Cayetano has been quoted as saying, "It's really incredible that the Legislature did not have the guts to stand up and say, 'We've got to correct this law and amend it so that it's fair not only to OHA but also to the state.'" The law needs enforcing, not correcting.
When OHA received a lump-sum settlement from the state in 1993, the amount given for back-payments from 1980-1991 did not include revenues the state was contesting. OHA and the state agreed to work out the contested revenues at a future date.
Now, the future has arrived and, in order to get the state to live up to its promises, OHA was forced to file a lawsuit, OHA vs. State of Hawaii.
Judge Heely's decision in this suit affirmed the state did have an obligation to pay OHA its share of income from Duty Free Shoppers' operations in Waikiki, state low-income rentals and affordable housing sales, and a percentage of revenue from Hilo Hospital. All of these income sources are situated on ceded lands held in trust by the state.
No matter how he says it or whom he tries to blame, Cayetano's message is the same: The state is broke so it doesn't have to pay its bills.
In these tough economic times, the governor will have difficulty finding any sympathetic shoulders to cry on, despite his desperate attempts at inflaming public opinion against Hawaiians.
Hawaiians are tax-paying citizens of this state just like every other resident, including the governor. Yet, Cayetano wants the public to ignore that fact.
Instead, he wants to divide and conquer. He must figure that if he points an accusing finger at OHA for demanding its legal share of ceded land revenues, then non-Hawaiians will blame OHA (and its beneficiares) for our state's financial woes.
The blame should be placed where it belongs - on those responsible for mismanaging our state's budget.
Blaming Hawaiians is a smart political move by the governor, if he can get away with it. But I suspect the people of Hawaii are too smart to be hoodwinked by Cayetano's slick political spin of the real issues.
For a politician who regularly denies he's anti-Hawaiian, Cayetano hasn't done anything lately to prove otherwise. By pitting Hawaiians against non-Hawaiians, the governor is playing a race card in Hawaii (of all places).
As the son of immigrants, our governor should know better. Attempting to manipulate the law to rob Hawaiians of their inherent rights and legal entitlements is unconscionable and cowardly.
LET'S not forget that Cayetano was Senate Finance Chairman when the Legislature acted to give OHA its rightful share of ceded land revenues. Now that he's governor, Cayetano flip-flops and blasts our lawmakers for not pushing his own private agenda.
Heely's recent decision helps ensure that the governor will not be allowed to enjoy any more free room and board on the backs of Hawaiians.
Like the rest of us hard-working, tax-paying citizens, the governor will be forced to tighten the state's belt and stop spending more than it's earning.
It's a simple lesson we've all had to learn.