When Hawaii’s governor changes from his almost-ever-present blue physician scrubs to more common gubernatorial garb, he still has the same worrisome patient: the state of Hawaii.
To be candid, in his first year on duty, Gov. Josh Green’s charge went rapidly from good to bad.
Hawaii may have started out in 2023 boasting a healthy economy but as the national budget faltered, Green along with the state Legislature could not agree on a diagnosis. Add a complication: the Legislature was never Green’s political ally.
Green’s first year started with Senate President Ron Kouchi, holding the legislative power that Green needed to secure approval of his first Cabinet appointees, not looking happy. Kouchi promised nothing, and in the end, three of Green’s nominations were not approved. If not an outright slap in the face, the state Senate showed that it would start its relationship with a series of body blows.
“I’m not ready to commit my support yet. I’d like to see how you perform,” Kouchi said publicly.
All that was added to Hawaii’s usual maladies of poor housing and a lack of new jobs. Then suddenly there was the shock of the Maui wildfires. This was no metaphor: at least 100 Maui residents were killed, thousands of homes were turned to ash, with more than 6,000 forced to live in tiny hotel rooms for shelter.
No state plans could be drafted without including the Maui fires. The disaster will cast a shadow over whatever prognosis Green could offer.
Already legislators charged with writing the new state budget, such as House Finance Committee Chairman Kyle T. Yamashita, noted in a separate press release that “The impact of the Lahaina wildfires has altered the course of our budget projections. Recovery efforts could affect funding allocations in other areas, requiring a cautious approach in determining the upcoming state budget.”
Green’s hopes and promises for a bold start to his term as governor seemed in jeopardy. His series of proposed reforms to the state tax system were crashing as the Legislature chopped up or ignored his plans for child care and housing tax credits.
But, the Legislature then approved a budget with $280 million in new housing rental financing, and $70 million to develop infrastructure. Green praised the Legislature for adding money to help medical students repay loans; helping rebuild Hilo Hospital; and putting $100 million toward climate, energy and environmental programs.
Green and legislative leaders may have been punching each other for most of the 2023 legislative session, but any political doctor knows that nothing soothes like the rapid infusion of hard political money to treat all ills.
By the end of the session, Green and the Legislature discovered they really could get along. Buddies today will translate into friends along the campaign trail. When the 2024 elections come, watch for Hawaii’s body politic to have many attending physicians.
Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.
