Gov. Josh Green marked the anniversary of his first year in office last week in a video detailing progress and plans for some of Hawaii’s biggest challenges, including reducing homelessness, providing more affordable housing and attracting doctors and nurses with island ties.
The video is available on Green’s Facebook page at bit.ly/46LZvPA
Here are some highlights:
>> “A year ago, we faced the second-highest per capita homelessness rate in the country, with over 8,000 unhoused across the state, including over 300 keiki — many struggling with mental illness and addiction, and facing an average life expectancy of just 53 years. … In January of this year, I signed an emergency proclamation on homelessness, which cut through the red tape which was preventing much-needed action, allowing us to begin the construction of up to 12 kauhale villages statewide in the coming years.”
>> “(The new four-year Hawaii State Teachers Association) contract provides substantial pay increases for newly hired teachers and higher salaries and bonuses for experienced educators — and was ratified with the overwhelming support of 92% of HSTA members, representing a victory for teachers, students and public schools across our state.”
>> “In May of this year, after more than a year of conflict and confusion, we finalized separate contracts for tourism marketing and management, bringing a working peace between the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau — and moving Hawaii forward with a commitment to sustainable tourism. These contracts, totaling over $65 million, emphasized the importance of campaigns educating visitors to respect Hawaii and maintain awareness of local cultural practices.”
>> RELATED: Green marks challenging first year in office, planning ahead to 2024
>> “I made 22 reductions in funding through line-item vetoes, saving over $1 billion for the state across fiscal years 2024 and 2025. These surgical cuts allowed us to better address critical issues such as homelessness, housing shortages and health care provider shortages.”
>> “We hosted the state’s first meaningful gun buyback in decades on Oct. 21 and it was an unprecedented success. In just a few hours, the Departments of Law Enforcement and Public Safety were able to get almost 500 firearms off our streets in exchange for Foodland gift cards, with no questions asked and no ID required.”
>> “For years, Hawaii has struggled with a severe shortage of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals — so in September, we announced a groundbreaking loan repayment program to address this crisis. … The Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, HELP, will provide an unprecedented $30 million in educational loan debt repayment to health professionals licensed or otherwise certified to provide care to patients in Hawaii.”
>> “We further strengthened our health care system by investing $128 million in needed improvements to rural and neighbor island hospitals on the Big Island, Maui and Kauai — and over $14 million in Hawaii’s nursing facilities and our Family Assessment Centers to expand access to care across our state.”
>> “We also dedicated $73 million per year in state and federal funds to raising Medicaid rates, improving care for the 450,000 Hawaii residents currently on Medicaid.”
