The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaiʻi Island: Apr 10, 2022

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, April 10, 2022

Kaʻū Coffee Mill manager Louis Danielle at the Specialty Coffee Association Expo in Boston this weekend, with
Hawai'i Coffee Association Executive Director Chris Manfredi and Rusty's Hawaiian's Ralph Gascon in the
background. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Mill

KAʻŪ COFFEE WAS REPRESENTED at the Specialty Coffee Association of America Expo this past weekend in Boston. Kaʻū Coffee Mill's manager Lou Danielle and roaster Kalikoweo Keolanui; Alla Kostenko of Kaʻū Mountain Coffee Farm and Hawai'i Coffee Association; Ralph Gascon and Rusty Obra, from Rusty's Hawaiian; and Chris Manfredi, who brokers Kaʻū Coffee and serves as Executive Director of Hawai'i Coffee Association, helped to man the HCA booth. Also assisting was Jeff Clark of Olson Trust.
Hawai'i Coffee Association will host its own annual convention, live at the Kona Outrigger Resort & Spa from May 19-21, with its 13th Statewide Cupping Competition. Kaʻū Coffee farmers do well in the competition each year. Registration to submit green coffee for competition began April 1 and runs through April 29. See https://hawaiicoffeeassoc.org/event-465930 5. Also to be launched soon is the 2022 virtual Kaʻū Coffee Festival. See www.kaucoffeefestival.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/.See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.

THE NEW PLAN TO MANAGE MAUNAKEA BECAME MORE COMPLICATED on Friday with amendments to a bill that's before the Hawai'i Legislature. The Senate Ways & Means Committee recommended a "joint oversight" of Maunakea between the University of Hawai'i and newly Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority.

Committee Chair Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz said the amendments would lead to "balance the interests and concerns of our native Hawaiian community to properly steward a cultural treasure with the interests of the state," and for "University of Hawaiʻi to continue its world-class science-based education and academic research unit in astronomy on Maunakea. In collaboration with the Higher Education Chair, these proposed amendments are reflective of the discussions that we’ve had with various community groups, stakeholders, and from testimony submitted." The original language of the legislation would have removed University of Hawai'i management of Maunakea and establish the Maunakea Stewardship and Oversight Authority as the primary managing agency.
The new language, said Dela Cruz, "creates joint oversight of Maunakea between the University and the newly created Authority. The responsibilities to manage the mountain will be bifurcated and split between two entities. The new Authority will manage approximately 9,450 acres on the mountain, while the University will manage the astronomy research lands comprised of the Astronomy Precinct, the Halepohaku complex, and the Maunakea Access Road, or approximately 550 acres.

Measures at the Hawai'i Legislature would change the management of Maunakea and its
telescope campus, cultural sites and open lands. Photo from Center for Maunakea Stewardship

"The existing 1968 and 1999 state leases between the State Board of Land and Natural Resources and the University will be kept in place. They’re expiring in 2033.
"The university, as lessee under the State leases, will sub lease to the Authority within a year of its operational formation, lands totally 9,450 acres – which we have labeled the Maunakea Conservation Lands. The Authority will be charged to properly conserve, protect, and manage the public uses of the Maunakea Conservation Lands. At the same time, the University will be solely responsible to care for and manage astronomy research lands.
"The joint oversight structure addresses the perceived threat to the future of astronomy in our State through a collaborative sharing of management duties and responsibilities between the Authority and the University of Hawaiʻi. The current administrative organization under the aegis of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will be kept in place, and will continue to service the operational and staff needs of both the new Authority and the University, thereby avoiding any additional costs associated with creating a new organizational structure, or two separate administrative structures."

See the proposed legislation and testimony at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2024&year=2022

ANTI PRICE-GAUGING LEGISLATION has been introduced into Congress by Sen. Mazie Hirono and colleagues. She said, "Over the past two years, corporate executives have exploited the COVID crisis to

Image from National Law Review

drive up prices and line their own pockets. It is unacceptable for companies to increase their profit margins at the expense of the American people by inflating prices for essentials like insulin and gasoline. The Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act will strengthen the FTC's ability to combat this kind of price gouging and protect American consumers."

The legislation aims to prohibit selling essential goods and services at exorbitant prices, during or in anticipation of a natural disaster, pandemic, or state of emergency. Hirono noted that the Federal Trade Commission and other federal agencies have limited legal authority to prevent price gouging. The Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act would give the FTC more tools to go after excessive and unjustified price increases in the sale of certain products and services when an emergency or disaster occurs.

