elections

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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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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I’ve been asked for my thoughts by a few people on the four proposed Charter Amendments that appear on ballots for Oahu voters this year. With ballots arriving right now in mailboxes, hopefully, you’ll find this helpful before you cast yours.

I did a similar post in 2020….

In addition to my thoughts below, Hawaii Public Radio has an “explainer” and the Star-Advertiser has a piece about them, as well.

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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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