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Legislature opens with As the state Legislature opened this morning, leaders proposed modest programs with an eye toward the state's recession economy.
call for gambling vote
Revitalizing Waikiki and boosting
UH also top the agendaOpening Day Speeches:
• Speaker Calvin K.Y. Say
• State Senator Sam Slom
• Senate President Robert Bunda
• Galen FoxBy Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comSaying that gambling is no sure bet to balance the state budget, Senate President Robert Bunda said Hawaii should still find a position on the long-running controversy of legalized gambling.
In remarks during opening ceremonies at the state Capitol, Bunda said voters should decide the fate of any gambling legislation.
Bunda, who has said he prefers a strictly regulated and limited casino operation, called for "some form of a referendum on gambling."
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"This extremely controversial issue has defied attempts by the Legislature to reach any consensus. Perhaps it is time to let the voters decide," said Bunda (D, Wahiawa).Republicans in the House and Senate, however, are rejecting a call for any movement on gambling. Sen. Sam Slom, senate Republican leader, called for Hawaii "not to gamble with its future."
"We seek economic diversification, not more social costs caused by high rollers," said Slom, (R, Hawaii Kai). Instead of gambling, he called for more tax cuts.
"We think it is outrageous to continue to tax food and illness. Capital gains reform will bring Hawaii new money. Retail tax holidays stimulate economic vitality," he said.
House GOP leader Galen Fox said the state also should drop the excise tax charged on rents.
In the House, Speaker Calvin Say proposed help for the economy by setting up a Waikiki Authority to regulate growth in the heart of Hawaii's tourism industry.
"This tourist Mecca has experienced haphazard growth, a deteriorating infrastructure and unforeseen commercialization to the point where it no longer represents a Hawaii sense of place," said Say (D, Palolo).
A Waikiki Authority would include business and government to "set the course for the total redevelopment of Waikiki," he said. Say and Bunda also are looking at more support for the University of Hawaii. New UH President Evan Dobelle was singled out by both as the sort of new leader needed in Hawaii.
Bunda added that the state should transfer control of Aloha Stadium to the university, as UH football coach June Jones has suggested. Say also praised UH-Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng and suggested that the state set up a center to research the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.
"This will enable Hawaii to be the centerpiece of hydrogen fuel development in the Pacific Rim, if not globally," Say said.
He also called on the university to expand its boundaries makai of the H-1 freeway in Manoa to make "the university a viable college town."
Bunda said the legislative session would stress the desire for lawmakers to "regain control" of the state budget and state operations. "For too many years, particularly during flush times, we have approved spending without asking the tough questions. We need to regain control over the direction of government and public expenditures because, if we don't, who will?"
To emphasize that, Bunda called for the extension of the House-Senate investigative committee exploring the state costs for complying with the federal Felix decree for special education. Bunda said the Legislature must get an accurate accounting for the program, which has cost $1.5 billion since 1994.
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"Accurate by our standards, not the Department (of Education), not the court-appointed monitor -- and not even by Judge (David) Ezra's evaluation," Bunda said.To stimulate new growth in environmental research, Speaker Say proposed that the state take over the Paradise Park site in the back of Manoa Valley as the home for a new center for ecosystem sciences.
"This center will serve as a catalyst for the stewardship of Hawaii's natural resources, as well as a source for expertise and scientific interchange throughout the Pacific Islands," Say said.
He suggested that the center would include UH and federal agencies "in a new world-class research center."
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