The State Giveth, The State Taketh Away

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Here are two sets of numbers:

2019:
Gov. David Ige said Monday that the state has “spent about $15 million in trying to provide safe and secure access for Maunakea” as the blockade of Maunakea Access Road by protesters of the Thirty Meter Telescope project has entered its sixth month.
https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/201...ea-access/

2020:
As part of the proposal, UH-Hilo is facing a $5.7 million loss (for operating expenses), while the UH Community Colleges will see a proposed $23 million budgetary reduction.
https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2020/12/...r-uh-hilo/

Of course many factors play into the state budget and expenditures.  COVID-19 had a serious affect on state income tax intake.  But if the $15 million hadn't been spent last year on police and stoplights at Mauna Kea Access Road, there would be $15 million more available. The state budget is a zero sum game, when money is wasted in one area, another area suffers.  One could argue education suffered a loss from a crisis in 2019 and another in 2020.   Make of it what you will.

[eightfingers2.0]

Problem is they won’t see it that way. They’ll figure out a way to blame someone else other than the “protectors”.

[kalakoa]

No blame required: simply revise the TMT construction cost to $2.4207 billion.

[eightfingers2.0]

Know this: Whatever you think government is “giving” you, it has taken from someone else (maybe you).

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

they won’t see it that way. They’ll figure out a way to blame someone else...

I've read some of the mathematical calculations, debates, and arguments almost entirely absent of logic and linear thought on social media.  The irony unfortunately, is that children of those scribes could use all the education money they can get.