No More Capitol Parties

If you got an invitation to come party at the state Capitol on previous legislative  opening days, this year you are getting a formal letter from legislative leaders, warning friends and supporters that in 2010 the state Capitol will be a party-free zone.

In a letter signed by both House Speaker Calvin Say and Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, the public is being told there will be no special arrangements when the Legislature convenes on January 20.

“In past years we have been fortunate recipients of generous gifts of Aloha or well wishes. This year, we ask that in lieu of giving gifts, if you still feel compelled to give anything, please donate funds to your favorite charity, to help mitigate some of the hardship that that these economic struggles have caused,” Say and Hanabusa wrote.

The cutbacks will include “no entertainment, no flowers, no festivities or subsequent receptions…speeches will be abbreviated.”

All this Hanabusa and Say added is being done “to get straight down to business from the very start.”