It would: Prohibit selling, or offering for sale, essential goods and services at an unconscionably excessive price during or in anticipation of a natural disaster, pandemic or state of emergency. It would apply to goods and services that may be used to preserve, protect, or sustain the health, safety or welfare of members of the public from potential harms resulting from a natural disaster, a pandemic or the circumstances giving rise to a state of emergency.
It would provide for potential civil penalties; and it would not preempt state price gouging laws.
The full text of the Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act can be found here.

Nani Coloretti, from Hawai'i, is
the highest ranking Filipino in
the federal administration.

NANI COLORETTI IS TOP RANKING FILIPINO IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. Last week she became Deputy Director of the federal Office of Management and Budget. A native of Hawai'i, she has served as Senior Vice President at the Urban Institute and also as Deputy Secretary at U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and United States Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Management. She was also Budget Director for the City of San Francisco after working in state government in Hawai'i.
The 53-year old has an undergraduate degree in Economics & Communication from University of Pennsylvania and Masters of Public Policy from University of California, Berkeley.
Sen Brian Schatz said, "“Nani will bring strong leadership experience and the ability to inspire the next generation of Filipino American leaders in Hawai'i and across the country. “I am proud to call Nani a friend, and I look forward to continuing to work with her in her new role at OMB.”

ST. JUDES EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Ocean View has announced its Easter Week services. April 14 is Maundy Thursday Agape Meal at 4 p.m. Good Friday is Stations of the Cross at 3 p.m. Easter Sunday Worship is at 9:30 a.m. to be followed by the annual Easter Brunch. Zoom address for Easter Sunday service is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85987340947?pwd=VmJOUWkvM3lCT0N2cVN2RUFiM1kzQT09

See The Ka'u Calendar April edition at
www.kaucalendar.com,
on newsstands and in the mail.

SEE UPCOMING EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO

at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Saturday, April 9, 2022

A post office placed in the Captain Cook Coffee Co. building led to the naming of the entire
community, which had been known as Ka'awaloa. A resolution that passed the state House of
Representatives would ask the U.S. Census Bureau to officially return the original name.
Photo from Kona Historical Society

RENAMING THE CAPTAIN COOK COMMUNITY KA'AWALOA is the aim of resolution co-introduced by state Rep. Jeanne Kapella who serves Kaʻū into Kona. It passed the state House of Representatives this week and goes to the Senate. The resolution targets the census-designated area in South Kona between Kealakekua to the north and Hōnaunau-Napo‘opo‘o to the south.

The resolution points out that Captain Cook, unlike its neighboring communities, received its name

Early visitor guides to the Captain Cook Monument
referred to the surrounding community as Ka'awaloa
instead of Captain Cook. Photo from Trip Advisor

simply from its post office being located in the facility of the Captain Cook Coffee Co. in the early 1900's, even though it had been a "thriving Hawaiian village and royal residence known as Ka‘awaloa." It states "Ka‘awaloa was the residence of choice for many Kona chiefs, including King Kamehameha" and that "Despite the decline in the Native Hawaiian population through the late 1800s, the area was still known as Ka‘awaloa by the local populace and visitors." As late as the 1900s, the area continued to be known as Ka‘awaloa "as evidenced by a passage in Charmian London’s memoir recalling a horseback ride to Ka‘awaloa to view the Captain Cook monument."
According to the resolution, "re-designating the area as Ka‘awaloa is vital to recognizing and honoring the rich and storied history of Hawai'i." It asks the United States Census "to re-designate the census-designated place known as Captain Cook on the island of Hawai'i as Ka‘awaloa" and for Hawai'i County to remove all references to Captain Cook as a place name on the island of Hawai'i." The state Senate will decide whether to go forward with the name change.

JEANNE KAPELA SAYS SHE'S RUNNING FOR REELECTION to represent all of Kaʻū in the state House of Representatives. The Democrat said:
"Our district faces many challenges. Our schools are among the hardest hit by Hawai'i's teacher shortage. Working families on Hawai'i Island lack a living wage and paid family and sick leave. Our housing costs continue to soar.

State Rep. Jeanne Kapela

"As your representative, I am committed to a vision for our community that provides hope to those who need it most. That's why, over the past two years, I have put forward a legislative agenda that protects people and our planet.
"My office has sponsored proposals to create a living wage, build truly affordable housing, and establish affordable medical care. We've championed sustainable agriculture and commercial protections for our island's coffee farmers.
"To address the looming threat of climate change, we've supported investments in clean energy and the creation of good-paying green jobs. We've sought to defend our 'āina from being desecrated by unbridled tourism.
"As the pandemic left families in financial turmoil, we introduced proposals to ease the tax burden faced by workers, while asking our state's wealthiest residents to pay their fair share to help our most vulnerable neighbors.
"I believe that we can no longer maintain business as usual. It is time to replace the status quo with a renewed dedication to prosperity and justice for all. That has been my goal from my very first day in office.
"This election, I look forward to building on the momentum we've gained in our pursuit of the public interest.
"It's our time. As I walk the halls of the State Capitol each day, I promise to keep fighting to give our community what it deserves: leadership with aloha."

