As the doors to the innovative school at Lipoa Center were opened and a gathering of approximately 25 people began to file into a classroom, the power suddenly failed. It was an inauspicious beginning for a meeting designed to shed light on what was happening halfway through the 2011 legislative session.
But undeterred, the elected officials decided to hold the meeting using natural light from windows that line one wall of the room, inducing a gentle mood that may have added a calming influence to the morning meeting.
Interviewed at the meeting and asked to identify the most significant action so far by the legislature, South and West Maui Sen. Baker, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, said that while it was still very early in the session, the recent passage of the civil unions law was “clearly landmark legislation.”
Fontaine noted that he had voted against civil unions. “My reasons for voting against it was pretty much based upon the amount of outpour from the community—about three to one—in terms of people contacting me from my district and telling me they were opposed to it,” he said.
He also said that following a meeting with advocates of the gay, lesbian and transgender community, he was “very shocked when their representative came into my office and basically said, ‘The purpose of civil unions is to show the public that by having civil unions, the sky wasn’t going to fall and their ultimate purpose is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.’”
South Maui Rep. Fontaine also spoke to the question of significant actions by the Legislature, focusing on legislation that recently passed the House to place a five-month moratorium on non-judicial foreclosures in Hawai‘i.
“I think that the homeowners out there need some relief as we go through, and start doing some investigations in terms of robo-signing and some of the other issues that have come up with some of the Mainland banks,” he said.
Commenting on the budget proposals of Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Sen. Baker said, “I think he has put forward a very realistic budget. The last administration used a lot of smoke and mirrors, so we really didn’t advance out of the deficit situation.” She said we’re starting to come out of it now with our visitor traffic and spending on the rise.
“While I don’t necessarily agree with all of his proposals for closing the budget gap, I think he’s being very honest and straightforward with the people of Hawai‘i,” she said.
Rep. Fontaine is concerned about the budget submitted by Gov. Abercrombie. “He’s looking at expanding government, and the price of doing that expansion is close to $500 million,” he said. “When you look at what that is going to cost the taxpayer… you’re looking at an average $800 per person in terms of tax increases.”
For Rep. Fontaine, a negative aspect of the legislative session has been the increases in taxes and fees. “These are things that are nickel-and-dimeing the consumer and things that we really have to be concerned about in terms of raising registration fees, fees to get permits and those kinds of things. These are issues we really need to be concerned about,” he said.
Commenting on the attempt by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to eliminate collective bargaining for public sector employees (with the exception of police and firefighters), Baker said, “Hawai‘i is a very different state and we have collective bargaining embedded in our constitution. It’s a right. It’s not something we’re likely to take away.”
“We want to make sure that workers are at the table,” she said. “We’re bargaining collectively and we’re working this out together.”
Asked for his views on the Wisconsin controversy, Fontaine said, “The gravy train days are over. I think we need to look at all of the issues concerning unions and what kind of benefits we have.”
“I do not believe we should go back on our word with unions in terms of benefits that have already been promised,” he said. “I think that should be a last-ditch effort approach to balancing the budget.”
Fontaine is working on continued funding for Kihei’s second high school (in addition to the Kihei Charter School) and the purchase of additional portable classrooms for Kihei Elementary School.
And no community meeting is complete without an update on “bringing home the bacon” to the district. Sen. Baker said that the governor has just released $1.9 million to finish improvements at the girl’s softball field in West Maui.
Contact Sen. Baker at senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov'>senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov'>senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov'>senbaker@capitol.hawaii.gov, or by calling 984-2400, ext. 66070 toll-free. Contact Rep. Fontaine at repfontaine@capitol.hawaii.gov'>repfontaine@capitol.hawaii.gov'>repfontaine@capitol.hawaii.gov'>repfontaine@capitol.hawaii.gov, or by calling (808) 586-8525 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (808) 586-8525 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
