Economics

No Raises for Legislators, Directors, Judges

In the interest of full-disclosure, I am the Policy Advocate for the ACLU of Hawaii. However, the opinion expressed here is solely mine and does not in any way reflect that of the ACLU of Hawaii or anyone else who works there.

The recent news that the State Salary Commission has recommended massive pay raises for legislators, department heads, and legislators forces me to recall the last time this question arose, right as the COVID-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc on the state economy.

While beyond the authority of the Commission, the timing of their newest recommendations comes as the State is likely staring down significant (if not debilitating) budget gaps as a result of Trump, Musk, and their kleptocratic cronies.

The raises that were ultimately adopted, though delayed, were minor compared to the massive raises being recommended.

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Cannabis Hawaii

I know it’s been quite some time since I posted here, but while I wait for the House to gavel into session on this Valentine’s Day, I wanted to use the time to share my testimony.

Thursday, February 13, 2025
Senate Committees on Health & Human Services and Judiciary

Senate Bill 1613 Relating to Cannabis
Testifying In Strong Support

Aloha Chairs San Buenaventura and Rhoads, Vice Chairs Aquino and Gabbard Members of the Committees:

I stand in strong support of SB1613. And I appreciate the support this issue has received in prior sessions by the Chairs of these committees and by the Senate as a whole. Mahalo!

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2023 Legislature: A Review

As the conclusion of the 2023 legislative session recedes into the rearview, I’ve been contemplating its successes and failures. This past session, perhaps more than most was largely a disappointment. Certainly, every session leaves advocates and Capitol regulars with the bitter taste of at least some disappointment, but this year felt different.

There was a somewhat higher level of drama and dysfunction than in recent memory.

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While talking to my mom the other day, she mentioned this flyer that was left on her door. She wasn’t sure what it was about and asked me to look into it.

When taking a closer look at the flyer, the first thing I noticed was who paid for it. Americans for Prosperity (I refuse to link to their site). AFP, as anyone who pays attention knows, was founded and is funded by the Koch Brothers. AFP and the Kochs were some of the biggest supporters of Citizens United. The SCOTUS ruling which allowed virtually unlimited and dark money to infect our political processes.

David and Charles Koch are two of the biggest walking pieces of shit on the face of the planet. If I had looked no further into HCR 5014, this would be enough to oppose it.

Listen Up Kansas! Vote NO on HCR 5014!

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