Monthly Archives: September 2011

Gov. Abecrombie is wrong about the “philosophical difference” over public disclosure of judicial nominees

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Did you catch Gov. Abercrombie on PBS Hawaii’s “Insights” last night? It will eventually make it back to the station’s “video on demand.”

The program format was simple. The governor appeared alone with moderator Dan Boylan. The opportunity was missed to have a knowledgeable panel of reporters on hand to question him. Did PBS fail to suggest it, or did the governor’s office demur?

I have to admit that I didn’t make it through the full program. I changed the channel after Neil’s answer regarding disclosure of the names of judicial nominees forwarded by the Judicial Selection Commission.

Neil pitched it as simply “a philosophical difference,” a disagreement over the advisability of making those names public.

There was no one there to challenge this viewpoint, so the governor was successful in glossing over the issue.

Neil’s answer was that anyone who really thinks this philosophical difference is that important will have the choice not to vote for his reelection in 2014.

But the governor has framed the issue incorrectly.

There is a philosophical difference, but it’s about whether or not the highest elected official in state government should follow the law even when he personally disagrees with it.

That’s what we’re really talking about here.

There is a law regarding access to government information, and a procedure for determining what things should be disclosed and what should remain public. It’s a law that a lot of public-interest oriented people have worked hard to get and to strengthen for over 25 years. Under the law, the Office of Information Practices is given the statutory authority to make these determinations for state agencies, including the governor’s office, about what records must be publicly disclosed.

The OIP’s opinion is that the governor has the authority to keep the list of nominees confidential only until an appointment is made.

I don’t have any problem with Neil having a philosophical difference over the advisability of disclosure. I do have a serious problem with the governor refusing to comply with the law and the direction of OIP.

Too bad the format chosen by PBS Hawaii gave all the advantage to the governor, who could just blow past critical issues.

Wanted: One drop-in smooth top range, in stock for immediate delivery

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Those omens last weekend were perhaps just a few days early.

We got home late Wednesday afternoon, walked in the front door, and hit a acrid smell of burned something. We looked around and didn’t see anything until we noticed the stove clock was blinking.

Upon investigation, it looks like something in the electrical controls must have shorted out. The oven door locked like it was in “clean” mode and wouldn’t let go, but the oven wasn’t hot. There were, however, signs of smoke along the top edge of the control panel.

Given the age and beginning of rust around the body of the range, it looks like we’re shopping for a new one rather than trying to get this one repaired.

I got a sobering answer when I stopped by Sears in Ala Moana and asked about availability. The advice? Go online and check the range of options. “We can get it delivered here in less than three weeks,” the helpful sales person said.

Oh, great.

Last night we stopped in Kaneohe and got thai takeout. I don’t think we could take that for three weeks. We could do restaurants for a while, but I’ve got to give the insulin shots to the cats more or less on schedule, so that makes dining out difficult. So the grill is going to be very busy until this gets resolved.

I hate to have to shop for an expensive item like this while basically limited to whatever model and brand happens to be in stock locally. No chance to look at reviews or repair records. It’s take it or leave it time, I’m afraid. Bummer.

Anybody out there with an “inside” source on appliances?

Duke and Silverman get some mail

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Silverman got something in the mail this week addressed to him. So did Mr. Duke.

Envelope

The letters were from Costco Pharmacy, advising Silverman and Duke that there is another insulin in the same class as what they are currently using that can save them some money. Something called Levemir. Costco says that because Levemir is on its Preferred Drug List, it could save the cats as much as 30% or so.

Of course, Silverman and Duke can’t read, so we had a little problem with the mail. But we decided to drop a copy for their favorite vet at VCA Kaneohe and see if they have information about how this other insulin works with cats.

We’re waiting for any news.

The viewAnd here it is, September already.

This isn’t big on the cat’s calendar. No school to start. No end of summer vacation. Just another month of Feline Fridays.

Here’s Ms. Kili out on the deck. I tried to tell her that the view would be better if she jumped up on the railing, but she didn’t seem much interested. She just wanted to check out the yard from this good vantage point.

It’s 5:19 a.m. Toby is standing on the table next to my computer, trying to rub his face on the corner of the screen. I don’t want those cat marks on the screen, so I try to gently push him away. He responds by biting my hand and scratching my arm. I withdraw, but threaten to stand and pick him up. He then tries a friendly bump with his head before returning to the screen. It’s a morning ritual.

Meanwhile, Romeo is scratching my leg and meowing for attention.

Duke has jumped into the next chair and purring loudly.

In the dark, I can hear other cats scurrying around as they prepare for the breakfast that will come very soon.

Time for today’s felines.

–->See all of today’s Feline Friday photos.

Not many lobbyists named to boards and commissions

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I got to wondering just how many lobbyists are serving on state boards and commissions after dissecting the debate over a recent State Ethics Commission advisory sent to members of the Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force. The presence of lobbyists raises potential issues where the issues they are paid to pursue as lobbyists overlap with the jurisdiction and subject matter of the board or commission they serve on.

Ethics director Les Kondo said he has been surprised by the amount of time and energy spent debated this issue, because “it really is just a small handful of people” who are affected.

And it looks like Kondo is correct. Not many lobbyists make it to boards and commissions, and not all are in areas related to their lobbying.

That’s what I found in a quick survey comparing the current list of registered lobbyists compiled by the State Ethics Commission to the current edition of the Legislative Reference Bureau’s State Directory of Officals. which lists members of most major boards and commissions.

On the other hand, some lobbyists are members of firms that represent a much broader array of special interests, but I don’t know if the Ethics Commission would say those once-removed interests would create conflicts. A member of a law partnership may have a conflict based on a client represented by another partner, but I don’t know if that extends to the conflict of interest provisions of the ethics law. So that’s an issue for another day.

The list of appointed lobbyists is only approximate. It doesn’t include all smaller boards and commissions, or temporary task forces, the lists may be out of date in some cases, and both appointments and lobbying clients are constantly changing, but it gives at least some idea of the magnitude of the problem.

And the answer is–not so much of an issue, at least right now.

Here’s what I found.

Paula Arcena, Board of Health
Lobbyist for AlohaCare

Marvin Dang, Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force
Lobbyist for Hawaii Financial Services Association

Vladimir P. Devens, State Land Use Commission
Lobbyist for State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO)

Peter Hamasaki, Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation
Lobbyist for:
24 Hour Fitness, USA, Inc.
American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC)
Hawaii Liquor Wholesalers Association

Karin Holma, Honolulu Planning Commission
Lobbyist for Building Industry Association of Hawaii

Donald Horner, Board of Education & Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau
Lobbyist for First Hawaiian Bank

Joelle Kane, Research Corporation of the UH
Lobbyist for Honolulu Marine LLC

Alton Kuioka, Board of Trustees, Employees Retirement System
Lobbyist for Bank of Hawaii

Celeste Nip, Board of Trustees, Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund
Lobbyist for Altria Client Services Inc. and its Affiliates, Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Lilly USA, LLC,
Verizon Wireless

Tracy H. Okubo, Honolulu Subarea Health Planning Council
Lobbyist for WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona, Inc., dba ‘Ohana Health Plan

Paul Oshiro, Honolulu Salary Commission
Lobbyist for Alexander & Baldwin

James Pacopac, Honolulu Planning Commission
Lobbyist for Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Syngenta Crop Protection

Max Sword, Honolulu Police Commission
Lobbyist for Outrigger Enterprises

There’s nothing like some data to temper an argument.