Legislature’s majority party focuses on ecology, energy

Democrats want 2008 to be remembered as the year of the "greening of Hawaii" as they make a combined effort to push through their environmental, housing and educational goals.

Members of the majority party from both the House and Senate united Friday with a rare shared platform that could have the political muscle to be passed into law. Democrats control all but 11 out of 76 seats in the Legislature.

"Our environment and promoting energy independence are absolutely critical to maintaining our quality of life," said Senate Energy Committee Chairman Ron Menor (D, Mililani) at a news conference outside the Capitol. "I'm confident the 2008 session will be the year of the greening of Hawaii."

The Democratic package pushes for more recycling, easier construction of solar power, reduction of greenhouse gases and a review of the law that was overridden by the Legislature this fall to allow the Hawaii Superferry to operate without first having to go through an environmental review.

Other programs would pay for affordable housing, give rental assistance and upgrade worn-down athletic and academic facilities at the University of Hawaii.

"Especially on energy, there's no quick fix," said House Energy Committee Chairwoman Hermina Morita (D, Hanalei-Kapaa). "We continue to move forward toward our goals of energy independence and self-sufficiency."

Lawmakers will introduce bills to require big-box retail stores to provide recycling facilities, ease permitting of renewable energy projects, stop toxic electronic waste from ending up in landfills and enact efficient electric lighting standards.

They are also concerned about invasive species, such as brown tree snakes, coqui frogs, centipedes and wasps, further spreading through Hawaii and damaging the islands' fragile ecosystem.

"Long before the issue of the Superferry or we had containers of Christmas trees coming in with wasps, this Legislature was already concerned about the threat that invasive species pose not only to our natural environment, but to our overall way of life," said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Jill Tokuda (D, Kaneohe-Kailua).

Absent from the Democrats' proposals was any mention of tax cuts being promoted by minority lawmakers and Republican Gov. Linda Lingle.

Republican legislators are seeking an elimination of taxes on groceries, and Lingle has proposed lower taxes on retirement income, cell phone bills, family tax returns, college savings and senior expenses at a cost of $102.1 million over the next two years.

"Sometimes we'll be suggesting things that they just plain don't want to hear," said House Minority Leader Lynn Finne- gan (R, Mapunapuna-Foster Village).

House Speaker Calvin Say (D, St. Louis Heights-Wilhelmina Rise) said he was disappointed with Lingle's tax proposals at a time when the state has so many other needs and such a tight budget.

"If I could use her tax cuts to support the University of Hawaii statewide, that would be my recommendation to members of the House," he said.

There is a backlog of at least $257 million for university building repairs, upgrades and maintenance, said Senate Education Committee Chairman Norman Sakamoto (D, Salt Lake-Foster Village). Democrats say they have not decided how much money to commit to infrastructure improvements.

"It's not just about the athletic facilities," he said. "There are multiple priorities that need to be addressed. ... Today isn't the time to promise how much."