On record
By ddepledge
More than two dozen state House lawmakers, including House Speaker Calvin Say, issued a statement on Monday opposing tax increases suggested in a consultant’s report to the state’s Tax Review Commission.
The PFM Group has suggested an increase in the general-excise tax and the corporate income tax, a tax on pension income, and the elimination of the income tax deduction for property taxes. The tax increases would help stabilize state finances, according to the consultant.
The Tax Review Commission is scheduled to discuss the consultant’s suggestions at a meeting Tuesday morning at the state Capitol. The Tax Review Commission reviews the state’s tax structure, but the commission’s recommendations to the Legislature are only advisory.
“We feel that such a significant net tax increase probably will be detrimental to private businesses, residents, or both, and that PFM has not sufficiently analyzed the impact of the tax increase on the economy, businesses, and residents,” the House lawmakers said.
Here are the lawmakers who issued the statement:
Henry J.C. Aquino Karen Awana Tom Brower
Rida T.R. Cabanilla Mele Carroll Pono Chong
Isaac W. Choy Ty Cullen Heather H. Giugni
Sharon E. Har Mark J. Hashem Robert N. Herkes
Linda Ichiyama Ken Ito Jo Jordan
Derek S.K. Kawakami Marilyn B. Lee Sylvia Luke
Dee Morikawa John M. Mizuno Mark M. Nakashima
Marcus R. Oshiro Calvin K.Y. Say James K. Tokioka
Clift Tsuji Gregg Takayama (Representative-Elect)
Ryan I. Yamane Kyle T. Yamashita Jessica Wooley
Political Radar
September 10th, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Perhaps I don’t know enuf about Tax Commission proceedings, but this statement seems entirely prematue, if not issued solely for political purposes.
I don’t think that the political palatability of tax changes is supposed to be a factor in the Tax Commission’s deliberations. Just because some or a majority of one house of the legislature opposes a tax hike doesn’t mean it’s wrong from the perpspective of what the Commission is asked to do. If the Commission recommends a tax hike on conclusion of its proceeedings, these legislators are free to reject that recommendation when the legislative session comes around.
Yes, the election is over for some of the signatories (some lost, some have no general election opponent, some ran unopposed) so they have no political axe to grind. Others definitely do and that this statement was issued for their benefit seems clear from the fact that not one member of the minority is among them. In that sense, it might have bveen apporpriate to start the post with “More than two dozen DEMOCRATIC state House lawmakers . . . . .” Nice to see some dissidents in there, ‘tho.
September 10th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
Interesting mix of House members: includes Speaker Say folks (Say, Choy, Kawakami, Oshiro, Tsuji, Ito, Tokioka, Har, Kawakami, Awana, Hashem, M Lee, Mizuno, Takayama, Yamashita, Jordan) , Speaker Emeritus Souki followers, too (Luke, Nakashima, Wooley, Brower, Morikawa, Carroll), CPC Vice Chair Yamane folks (Yamane, Aquino, Cullen) and folks who will not be there in January (Giugni, Herkes, Chong). Who is the message for? Governor “Pension Tax” Abercrombie, Randy Iwase & the Tax Review Commission, the tax happy State Senators, the public worker unions, or all of them?
September 11th, 2012 at 1:06 am
Heh. Read your Hawaii state income tax instructions when it’s available to you, fair taxpaying citizen, and the portion about pensions should say the same thing as previous past years’ detail [and a Grease is paraphrasing here]: “Hawaii does not tax retirement benefits or pensions.”
Taxing such pensions or benefits that would p’off many retirees . . . annnnd when you figure State of Hawaii gov’ment being the largest employer in the state, well, it ain’t just retirees from whom these pile-of-ticians would have to worry ’bout not gettin’ from (uh, yes, they’d have to worry about less to no votes from those working 9-5 [or less actual hours; I kid!!!!!!!] E’ry day).
Though. A Grease likes to think that these pile-of-ticians see a Romney/Ryan victory on the horizon is why they’re doing this; good, good, start planning now in order to operate in a more free-market based milieu over, at least, the next four years (abouts where some of the oldies set, of the above signed, might end up retiring themselves). Will have a much easier, less hassled time for them. Fo’suah.
September 11th, 2012 at 3:09 am
And, let us bid to one another a very mindful and contemplative Patriots’ Day.
We will never forget.
From Psalm 24, The Glory of God in Procession to Zion (The New American Bible, St. Joseph edition)
III
Lift up your heads, O gates;
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, a mighty warrior,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates;
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts is the king of glory.
