September 2008 | Small Business News
Small Business Views
By Sam Slom, President and Executive Director of Small Business Hawaii
In the upcoming (Saturday, September 20) Primary Election Mayoral race for the City & County of Honolulu (which is non-partisan), the candidate who gets 50% plus one vote of the total cast gets to be the next mayor. If no candidate wins by 50%, the top two highest vote candidates will run in the General Election. PAYCHECKS HAWAII, the private, independent, non-partisan affiliate of Small Business Hawaii, endorses Panos Prevedouros and urges small business owners to vote for him as the best alternative for business, taxes, and to protect against losing your business along the Mayor's rail through eminent domain.
SBH, PAYCHECKS HAWAII and the SBH Foundation are co-sponsoring a Mayoral Candidate Forum, 11 am - 1:30 pm on Thursday, September 11, at the Waialae Country Club. All candidates have been invited. Call Darlyn for reservations 396-1724.
The $2.9 billion purchase of 521 Longs Drug Stores, including 39 in Hawaii, by giant CVS Caremark Corp. of Rhode Island, is the talk of the town. Most people here always thought Longs originated in Hawaii 54 years ago but of course it was a California corporation that became local with ease. CVS, to its credit, will not change the name in Hawaii.
Politics reigned supreme again in the retention of Hawaii Tourism Authority's Rex Johnson, caught with porn on his government computer (which he also forwarded to others). Powerful business and political leaders came forward to protect Johnson's job. Allegedly, some Directors of the HTA were threatened if they voted against Johnson.
Meanwhile, Chief Elections Officer Kevin Cronin, hired from Wisconsin in February and not registered to vote here (as required by law) until July, is still on the job after numerous last minute election gaffs, premature printing of the election ballots, two lawsuits, and a stunning audit against him by DCCA. Hawaii can't afford Cronin.
T. Boone Pickens using his own money for those TV commercials touting wind turbines. PickensPlan.com. Want a turbine on your roof or front lawn? Prices start at $60,000.
Despite tough economic times in Hawaii, local Democrats forked over $1.2 million at an Obama fundraiser at the Kahala August 12, and keep on giving.
I have been critical of ethanol and biofuel propaganda for years. Now, more evidence is coming forward that it is a costly mistake.
All of Hawaii celebrated in the individual and team victories by Hawaii residents in Beijing and Williamsport, PA in August - including Bryan Clay, Clay Stanley, Natasha Kai and the Waipio Little League World Champions.They did it the old fashioned way by working hard, commitment and dedication. We are so very proud of all of them.
The DOE and BOE want to cut $1 million from the $2.3 billion education budget by eliminating JV sports. This after DOE sent 652 education employees to a conference in Disneyland (Hawaii was 10% of the attendance) at a cost of $1.2 million. UH football coach Greg McMakin came from practice to protest the BOE JV cuts and won the day.
Statehood again was not celebrated in Hawaii - our 49th year - instead more protesters took over Iolani Palace and assaulted a worker while the Honolulu Police Department, under leadership of Chief Boise Correa stood idly by. HPD initially said they didn't have jurisdiction over state property. Huh? What about the state H-1 freeway; state airport, state Aloha Stadium? Arrests were finally made later but state and county law enforcement still in disarray.
About 100 protesters (out of about 60,000 population) on Kauai marked the "celebration" of keeping the Hawaii Superferry from servicing the residents and small businesses of the Garden Isle for another year. Meanwhile, celebrated its 125,000th passenger.
Circuit Court Judge Karl Sakamoto stunned observers and the City Administration with his strong denounciation of the City Clerk's tactics in trying to bar Stop Rail Now from the November ballot, when he admonished the City for suffocating the voice of the people through erroneous rulings of law.
Real property taxes can be expected to go up substantially with rail, says City DTS director, Wayne Yoshioka who should know.
Member Aloha Petroleum upping the discount from 3¢ to 5¢ per gallon for SBH member cardholders. Get your free card now.
Join us Thursday, September 28, 7 - 8:30 am at Alan Wong's Pineapple Room in Macy's Ala Moana for our monthly SBH Sunrise featuring Natalie Iwasa, CPA who will discuss increasing employee fraud - and what to do to prevent it in your business. Reservation form at this link,
Don't forget to vote on September 20!
Please check our website at www.smallbusinesshawaii.com for the most updated alerts and event schedule.
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