LEGISLATURE 2006
Taxpayers pitch ideas outside Legislature
Joe Ryan sat on a stone bench in the courtyard of the state Capitol holding onto his walker, which had a sign that read, "Taxpayer$ Upri$ing."
Ask him what the state Legislature should do with a $570 million surplus and he hands you a flier that says, "Establish A State Lottery."
"With the surplus now, we could set it up. We could create jobs; we could create a lot of jobs by setting up a lottery," Ryan said.
After a morning of speeches by legislative leaders on how they would like to spend the growing surplus, Hawaii residents like Ryan had their own ideas.
Ryan, a Black Point resident whose only income is from Social Security, said broaching the idea of a lottery comes at a perfect time.
"We could set up a lottery that we would be able to encourage people from all of Asia -- from Tokyo, from Manila -- to participate in our lottery. We would have the most competitive lottery in the world. We could eliminate real property taxes, and we would take care of our poor and we could create jobs," Ryan said. "They (lawmakers) are really not thinking."
A lottery was not the only idea flying outside the Capitol. Some pushed to increase dental coverage, others wanted longer meal breaks and some wanted more funding to fight the "ice" epidemic.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
A crowd of people waited yesterday outside the state House of Representatives for the Legislature's opening ceremony.
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Social service agencies that in the past were told that there was not enough money for programs are also expected to seek long-awaited help from the Legislature.
"We support people going back to work, going back to school. Our long-term goal is to get people to be more independent. But it's really hard to get a job when you have no teeth," said Michelle Stanley, of Hawaii Clubhouse Coalition, which provides psychosocial rehabilitation programs for adults with severe mental illness.
Stanley said her group is going to lobby lawmakers to establish subsidized dental coverage for those in need.
"People that are on disability don't have any dental coverage except for extractions of teeth," Stanley said.
Her group is also going to seek medical insurance parity for mental health and an increased subsidized allowance for those living in care homes.
"All of those things are costing money. That's the reason they haven't passed in the past, because they have a dollar sign in front of it," Stanley said.
The law enforcement community also has ideas on how the money should be spent.
"We'd definitely like to see some of that surplus be put towards public safety at the county or state level," said Tenari Maafala, president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.
Maafala said that more funding on the war on drugs is a good place to begin.
"The ice epidemic is very critical -- that's the root of a lot of the problems we are having today from identify theft to property crimes," Maafala said. "That would be a good start, to supplement law enforcement locally, to give state and county more funding to combat the ice epidemic."
Charter school teacher Kalani Kalima said a surplus could also help bring funding equity with public schools.
"Just to let them know we're still here," he said while he and charter school students were heading onto elevators to lawmakers' offices.
"After five years we're still striving, still doing good. And don't forget about us. Don't only think of us when it's time for the chopping block."
Evelyn Peralta, Marlene Calventas and a busload of 75 other hotel workers representing the Local 5 union were dressed in red T-shirts and were at the Capitol to also remind state lawmakers not to forget them.
They said Hawaii's booming economy -- a factor in the surplus -- is also bringing more tourists to their hotels.
"We getting a lot of work," Peralta said. As a result, they would like the Legislature to help them get longer meal breaks.