New taxes not on Santa Ige’s list

While it’s too soon to feel giddy about the new administration’s thoughts on the budget — the official Gov. David Ige priorities are not set — there’s reason to feel at least relieved that new tax proposals aren’t positioned at the starting gate.

Ige said he does anticipate tapping into the surplus, so there plainly is a spending-beyond-our-means issue for the governor and lawmakers to resolve.

And as there are also proposals for tax "modernization" and closure of loopholes, clearly additional tax revenues will be coming out of somebody’s pockets.

But those are taxes that they ostensibly already owe the government.

So, being Christmas Eve, let’s just all think of this as a gift.

We’ll worry about lumps of coal after the holidays.

Things looking up as ’15 approaches

Hawaii’s increasing employment is cheery economic news this holiday season, as the islands last month posted the second-highest percentage job gains in the nation.

Hawaii’s 0.9 percent gain lowered the state’s unemployment rate to 4 percent.

Burnishing the glow is word that the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard plans to hire 731 people this fiscal year, a big boost in high-paying jobs and the largest influx ever at the state’s predominant industrial employer.

Rising employment rates nationwide bode well for Hawaii’s tourism sectors in 2015, too, as Americans feeling more secure in their jobs loosen their wallets and take a vacation.