s get a lottery bill passed and allocate it for affordable housing. NOW, a little bit different from the other plans that never worked: the military in Hawaii get a HUGE housing allowance—why not focus the lottery proceeds for housing allowances for our working people. NOT the ones that vote for a living–the hard workers that pay the highest cost of living and housing costs in the USA due to–what party???
Lets not. gambling, which a lottery is a part of, is just a tax on the stupid. Housing needs to be addressed but having the stupid pay is not the answer.
With more and more electric cars being sold, gas taxes will be less and less effective. Maybe Allie will propose an electricity tax?
There is a reason why there is a “monopoly party”. The republican party has long abandoned republican values and today basically only believes in welfare for the rich. If you think republicans offer anything, just move to Flint Michigan. Hawaii democrats may be far from perfect but at least they don’t try to kill off the poor. Maybe the answer lies in increasing tuition at the UH?
Hire Bob Nakata to solve homelessness….pay him in full AFTER he solves the problem.
Auspicious start – both good issues to work on!
Um, Hawaii Ponoi is actually Hawai’i Pono’i. And yes, while it is a song about Hawai’i, it is also the state song, and recognized as the Hawaiian National Anthem by many. I am not the editorial police. Just pointing out something rather obvious to most.
GOOD POINT(S)..AND–“Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī was one of the “National Anthems” of the “Kingdom of Hawaiʻi” and also was the “National Anthem” of the “Republic of Hawaii””.” Most interesting are the words of this “anthem” : (and, amusing/interesting that our Legislators sing this)
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, Hawaiʻi’s own true son,
Nānā i kou moʻī, Be loyal to your king,
Kalani aliʻi, Your country’s liege and lord
Ke aliʻi. The chief.
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, Hawaiʻi’s own true sons,
Nānā i nā aliʻi, Look to your chiefs,
Nā pua muli kou, The children after you,
Nā pōkiʻi. The young.
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, Hawaiʻi’s own true son,
Nānā i kou moʻī, Be loyal to your king,
Kalani aliʻi, Your country’s liege and lord
Ke aliʻi. The chief.
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, Hawaiʻi’s own true sons,
Nānā i nā aliʻi, Look to your chiefs,
Nā pua muli kou, The children after you,
Nā pōkiʻi. The young.
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, Hawaiʻi’s own true sons,
E ka lāhui ē, People of loyal heart,
ʻO kāu hana nui The only duty lies
E ui ē. List and abide.
Hui: Chorus:
Makua lani ē, Father above us all,
Kamehameha ē, Kamehameha e,
Na kaua e pale, Who guarded in the war,
Me ka ihe. With his spear.
Hawaiʻi ponoʻī, Hawaiʻi’s own true sons,
E ka lāhui ē, People of loyal heart,
ʻO kāu hana nui The only duty lies
E ui ē. List and abide.
Hui: Chorus:
Makua lani ē, Father above us all,
Kamehameha ē, Kamehameha e,
Na kaua e pale, Who guarded in the war,
Me ka ihe. With his spear.
You can’t “need to create a more economically viable community” in a free market society folks. Like trying to build cheap homes in Beverly Hills. You go to where you CAN afford to live.
Same Ole same ole…same ole tune.