Mel's Internet Universe Weblog

Welcome to Black Wednesday - Forever

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:15 GMT

More cash out of our pockets beginning today. Taxes and various fees go up because most Democrats in the State and City level created and supported bills to "enhance revenue streams" and take more money out of our wallets. Here are some of the taxes and fees that will increase:

Bus fares being hiked from $2 per ride to $2.25 per ride. Monthly bus passes increase to $50 from the previous $40.

The City is increasing property taxes for operational expenses. Hello? Can we cut some of the operations like say, support staff for the proposed rail. Let's just cut the rail. It will be a big black hole for more taxes in the future. Oh yeah, it already is.

The state's conveyance tax on real estate sales is also increasing. Democrats overrode the Governor's veto of this nasty bill in May.

If you smoke pay more for cigarettes. I believe 60 cents a pack more.

The gasoline tax increases by at least 13 cents per gallon thanks to the stupid ethanol they put in it. For several years the ethanol blended gasoline was not subject to the General Excise Tax. Starting today the law that exempted the tax lapsed. So the public has got to pay more taxes for a gallon of gas. So now Hawaii's gas cost more than $3.10 a gallon. Prices will continue to rise. $4 is not very far away, and I think $5 is in our future too. The city is also thinking about increasing its portion of the gas tax by another penny.

The cost to register a vehicle is also going up. Weight taxes, whatever. Someone needs to create a lighter than air vehicle.

By the way, if you use a hand held cell phone and drive your vehicle at the same time, that is now illegal. Will cost you $67 the first time you're busted. I don't do cell phones, but the majority is warned.

The city is increasing the cost to visit the Honolulu Zoo. I haven't been there in ages. Don't think I will be going soon. The city is also increasing the cost to play at municipal golf courses. Parking around the zoo and Kapiolani Park is also increasing. Thank Democrats.

Tourists and people staying at home for a vacation will be impacted with higher hotel room taxes starting today. Thanks to the Democrats in the legislature who overrode the Governor's veto of the hotel room tax bill in May.

And of course if you are in a higher tax bracket, the state will take more money from your income tax return, thanks once again to Democrats who overrode the Governor's veto of the income tax increase bill in May.

OK. I think that covers most of it. I hate having more of my income taken because of taxes and fees. Paying for rail with the 2005 general excise tax increase was already too much. And now we have more taxes. Thanks to most Hawaii Democrats our lives all got more expensive.

And there's still more. On the table, a one dollar per barrel gasoline tax. And two new possible taxes on internet transactions and vendor relationships. Governor Lingle have put these tax increase bills on her potential veto list. Now is the time to urge the Governor to veto these bills and after she does that, call your legislators and tell them not to override the vetoes.

LINKS

State Workers Rally Against Furloughs

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:00 GMT

It was inevitable. The state public worker unions staged a big rally with over a thousand participants from their rank and file at the State Capitol today. The unions rounded up their troops and bussed them to the capitol grounds where they joined many others for a spirited sign waving and protest rally.

The big issue is of course the Governor Linda Lingle's worker furlough plan that kicks in tomorrow (July 1) barring any court action that may come out on July 2. State workers are also without a contract at the start of the new fiscal year.

These people can put on a good rally and show. And they bring their numbers. Fine.

What I don't like is that their union leadership want to stop the furloughs and instead increase the General Excise Tax on all of the people in Hawaii to keep the union workers just where they are. Anyone heard of the economic downturn? Anyone heard of all the new taxes and fees already kicking in on July 1? We don't need more taxes.

Take the furloughs and be thankful no one is being laid off.

Photos: Workers from the state's public unions gathered at the capitol today for a big old fashioned labor rally opposing the Governor's furlough plans.

New Taxes & Fees Contribute to Higher Cost of Living in Hawaii

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:00 GMT

THE COST OF LIVING IS INCREASING IN HAWAII ON JULY 1

"Prepare for Life to Get a Lot More Expensive" proclaims an article in the Sunday Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Writers B.J. Reyes and Richard Borreca point out:

The start of the new fiscal year also launches a slew of tax and fee increases passed by lawmakers who faced some of the toughest budgeting decisions anyone can remember.

It all means less money in everybody's wallet -- .....

Tax and fee increases come on top of hiring freezes, spending restrictions, program cuts and other cost-cutting moves made at state and county levels in an effort to stave off even more tax hikes.

Read the entire article at this link.

Meanwhile the folks at the Hawaii Republican Assembly and Overtaxed Hawaii are preparing for a massive anti-tax rally that is to take place at the State Capitol on Tuesday, July 14 starting at 5:00 p.m. The entire press release for the upcoming rally is posted below:

PUBLIC RALLY TO DEMAND - NO MORE TAXES!!
STORM THE CAPITOL ON BASTILLE DAY

Lee Iacocca just wrote a book Where Have All the Leaders Gone.

