Richard O. Rowland

The Long Term Care Tax recently passed by the Legislature is a priceless opportunity to finally hold some legislators accountable for the damage they are trying to cause.

That tax, $240 per year, per couple will be a body blow to each lower income family. And, if it is not taken from each paycheck, virtually unenforceable. The governor should direct the director, Department of Labor, to prepare a poster that describes the tax and how it will soon be coming out of each paycheck (using employers to enforce). That poster should be required to be posted in a permanent location at each business with employers encouraged to request each employee to read it and respond.

At the end of the poster should appear a list of every legislator (and the area they represent) who voted in favor of that tax. Employers and employees should be encouraged to communicate their thoughts to the governor and to their legislators about the tax.

There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that if the Long Term Care legislation was used as the basis for a Long Term Care Insurance policy, it would not be approved by the Insurance Commissioner because no reserves are required.

Besides, no rational person would purchase it. Need it before 10 years of paying? Forget it. Move from Hawaii after paying 9 years? You get no benefits and they keep your money. What a cruel hoax and to turn the screw, it is scheduled to go up to about $25 per person ($50 per couple) in just a few years.

Below is a list of the offending legislators and their district and phone numbers:

Senate:

• Rosalyn Baker, District 5, Olowalu, Lahaina, Mala, Kaanapali, Honokowai, Kapalua, Honolua, Honokohau, Keoneoio, Makena, Wailea, Maui Meadows, Kamaole, Kihei, Maalaea (808.586.6070)
• Robert Bunda, District 22, Portion of Mililani Mauka, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village, Poamoho Camp, Schofield Barracks, Mokuleia, Waialua, Haleiwa, Waimea, Pupukea, Sunset Beach (808.586.6090)
• Suzanne Chun Oakland, District 13, Sand Island, Mokaea, Kahakaaulana, Mokuoeo, Dowsett Highlands, Pauoa, Nuuanu, Puunui, Liliha, portion of Kalihi
• Kalani English, District 6, Kahoolawe, Molokini, Lanai, Molokai, Pukalani, Makawao, Olinda, Pulehu, Kula, Waiohuli, Keokea, Ulupalakua, Haiku, Pauwela, Ulumalu, Huelo, Keanae, Wailua, Nahiku, Hana, Hokuula, Hamoa, Puuiki, Haou, Kipahulu, Kaupo (808.587.7225)
• Carol Fukunaga, District 11, Portion of McCully, Tantalus, portion of Makiki, Punchbowl, portion of Honolulu (808.586.6890)
• Colleen Hanabusa, District 21, Nanakai Gardens, Nanakuli, Lualualei, Waianae, Makaha, Makua (808.586.7793)
• Gary Hooser, District 7 - Kauai and Niihau (808.586.6030)
• Les Ihara, District 9, Kaimuki, Kapahulu, Palolo, St. Louis Heights, Maunalani Heights, Kapiolani Park area (808.586.6250)
• Lorraine Inouye, District 1, Kukuihaele, Honokaa, Paauilo, Ookala, Laupahoehoe, Honohina, Hakalau, Honomu, Pepeekeo, Onomea, Papaikou, Paukaa, Hilo, Piihonua, portion of Waiakea Uka, Kaumana, Keaukaha, Waimea (808.586.7335)
• Brian Kanno, District 19, Royal Kunia, Makakilo, Kapolei, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, portion of Waipahu, Village Park, Waikele (808.586.6830)
• Cal Kawamoto, District 18, Pearl City Peninsula, portion of Waipahu, portion of Pearl City, Manana (808.586.6970)
• Donna Mercado Kim, District 14, Kalihi Kai, Kapalama, Alewa Heights, Kalihi Valley, portion of Kalihi, Fort Shafter, portion of Moanalua Valley, portion of Aiea, Halawa Valley (808.587.7200)
• Russell Kokubun, District 2, Portion of Waiakea Uka, Keeau, Kurtistown, Mountain View, Glenwood, Pahoa, Hawaiian Acres, Orchid Land Estates, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Pohoiki, Opihikao, Kehena, Kaimu, Kalapana, Volcano, Pahala, Punaluu, Ninole, Honuapo, Naalehu, Kahuku (808.586.6760)
• Ron Menor, District 17, Portion of Waipahu, portion of Mililani, portion of Mililani Mauka (808.586.6740)
• Norman Sakamoto, District 15 - Ford Island, portion of Moanalua Valley, Moanalua, Salt Lake, Mapunapuna, Airport, Hickam AFB, Pearl Harbor, Aliamanu, Foster Village (808.586.8585)
• Brian Taniguchi, District 10 - Portion of McCully, Moiliili, Manoa, Manoa Valley, University, portion of Makiki (808.586.6460)

