We were driving through Kaneohe on our way back to Kaaawa late Friday afternoon when NPR’s “On the Media” broadcast what might have been the two most depressing interviews I’ve heard in a long time. They reflect on the state of the media, print and online, and leave you wondering what in the world is [...]
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A five-member majority of the Honolulu City Council may have violated the state’s sunshine law by taking part in a lobbyist-paid trip to a rail transit conference in Washington, D.C. last week. In addition, the attendance of the five council members and other city officials at a lobbyist-sponsored reception may have stumbled over ethics guidelines. [...]
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The State Ethics Commission was “troubled” by Senator Clayton Hee’s filing of inaccurate or incomplete personal financial disclosure statements over a period of five years or more, but took no further action against the windward Oahu senator. The commission’s action is reported in an informal advisory opinion approved on August 17, 2011 and later posted [...]
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We’ve noticed these “Bring RAP Back!” banners displayed at several elementary schools. This one is on the fence in front of Kaaawa Elementary. RAP refers to the Read Aloud Program operated by Read Aloud America, a successful Hawaii-based nonprofit that’s been around since 1995. In recent years, it’s funding has come almost entirely from the [...]
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During confirmation hearings early this year, Bruce Coppa, then Governor Abercrombie’s nominee to serve as state comptroller and director of the Department of Accounting and General Services, drew praise for his communications and networking skills, extensive community involvement, and years of executive experience. Business and labor leaders, ranging from Star-Advertiser president and publisher, Dennis Francis, [...]
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House Speaker Calvin Say’s office responded quickly to the State Ethics Commission’s request for further information about meetings with representatives of Hollywood movie company, Relativity Media, during which gift sets of DVDs were distributed, but his response provided little information. Say told the commission he does not recall any details of his meetings with representatives [...]
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An investigation by the State Ethics Commission is asking legislators to step forward and report if they or their staff accepted boxed sets of DVDs from a Hollywood-based film company that was lobbying for bills that would have boosted tax credits to movie productions in the state. Relativity Media, a major Hollywood-based production company, reported [...]
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Here’s a recent study by the Project on Government Oversight that was on my list to share but, somehow, got stuck in a stack. It’s a study of the costs of government contractors providing privatized services (“Bad Business: Billions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted on Hiring Contractors“). It concludes that private contractors end up costing the [...]
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