HAWAI'I TAXPAYERS DESERVE A HUGE REBATE, according to Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i. Its CEO and President Keli'i Akina released the following opinion this week:

Imagine your brother was facing a bad financial situation. Things looked bleak for a while, and the family came together to help him out. Eventually, he got through it, thanks in part to generosity from his siblings. Now, not only is he out of trouble, but he has money to burn. What would you tell him to do with his extra funds? Chances are you would tell him to pay down his debts, put some away for a rainy day and give some back to the family that helped him out.
The last thing you would suggest is that he go shopping or spend it on a few shiny new toys.

Keali'i Akina calls for tax rebate.

It's basic economic common sense, and it applies just as much to our state government as it would to the hypothetical brother. Just over a year ago, things looked bleak for Hawai'i's finances. The coronavirus lockdowns had devastated our lives and economy. Lawmakers were expecting drastically lower revenues and preparing for major budget cuts. In the panic, they seized the counties' share of the transient accommodations tax and hoped that federal relief funds would help bail the state out of its financial crisis.
At the time, my colleagues and I at the Grassroot Institute of Hawai'i repeatedly advised lawmakers to focus on policies that would grow the economy. Under the circumstances, even a slight bump in the economy would have led to a dramatic increase in revenues. And that's just what happened when the state finally did start opening up the economy. Tax revenues started pouring in, and now the state is sitting on a surplus of $4 billion.
Simply allowing the market to operate helped create a windfall in state revenues, though there were other contributing factors, such as the funds from the TAT, the $750 million the state borrowed and added to the budget as "revenues," and $1 billion in federal relief funds.
There also is the current inflation rate of 7.5%, which is boosting tax revenues due to businesses increasing their prices and thus paying more in taxes.
What is going to happen to that surplus? Will it be used responsibly or will it be spent on our ever-expanding state budget? As the legislative session draws to a close, this has become the $4 billion question. At the beginning of the year, Gov. David Ige called for a tax refund of approximately $100 per taxpayer. The Grassroot Institute applauded the idea, but suggested that the refund be substantially increased so that approximately $1 billion of the windfall be returned to the people.
After considering and rejecting a different refund bill, the Legislature has returned to the issue in SB514. But the amount of the refund remains undecided.
On Thursday, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser quoted the institute's testimony on the bill, in which we reiterated our support for a higher refund:
"'The governor hoped to add about $110 million to the economy via a refund of $100 per taxpayer and dependent,' said Joe Kent, the organization's executive vice president. 'However, we suggest that, given the amount of its budget surplus, the state return at least one-third of the windfall, or about $1 billion, to the taxpayers. That would equal approximately $1,361 for each of Hawai'i's 734,673 taxpayers. As we noted, the state can afford to do far more than a mere $100 each for Hawai'i taxpayers, who have gone through so much in the past two years.'"
In addition to giving money back to taxpayers, the state should also pay down some of its unfunded liabilities. After all, $750 million of that windfall is borrowed, and paying it off earlier will save us money in the long run.

Some of the money could also be used to pay down the state's unfunded pension and health-benefits debts. Think of it as investing in the future. This way, our children and grandchildren won't be stuck with a higher bill.
Then there's the rainy day fund. If we have learned anything from the lockdowns, it is the importance of having a healthy rainy day fund.
Some legislators claim that the refund has to be small, due to federal rules about how coronavirus recovery funds are spent. Those rules restrict the states from using the funds to offset a reduction in taxes.
However, two recent court cases — Ohio v. Yellen and West Virginia v. Yellen — have successfully challenged the mandate at the district court level as an unconstitutional overreach of federal power. The cases are now at the appellate stage, but the early wins suggest that Hawai'i lawmakers should not be shy about returning some of the windfall to the people.
Pay your debts, save for a rainy day and give back some of the excess. It's as true for the state's windfall as it would be for any of us.
Just because the state's budget goes into the billions of dollars doesn't mean our lawmakers should not be held to the same principles of responsible spending and saving as the average family — especially when the money they are spending comes from our pocketbooks in the first place.

A VOLCANO SWAP MEET has been established for Cooper Center on Wright Road, Volcano Village, on second and fourth Saturdays of the month. In May it will be the 14th and 28th, 8 a.m. to around noon. It will feature Ono Grinds, Art & Crafts, Jewelry, Local Produce, Plants Honey, and New & Gently Used Treasures. See Craigslist & Facebook under Volcano Center Swap Meet. For more info or to vend, call Auntie Frances 808-985-8646.