House:

• Felipe "Jun" Abinsay, District 29 - Sand Island, Mokauea, Kahakaaulana, Mokuoeo, Kalihi Kai, Kapalama (808.586.6010)
• Dennis Arakaki, District 30 - Alewa Heights, Kalihi Valley, portion of Kalihi, Fort Shafter (808.586.6050)
• Jerry Chang, District 2 - Piihonua, portion of Hilo, portion of Waiakea Kai, Kaumana, Keaukaha (808.586.6120)
• Helene Hale, District 4 - Portion of Keeau, Pahoa, Hawaiian Acres, Orchid Land Estate, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Pohoiki, Opihikao, Kehena, Kaimu, Kalapana (808.586.6530)
• Eric Hamakawa, District 3 - Portion of Hilo, portion of Waiakea Kai, Waiakea Uka, Panaewa, portion of Keaau, Kurtistown (808.586.8480)
• Bob Herkes, District 5 - Mountain View, Glenwood, Volcano, Pahala, Punaluu, Ocean View, Ninole, Honuapo, Naalehu, Kahuku, Milolii, Hookena, Kealia, Honaunau, Captain Cook, Kealakekua, portion of Kainaliu (808.586.8400)
• Ken Hiraki, District 28 - Kakaako, Iwilei, Honolulu (808.586.6180)
• Ken Ito, District 48 - Heeia, Haiku Valley, Kapunahala, portion of Kaneohe (808.586.8470)
• Michael Kahikina, District 44 - Honokai Hale, Nanakai Gardens, Nanakuli, Lualualei (808.586.8465)
• Sol Kaho’ohalahala, District 13 - Kahoolawe, Molokini, Lanai, Molokai, Haiku, Pauwela, Ulumalu, Huelo, Keanae, Wailua, Nahiku, Hana, Hokuula, Hamoa, Puuiki, Haou, Muolea, Kipahulu, Kaupo (808.586.6790)
• Ezra Kanoho, District 15 - Wailua Homesteads, Hanamaulu, Lihue, Puhi, portion of Old Koloa Town (808.586.6270)
• Bertha Kawakami, District 16 - Niihau, Lehua, portion of Old Koloa Town, Poipu, Omao, Lawai, Kalaheo, Numila, Eleele, Port Allen, Hanapepe, Kaumakani, Pakala, Waimea, Kekaha, Mana, Kokee (808.586.6280)
• Marilyn Lee, District 38 - Portion of Mililani, Mililani Mauka (808.586.9460)
• Sylvia Luke, District 26 - Dowsett Highlands, Pacifi Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl, portion of Makiki (808.586.8530)
• Michael Magaoay, District 46 - Kaena Point, Wheeler AFF, Schofield Barracks, Mokuleia, Waialua, Haleiwa, Waimea, Pupukea, Sunset Beach, Kahuku, Laie (808.586.6380)
• Hermina Morita, District 14 - Haena, Hanalei, Princeville, Kilauea, Anahola, Kealia, Kapaa, Waipouli, Wailua House Lots (808.586.8435)
• Blake Oshiro, District 33 - Aiea, Halawa Valley, Halawa Heights, Aiea Heights (808.586.6340)
• Marcus Oshiro, District 39 - Wahiawa, Whitmore Village, Poamoho Camp (808.586.8505)
• