BY TREENA SHAPIRO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ADVERTISING HONOLULU — State Senate leaders expressed bipartisan support for the “Invest in Hawaii Act of 2012,” which sets forth an aggressive, $500 million capital improvement project package aimed at stimulating the economy. During
BY TREENA SHAPIRO
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HONOLULU — State Senate leaders expressed bipartisan support for the “Invest in Hawaii Act of 2012,” which sets forth an aggressive, $500 million capital improvement project package aimed at stimulating the economy.
During remarks for the Legislature’s opening day Wednesday, Senate President Shan Tsutsui said Senate Bill 2012 will address a multimillion dollar backlog of deferred repair and maintenance projects at state facilities, while simultaneously creating jobs by identifying construction projects that can begin immediately.
“Projects would be seen in every single one of our 255 public schools, all 10 University of Hawaii campuses, all of our state hospitals,” said Tsustui, D-Wailuku-Kahului.
The new construction would create work for painters, roofers, electricians, masons, plumbers and engineers across the state, he added, “and in return generate millions of dollars in disposable income into our economy.”
Minority Leader Sam Slom, the only Republican in the Senate, voiced support for the package in his floor speech.
“We’re going to oppose bad programs. We’re going to oppose bad bills. We will pay attention to irresponsible spending and waste, but we will do our best to offer fresh ideas and new solutions and to work with the majority on Senate Bill 2012,” said Slom, R-Diamond Head-Hawaii Kai.
Programs marking the opening day of the session in both the Senate and House were kept simple, without entertainment or invited guests on the floor. In the House, however, time was set aside to welcome newly appointed member Rep. Tom Okamura, D-Aiea-Halawa.
House Speaker Calvin Say offered an optimistic view on the state budget, despite a recently downgraded state revenue forecast that will require administrative cost-cutting to cover a $19.3 million shortfall. “I am glad — and relieved — to say that we will probably not have to make another extraordinary effort to balance the state budget during this session,” he said, calling it a welcome departure from the painful expenditure reductions of the past three years.”
Unlike Tsutsui, Say revealed no new initiatives, but rather stressed the importance of continuing a balanced approach to protecting the fragile economic recovery by maintaining essential public services without significant tax increases for low- or moderate-income residents.
“We must seek ways to expedite the construction of state projects, so that money flows into the community,” he added. “We also must seek ways to avoid mandates on businesses that increase their costs.”
House Minority Leader Gene Ward, R-Kalama Valley-Hawaii Kai, urged his colleagues to break away from the status quo and restore confidence in state government.
He outlined a House Minority package that includes job creation proposals tied to renewable energy installation, preferential procurement for veteran-owned businesses and incentives for businesses who hire people on unemployment insurance.
“Job creation doesn’t work just by passing legislation,” Ward said. “It doesn’t work if people are not spending because they feel the future is uncertain or unstable. No spending means the economy shrinks.”
To build confidence in the Republican job creation bills, Ward said companion bills will increase transparency by allowing the public a monthly review of state revenues and expenditures and require that each piece of proposed legislation include a “price tag” so everyone is aware of what a new law would cost before it is passed.
