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http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/articl...90751.html
A "No Special Legislative Session for Superferry" event is planned on the Big Island for 3 p.m. today at Governor Linda Lingle's liason office at the Hilo State building, 75 Aupuni Street, Hilo.
Concerned citizens opposing the special session will deliver letters for the governor.
"What a disturbing precedent — changing state law to bail out a business that gambled with our tax dollars and lost," spokesperson Cory Harden said in a new release to local media. "A launch before environmental studies is putting the cart before the horse."
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yeah, after the judge followed the laws on the books and ruled against the ferry stating they had to have the EIS before sailing, now they plan on changing the law to benefit one company. it seems like a dangerous precedent. i read last week that even a federal agency told them a couple of years ago that it would come down to this, and yet they thought they were above the law(on advice from a bush appointee of course).
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This debacle falls squarely on the shoulders of Governer George W. Lingle. She assured HSF that they could slip in the back door without due process. I believe it's going to herald the end of her career as an elected official.
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The current law about the need for an environmental impact assessment "should not" be quickly changed by a special session without a vote from the people. There was a reason why the state of hawaii put this law on the books in the first place.
If the state can just go and change any law they want, whenever they want without input from the people of the state, then democracy in Hawaii is dead.
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quote:
This debacle falls squarely on the shoulders of Governer George W. Lingle. She assured HSF that they could slip in the back door without due process. I believe it's going to herald the end of her career as an elected official.
Am I alone here on this one? But put a moustache on Linda Lingle and she could pass for a young Julius Henry aka Groucho Marx...right?
I'm stupified still that people elected this worthless "Friend of Big Business", to yet a second term into office. I'd rather have the old boy network than her. She didn't do dick while mayor of Maui.
She was a good friend of Art Rutledge too. As a matter of fact the old fart had a hand in Lingle moving to Hawaii.
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Support the 'Jack Herer Initiative'NOW!!
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Yes our current government is self serving,but LIBERTY is NOT DEAD as long as people are willing to fight for it.The government is suppose to exist and act by the people and for the people.We need to stick together and remind our officials that they are public servants.
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quote:
Sadly, for the government to bypass the will of the people in Hawai`i is not exactly a precedent.
The will of the minority or the will of the majority? Most people support the superferry. Regardless, I think the biggest problem is that if the superferry defaults on its loans the State of Hawaii will have to pay it back and that means us the taxpayers.
Aloha,
John S. Rabi, ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,RB
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
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The tax payers should not be in this position.The gov. is not a bank !!!!
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I support the superferry. What I don't support is how the current administration is dealing with their mistake.
I'm sure most of our states population would love to have an alternate means of travel throughout the islands. But not if it means by breaking the law.
Pushing a special session to change that law because the current administration made a mistake in its interpretation and now is caught in a financial dilemma may be a compelling reason but not an ethical one.
I say let them do an assesment which may only take a few months instead of calling everyone back for a special session (which will cost the state alot of money in its own right). There may be no need to have a full lenght impact statement.
If the superferry really wants this, they can wait. If not, then the state and the taxpayers will bite the bullet. Maybe citizens will pay closer attention to who they vote for governor next time.
