Isle Republicans push
legislative envelope

Frustrated at watching their good ideas continually fall by the wayside, the state House minority plans to add some excitement to the 2000 legislative session.

Included are bills that would increase the general excise tax to 14 percent from 4 percent, push civil service reform to provide a decent living wage to every Hawaii resident, and attract more TV shows in Hawaii which focus on sex.

Did that grab your attention?

That was the intent of House Minority Leader Barbara Marumoto, who told the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii last week that no one ever pays attention to real legislation proposed by the 12 House Republicans, because it is often too boring.

Every year the caucus proposes to no avail ideas such as business-friendly bills, smaller government, workers compensation reform, privatization, smaller schools and the restoration of the University of Hawaii budget, she said.

Marumoto said the news media would prefer a good scandal over boring bills, such as sex in the Capitol bathroom, lap-dancing legislation and bribe money for casinos.

"But since we Republicans never have sex, and invest all our bribe money in conservative blue-chip stocks, we are sorely lacking in the scandal department," she said.

LOOK BEFORE LEAPING: Meanwhile, Marumoto is criticizing plans for a televised midnight parachute jump into Diamond Head Crater on New Year's Eve -- one of many events planned by the Hawaii Millennium Commission.

She believes many in the country will not watch the broadcast because of the time difference. Moreover, she said, Oahu on New Year's Eve is not a pretty picture. Marumoto would prefer the jump taking place during New Year's Eve day.

"Is everyone forgetting that Hawaii will look like a smoky nightmare by midnight on New Year's Eve?" she said.