In the book he notes: "If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.' It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake!!

The 2009 Legislature raised taxes and fees on all Hawaii citizens. The Legislature sent the Governor three tax bills and the Governor, who vowed NO NEW TAXES, vetoed the three tax bills. A few days later, Legislators over-rode those veto's and stuck taxpayers with huge price and fee increases by:

Increasing property conveyance taxes - even on low cost housing projects;
Raising the tourist hotel transient tax 28% over two years;
Making Hawaii #1 highest income tax state in the nation with a 11% rate;

Our State Legislators and the Governor have one more chance to take even more money out of citizen pockets. Many tax and fee increase bills are still pending signature or veto by the Governor; so citizens can still make a difference! The Governor must take action by July 13 and the Legislators will meet on July 15. We ask the Governor to veto all tax bills.

The July 14 "Storm the Capitol" rally will demand that Legislators NOT over-ride any bills vetoed by the Governor. The stakes are high! Expect the Legislators to be tempted to over-ride, in particular, HB1271 that creates a new program during times when existing programs are underfunded.

Raise oil taxes and a huge increase in the cost of living will result from HB1271

The Barrel Tax.

The group that organized the Tea Party was Overtaxed Hawaii and they are urging all citizens to request that the Governor veto HB1271. Once the bill is vetoed;

Overtaxed Hawaii will ask all Legislators to sustain the veto during a rally July 14 5-7 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda.

The Barrel Tax must be vetoed by the Governor and then the veto must be upheld in the Legislature.

Why is HB1271 "Barrel Tax" literally the straw that will break taxpayer backs?

$4/gallon gas coming soon. As of June 30, 2009 the ethanol GE tax break on fuel expires. As of July 1, 2009 when the GE tax will be charged on gasoline whether it contains ethanol or not the per-gallon price will increase by at least 10 cents and raise about $40 million for the Hawaii tax collector. This increase is coming just at the peak of the summer oil price rise. Gas prices in Hawaii will certainly pass $4 after the GE tax is reapplied to gasoline and there is nothing the public can do about this increase; it is locked in!
Gas, diesel for trucks, aviation fuel for airlines, & oil for electricity will increase by 2.5 cents per gallon if the barrel tax is implemented ($1 per barrel increase plus GE tax);
Electricity rates, already the highest in the nation, will rise $2 for every 1000 kwh used. Think stores, offices, houses, street lights, etc. everything that uses electricity will see an increased cost of $2 for every 1000 kwh used. Over 5 billion kwh are used in Honolulu alone. The Barrel tax will increase the cost of that electricity by $10 million just for Oahu; imagine the other islands where electricity is even more costly.
Tourists fly into Hawaii and planes need to refuel. Add 2.5 cents per gallon and airlines will not be able to discount their flights to Hawaii. Airlines will pay at least $9 million more for fuel because of the Barrel Tax.
Transportation – trucks and ships deliver everything in Hawaii. Costs will increase by 2.5 cents per gallon and those increased costs are multiplied more when the GE tax is added on top of the delivery bill!

What could happen in September if state revenues continue to be weak?

The rally is important so that citizens can send two messages to the Legislature:

1. Do not Override Any Veto; and
2. No More Taxes.

Without a strong showing (i.e. thousands!) by citizens to send a clear no more taxes message to Legislators; expect politicians to re convene in September and raise the GE tax. Yes, the Legislators have not yet gotten the message that increased taxes do not create one new job. The rally will send the message that it is jobs that are required during these tough economic times; not more taxes.

(end of press release)

Who is the Blame for all of the tax and fee increases?

Democrats mostly, in both the Hawaii State Legislature and the Honolulu City Council. They make up the overwhelming majority in both bodies and set the spending and tax agenda for the public. Almost all of the tax increase legislation were started by Democrats and supported by the majority of Democrats in both the legislature and council. Surely some Republicans defected from time to time on the tax issues. However there are so few of them, that they can't shape policy.

It is Democrats who set the agenda on where the money is spent, how it is spent and where it comes from. The where it comes from part is the worst. Look at the mirror. Yes, the money is coming from you and I. Being sucked out of our wallets by the policies and power of the Democrat majority. From the top of the Federal Government all the way down to the state and county levels.

The tax increases are very bad for individuals, families, tourists and business in this down economy. The added cost will only add to our economic burden. We will have less money to spend on what we need and want. Blame the Democrats for this.

