The decidedly low-profile administration of Gov. David Ige leaves this legislative session with the governor’s promises of cooler schools intact, clutching fistfuls of money to fatten the state Rainy Day Fund and some savvy new behind-the-scenes lobbying skills.
At the same time, Ige failed to convince legislators to put in motion any serious plan for moving or rebuilding the horribly overcrowded Oahu Community Correctional Center.
The bottom line is that Ige expanded on his nearly 30 years of legislative experience in education and finance, but was unable to move into new areas of planning and development.
The big political win for Ige was securing $100 million in new funding to launch a crash program to cool or air condition 1,000 classrooms by the end of the year.
Besides the obvious benefit for public school students and teachers, it cemented the alliance between Ige and the Hawaii State Teachers Association. HSTA’s early and active support was a key element in Ige’s dark horse win against long-time Democrat Neil Abercrombie in 2014.
But, not moving the 2016 Legislature to start planning a move or rebuild of OCCC is a failure that will hurt both the prison population and the lower Kalihi area, which needs low-cost housing and support services as much as the inmates need a place to sleep that isn’t under the prison cell toilets.
One Ige victory could be classified as “snatched from the jaws of defeat,” as the Legislature did approve the $160 million needed to rebuild the forensic mental health facility on the grounds of the State Hospital in Kaneohe. Lawmakers exasperated with the Health Department’s dawdling plans to take eight years for a rebuild, told DOH to get an old building on that hospital campus demolished within two months or there would be no more money. DOH complied and the money is moving.
One bill that is not moving was a plan supported by Alexander & Baldwin and the Outrigger Enterprises that would have allowed employers to offer a health insurance plan with a very high deductible accompanied by a health savings plan. Although it was opposed by both the unions and various Ige administration executives, the bill, House Bill 2539, was moving through both legislative chambers.
At the last minute, Ige’s Labor Department started emailing union leaders telling them to “Please consider weighing in with Chairs and leadership as they need cover to kill this one,” adding that the bill was not defective but had policy problems.
An accompanying letter from Linda Chu Takayama, state Labor Department director, said her department had “grave concerns” about the bill because the high deducti-ble insurance plan could drive out other insurance plans to the extent that employers would only offer the cheaper plan to workers.
“The potential increase in out-of-pocket maximum would expose employees to significant higher health care costs,” Takayama warned.
By the end of the day last Friday, the bill had failed to move and is likely dead for this session, giving Ige another victory.
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Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.