# # #
September 11th, 2012 at 4:02 am
No Republicans signed? Of course, not! Those Repubs are all big supporters of tax increases. What’s that? They weren’t invited to sign? That’s right, we don’t believe in any sort of bipartisanship. Even when we agree!
September 11th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Do the math. Say is on the list, Souki is not. Three of these Reps are not coming back. That means Say has put himself on a list totalling 26. Hint, hint, hint ….
September 11th, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Auto De Fe: Read the list again- Speaker Say folks (16 Say, Choy, Kawakami, Oshiro, Tsuji, Ito, Tokioka, Har, Kawakami, Awana, Hashem, M Lee, Mizuno, Takayama, Yamashita, Jordan) , Speaker Emeritus Souki followers (6 Luke, Nakashima, Wooley, Brower, Morikawa, Carroll), CPC Vice Chair Yamane folks (3 Yamane, Aquino, Cullen) and folks who will not be there in January (Giugni, Herkes, Chong). Looks like Say is short on this list unless you’re saying Sylvia, Mark, Jessica, Tom, Dee and Mele have hopped onto Team Say with the Souki, Cachola, McKelvey, Cabanilla, Saiki, Takai, CLee, Nishimoto, Agaron, Belatti, Hanohano, Coffman, Evans, et al.
September 11th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Where’s lingle’s name?
September 11th, 2012 at 5:56 pm
no more taxes-no more politicians-peace-free markets
September 11th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
As a Candidate for State Senate I also join my Republicans in the State House in opposition of all these tax increases. See this letter below that the media failed in reporting as always.
Honolulu – Today, House Republicans presented a letter to the Tax Review Commission opposing the commission’s proposal to increase the GET and other taxes. In the letter, Republicans argue that increasing taxes would hurt Hawaii’s most vulnerable citizens and negatively impact Hawaii’s economic recovery.
The letter reads as follows:
“Dear Chair Iwase and Members:
The House Minority Caucus would like to express its appreciation to The PFM Group for their work in developing their report titled Study of the Hawai‘i Tax System: Final Report, dated August 28, 2012. We would like to note that the report contains a number of recommendations we agree with and support including the elimination of the .5 percent GET and Use Tax rate on business-to-business transactions, the elimination of the individual income tax on the first $20,000 of adjusted gross income, the increase of refundable food/excise tax income tax credits, and improvements in tax administration. These recommendations would improve system efficiency and reduce taxes on low-income individuals.
Unfortunately, the report also contains a number of recommendations that we vehemently oppose. The most egregious of these recommendations are the increase of the GET rate from 4.0 percent to 4.5 percent (which is actually an increase to 5 percent for the majority of people of Hawai‘i), the implementation of income tax on pension income, the elimination of the income tax deduction for property taxes paid, and the increase of the corporate income tax rate. We find these recommendations, as well as others in the report, disappointing and disagreeable as they increase taxes on individuals and businesses placing a greater burden upon them.
This is especially problematic given the state of Hawai‘i’s economy and the significant cost of living faced by residents of the state. An increase in taxes would be a detriment to individuals and businesses at this most inopportune of times. Rather than exploring ways to increase revenue, we believe government spending should be curtailed and be done in a smarter and more efficient manner.
Furthermore, we feel the business climate should be improved in the state through improved regulatory procedures and greater government efficiency. A more business-friendly environment would help companies conduct business thereby growing the economy and helping the people of Hawai‘i.”
Sincerely,
Rep Gene Ward
Rep Cynthia Thielen
Rep Corinne Ching
Rep Barbara Marumoto
Rep George Fontaine
Rep Aaron Johanson
Rep Gil Riviere
September 12th, 2012 at 1:17 am
I was going to answer Goober’s question, but then I remembered Proverbs 26:4 — “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him.”
September 12th, 2012 at 4:10 pm
My question was answered by the restricted bureaucratic gas.
Partake Reece: Your : says it all.
The fact that Reece comments is, it read my comment.
Indirectly pointing out a folly and becoming one by acknowledging.
Pot calling the Kettle Black.
September 12th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Where’s Eric’s name if he is running for Senate?
Seems Eric’s list is off by naming Cynthia Thielen as a republican.
Maybe she is running as a republican and is Democrat or name only.
“Non-sequitur” go ask Reece’s : for the meaning.
September 12th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Interesting that mother and daughter are opposite in party.
I see something of a conflict of interest here and that one will gain
from the other.