Additional Links

Prepare for life to get a lot more expensive, Honolulu Star Bulletin, June 28, 2009
Overtaxed Hawaii
Hawaii Republican Assembly

Photo captions: (Top photo) Hawaii motorists will be paying more than 4 bucks per-gallon of gas in the near future as our tax burden for the valuable fuel increases on July 1. Blame Democrats for forcing gasoline dealers for including ethanol in our gas and letting the GE tax exemption on that blend to run out. (Above) - Get ready to once again save our future by opposing even more tax increases at the Hawaii State Capitol on July 14.

Is There Any Good News?

Matson and their labor unions have come to a tentative agreement with their contracts. The Kailua 4th of July fireworks show has been saved, thanks to last minute community efforts and funding.

Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:00 GMT

Like many people all over the world, I was quite surprised to learn of the untimely death of singer Michael Jackson. I got first indication of his death after reading an alert on my Google RSS reader. Shortly after news of his death was on the radio, TV and elsewhere on the internet.

Michael Jackson was not my favorite music artist. Still, he was one of the biggest icons in the music business. He made his mark not only in music, but also in dance, showmanship and video. He was the child star and lead vocalist of The Jackson 5, the music group put together by his parents and consisting of his brothers Jackie, Marlon, Tito and Jermaine. Their origins in the city of Gary, Indiana to hit making machine in the early to mid 1970s for Motown Records are legendary.

Michael Jackson became bigger than life well into his solo career. In 1979 his album Off The Wall became a dance floor favorite in the waning days of the disco era. I was there as a weekend DJ spinning cuts from this record that kept dancers happy and on their feet with the likes of "Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough," "Rock With You", and "Working Day & Night".

When Thriller came out in late 1982, the album became a phenomenal success. I was still there during my last year as part-time dance floor DJ spinning nearly all of its tracks... "Beat It," "Billie Jean," "Wanna Be Starting Something" and more.

Thriller broke new ground for Jackson and popular music. "Billie Jean" was the first song by a black artist to get regular airtime on MTV. The title track became a hugely successful long-form video utilizing the talents of top notch dancers, movie director John Landis and a rap by actor Vincent Price. Marvelous stuff!

Thriller became the biggest selling record album of all time and still is. Sales figures vary, but estimates put it somewhere between 65 to 107 million copies sold worldwide.

Michael Jackson's career progressed well beyond Thriller, though he was never able to match the success of that album. Now with his sudden death, Michael Jackson's music sales and memorabilia have spiked. All of his major studio albums and many singles are re-appearing on best seller charts. People are rediscovering his music and perhaps commerce has been handed a new industry.

Certainly Michael Jackson was not perfect. He had his personal, legal and financial problems. It is not in the scope of this blog to cover any of these, but only mention them in passing. In the long term, the scandals and problems will fade and only the music will live on.

Rest in Peace Michael Jackson. We'll all be listening to your music for many years to come.

TOP 20 FAVORITE SONGS BY MICHAEL JACKSON

1. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
2. Beat It - Michael Jackson
3. Rock With You - Michael Jackson
4. Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
5. Thriller - Michael Jackson
6. Shake Your Body Down to the Ground - The Jacksons
7. We Are The World - USA For Africa
8. I'll Be There - The Jackson Five
9. Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson
10. Dancing Machine - The Jackson Five
11. The Love You Save - The Jackson Five
12. Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
13. Who's Lovin' You - The Jackson Five
14. Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' - Jermaine Jackson (with Michael Jackson)
15. Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
16. Black or White - Michael Jackson
17. Girlfriend - Michael Jackson
18. Ben - Michael Jackson
19. Got to Be There - Michael Jackson
20. The Girl is Mine - Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney

MICHAEL JACKSON DOING "BILLIE JEAN" AT MOTOWN 25 (1983)

Photo composite: Center is the Honolulu Star Bulletin front page that appeared on June 26, 2009 one day after Michael Jackson's death. The albums depicted on the composite are "Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5" from 1969; Michael Jackson albums "Off the Wall," "Bad" and "Thriller: 25th Anniversary Edition". The red 45 is a collector's pressing I got some years ago at Jellys' Honolulu. At top right is a headline from U.S.A. Today.

Matson Employees May Go on Strike

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:15 GMT

The bridge crews at Matson may go on strike. The officers who pilot and navigate the big ships between Hawaii and the mainland are at the center of the labor dispute. The issues revolve around pay rates according to the type of ships the personnel crew. The state of Hawaii relies on Matson to bring in up to 80% of all consumer goods bought and sold. A strike will cripple Hawaii's delicate supply line. Rice, toilet paper and other items will be in short supply.

I am not a fan of labor unions especially when they hold the people in Hawaii hostage and increase our costs.

As of this posting a strike is still pending. Stock up now!

Matson Strike Possible, StarBulletin.com 6-25-09
Matson, unions work to reach agreement on contract, HonoluluAdvertiser, 6-25-09

Photo: Matson container ship R.J. Pfeiffer, taken Feb. 2009