BY ERIN MILLER | WEST HAWAII TODAY Three West Hawaii legislators spelled out their priorities for the upcoming session — ranging from geothermal energy to school improvements — Tuesday evening. ADVERTISING Rep. Denny Coffman, D-Kona, Keauhou, Honokohau said he would
BY ERIN MILLER | WEST HAWAII TODAY
Three West Hawaii legislators spelled out their priorities for the upcoming session — ranging from geothermal energy to school improvements — Tuesday evening.
Rep. Denny Coffman, D-Kona, Keauhou, Honokohau said he would again be pushing for a statewide electric rate, as well as seek the reorganization of Hawaii Electric Industries, the parent company of Hawaii Electric Co., Hawaii Electric Light Co. and Maui Electric Co.
“I spent the last nine months trying to analyze why we talk about renewable energy and geothermal and we’re not really getting anywhere,” Coffman told the 75 or so people at the Kona Town Meeting at Old Kona Airport Park. “I’m going to ask the utility company to remove themselves from power production. If we’re going to deregulate and have a market driven electric rate, we can’t have a utility … generating power.”
He pointed to geothermal energy on the Big Island, a waste-to-energy plant and a coal-burning plant on Oahu as companies generating power. That makes HEI halfway deregulated anyway, he added.
Coffman said he is also investigating why building a new geothermal plant in Hawaii now is nearly impossible, because of the subzoning requirement and application process.
Sen. Josh Green, D-Kona, Kohala, said he is asking for $11 million for the second and third phases of the West Hawaii Community College. He’s also seeking $6 million for Kona Community Hospital maintenance funds and $10 million for a Waikoloa library. He’s also asking for funding for additional access in and out of Waikoloa.
Some big projects are still coming for West Hawaii, he said.
“We have got a start on our community college,” Green said. “We have got a start on our courthouse. These are fundamental structures that are absolutely necessary for us.”
He’s also advocating for stronger penalties for people who drive under the influence of alcohol. He modeled the bill after an Arizona law, which he said is the strictest in the country.
Number one on Rep. Cindy Evans’ priority list is kickstarting the state’s economy, she said prior to Tuesday’s meeting. Evans, D-North Kona, South Kohala, said a number of groups recently spoke with legislators about the state’s economic future.
“There seems to be this feeling we’ll hold our own,” she said. “Given the cost of living and the cost of doing business, there’s going to be a net zero gain, some growth but because of costs, (the economy will remain) flat.”
Another priority, she said during the meeting, is pushing ahead on getting another Kona elementary school and improvements at schools in Waikoloa and Waimea. Other bills she’s working on, based on constituent comments, include ones on illegal vacation rentals, truancy, land use and a constitutional amendment asking voters if they want a dedicated source of funding for state parks and trails.
Sen. Malama Solomon, D-Waimea, Hamakua, North Hilo, has a “bold” proposal for this session: a 550-page bill calling for the elimination of the state income tax. It’s not a new idea, Solomon said.
“These are pretty desperate times,” she said. “Our living costs are so high.”
Solomon is also working on legislation in response to comments from community talk story sessions and a Hawaii County Council resolution asking for the end of aquarium fishing off the Big Island’s shores. She said the bill would allow more county input on such fishing limits.
Reducing energy costs is a topic Sen. Gil Kahele, D-Waiakea Uka, Kalapana, Volcano and Kahuku, intends to focus on. Geothermal energy is one renewable energy source he would like to see more of.
“It’s something that can be sustained,” he said. “It’s not as divisive as it was. … If we can lower the cost over energy, it would help everybody. It’s been a lot of talk and things are slow to get done.”
Hawaii Electric Light Co. last week announced it intended to increase geothermal development, something Kahele said is a good move.
“I’d like to see them move a lot faster,” he said.
Rep. Clift Tsuji, D-South Hilo, Puna, Kurtistown, will again focus on introducing agriculture-related bills. Tsuji is chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. Food security is high on his list of priorities for this session, he said. He will also be seeking funding to reinstate agriculture inspection positions, and funding for drought mitigation programs for farmers.
Tsuji said he would like to reinstate funding for a program, approved several years ago, that provided subsidies for ranchers to help with livestock feed costs, as well as ways to grow livestock feed in the state.
emiller@westhawaiitoday.com
