It’s the last Sunday in October and time to “flASHback” on the month’s news that amused and confused:
>> Gov. David Ige is traveling to Japan and Okinawa — his fourth junket to Asia in less than two years in office. He touches down locally so seldom that the Hawaii Tourism Authority counts him as a visitor arrival.
>> Ige’s salary of $149,556 puts him above the national average and among the nation’s 20 highest-paid governors. He’s Hawaii’s “Seinfeld,” a big paycheck for a show about nothing.
>> Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who goes Ige one better with a $200,000-a-year side position as a Territorial Savings Bank director on top of his mayoral salary, denied the bank gig is a second job and described it as “a service.” Only if you count self-service.
>> Caldwell’s challenger, Charles Djou, promised that if he’s elected mayor he’ll be an agent of change. Our city is in so much trouble we need an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
>> U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz has raised $4 million and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard $2 million to run for re-election against little-known opponents. That’s modern politics: You throw your hat in the ring and it comes back filled with money.
>> The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is scrambling to make up a nearly $2 billion budget gap that’s contributed to a six-year project delay. Plan A is to ask the Legislature to extend the half-percent rail excise tax; Plan B is to ask Schatz and Gabbard for loans.
>> Hawaii ranked 48th of 50 states for road performance, despite spending 2½ times the national average in costs per mile, according to the Reason Foundation. The Department of Transportation meant to emulate Target’s “get more, pay less” philosophy, but put a dyslexic in charge.
>> The state won a $4 million federal grant to “reimagine” how to tax us more for roads. With Ige administration’s idea of imagination, they’ll probably go with masks and guns.
>> Stanley Chang, who is trying to unseat the sole remaining Republican state senator, Sam Slom, said Senate Democrats have enough “ideological diversity” without GOP representation. The Democratic caucus has pro-labor liberals from all planets.
>> Three months after the first medical marijuana dispensaries were supposed to open, the state Health Department still doesn’t have a tracking system or a testing laboratory. Those regulators need to stop Bogarting the joint.
>> The state Board of Education indicated it’ll replace Kathryn Matayoshi as schools superintendent despite her good job ratings and willingness to stay. The recruitment ad for a successor is headlined: “Next Sucker.”
And the quote of the month … from President Barack Obama, endorsing Kirk Caldwell for mayor: “Kirk demonstrates local values and manages with a local heart.” Obama and Caldwell are to “local” what Donald Trump is to humble.
Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.
