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Economic uncertainty
curbs lawmakers’
wish list

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By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

House Democrats reaffirmed their commitment to education, a better economy and improved government efficiency, but like most things this session, their ideas will be tempered by whether there is enough money to go around.

House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo) said yesterday much of what the 32-member House majority wants will depend on the next economic forecast in March by the state Council of Revenues.

That forecast will show whether there is enough growth in the economy to cover court-mandated costs for the Felix consent decree, pay for public worker union pay raises as well as fund proposals the majority supports.

The council predicted last December the economy would grow by 6 percent this year. By law, the state must consider its economic forecasts when it crafts the state budget.

As a result, House leaders have streamlined the majority package to a single page of proposals from what was usually a small booklet listing several dozens bills supported by Democrats.

"This year we thought we'd keep it very much focused on a handful of issues, maybe 15 or so specific issues" in education, economy and government, said House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa).

Education is the majority's top priority. Democrats want to provide adequate pay for teachers and more accountability for principals, fix and maintain schools, add more textbooks and improve quality in early childhood education.

"I'm a public-school graduate, so I really recognize the importance of empowering people through education," said freshman Rep. Blake Oshiro (D, Red Hill-Pearlridge).

To help Hawaii's working families, the caucus pledged to raise the state's minimum wage, reduce taxes through tax credits for food and medical services and give more support to the state's high-tech and biomedical industries.

And to promote government efficiency, Democrats will support campaign finance and election reform, as well as increased substance abuse treatment and prevention, possibly through a new privately operated and built prison in Hawaii that could serve as a secure drug treatment facility.

State Rep. Brian Schatz (D, Makiki) said Florida's presidential recount showed the type of problems found in the country's election system. He's introduced a bill to set up a task force to review the state's vote tabulation system to see if changes are needed.

Clean and renewable energy resources, support of native Hawaiian entitlements and increased health care and services for the elderly were other priorities.