Excerpts from Gov. David Ige’s first State of the State address, delivered Monday (see full version online at http://bit.ly/1uTUmlT):
We build schools, hospitals, community centers, and places to work and play. And we safeguard the things that are important to us: our families, our freedoms, our environment and our future — because this is our home. …
That’s what I find myself doing as your new governor: building a solid foundation for this administration, for the work ahead and for the people of Hawaii. …
I recently submitted a preliminary budget that maintains state programs at current spending levels based on two sobering realities: First, we have fully committed our current funds to existing programs and services, and second, we are spending more than we take in. …
Federal officials tell me there is significant money — about $940 million — available to the state for the right projects, proposed for the right reasons at the right time. That’s why I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Kim as a special adviser to the governor. Elizabeth’s impressive experience in Washington, D.C. will help the state tremendously in securing more federal dollars. …
We also need to do a better job of collecting taxes already on the books. The tax department, headed by Maria Zielinski, is preparing to implement a Tax System Modernization program this year. The upgrade will better secure tax information and increase tax revenues through its efficiencies.
While the project is expected to take several years, we should see a sizable increase in tax collections after the first two years. Moreover, the effort is projected to eventually pay for itself through increased revenues.
Taxpayers will also benefit by being able to file their returns electronically, having access to online account information, and getting faster payments and refunds.…
I am committed to transforming the culture of government to embrace and accelerate change. We need to invest in our employees and ask them what changes can be made to improve service and reduce costs. And most importantly, we need to support them when we make those changes. …
GROWTH, HOUSING
Rail can be the driver to help us build future communities on Oahu — to sensibly direct growth, protect open space and agriculture, to stimulate business, reinvigorate older neighborhoods, and build affordable homes. In fact, the state is the largest owner of parcels along the transit route.
Consequently, I will be dedicating a position in the Office of Planning to help us assess and evaluate those parcels specifically to build affordable homes, because that is one of this administration’s main goals.
We are also adding $100 million to the rental assistance revolving fund that can be leveraged with private money and state-owned lands along the transit route to provide rental homes for working families.
In addition, we are providing $25.3 million to construct a long-term care facility for veterans. Those funds will be matched with $37.4 million from the federal government.
We can also generate additional federal dollars by identifying defense interests along the transit route and seeing if our plans can mesh with the military’s to create a win-win situation. In these ways, federal funds can be tapped not just for our transportation needs but for community building as well.
And let me make one thing clear: This governor wants rail to succeed and I’m committed to it. But let’s also make sure we do things the right way for the right reasons, including cost containment, before we ask for any more money. …
PUBLIC HOSPITALS
We have some wonderful private hospitals, but not everyone has access to them. That’s why our public hospitals play such an important role in Hawaii — a greater one than in most states. …
Public-private partnerships offer great potential, but only if they are shaped in the right way.
And no matter our direction, changing how we operate our hospitals to meet changing needs will be key to any long-term solution.
ENERGY
Importing fossil fuel remains one of our greatest weaknesses and we simply must move to reduce our dependence on it. We have the locally generated resources that can allow us to be self-sufficient. …
As our largest provider of energy, Hawaiian Electric will have a lot to do with our success or failure. That’s why, as discussions with NextEra proceed, I am asking Randy Iwase, the new head of the Public Utilities Commission, to be actively involved in those talks.
In addition, with the help of the Legislature, we will be restructuring and staffing the PUC to give it the expertise and resources needed to deal with its due diligence. I will also be assigning a special counsel to protect the public’s interest for the short and long term of this deal. …
BUSINESS, AGRICULTURE
We need to nurture an "innovation economy," in which entrepreneurs use technology to develop new processes and products from existing ones. …
It’s a whole new economic paradigm which we need to support with modern infrastructure, whether it’s expanding our broadband network or building innovation parks. That’s why we are providing $10 million for the Hawaii Growth initiative to support and grow innovation and entrepre- neurship.
We need to support agriculture and help our local farmers dramatically increase the amount of food we grow locally. Hawaii grows about 10 to 15 percent of the total foods residents consume. If we are to become a sustainable society, we must increase those numbers. … If we replace just 10 percent of imports with locally grown food, it would generate $188 million in total sales, $94 million for farmers, $47 million in wages, $6 million in new taxes and 2,300 jobs.
To do that, we need to preserve farm lands, develop agricultural parks, combat invasive species and reassess the areas that determine whether a local farmer can survive.
We will be meeting with farmers from each island to hear what they need to make Hawaii more self-sufficient. … In the meantime, we are adding $5 million to the agriculture loan program and expanding use of the fund to include biosecurity and food safety needs. …
MILITARY
We need to support our military whose courage and commitment to our nation’s security keeps Hawaii and the rest of the country safe and strong. … Moreover, the military plays a significant part in our economy, spending more than $6.5 billion annually with a total economic impact of $14.7 billion.
Even with the Pentagon’s new focus on the Pacific, there is no guarantee that we can protect the military’s presence in the islands simply because of our geographic location. We will need to be proactive and aggressive in our efforts to support our troops here. And I am prepared to do just that.
EDUCATION
We also need a strong university system to help educate our future leaders and citizens and create a place where innovation, original thinking and technology flourishes — a university system not just engaged in the community but leading it into the future.
In that regard its goals must be clear; its planning must be precise; its actions must be forthright. I challenge our university leaders to focus on execution, accountability and delivery in all that they do.
We all know that education is the key that opens the doors to success. …
As governor, I will appoint members to the Board of Education who embrace school empowerment of our principals and teachers as the key to ensure student success. I challenge the leaders of public education to stop issuing mandates from the state office and to focus on empowering schools and delivering resources to the school level.
In the current budget, we are requesting an increase for the Department of Education’s weighted student formula. This will allow principals to decide how to spend this portion of the DOE’s budget and how to best meet the needs of their students.
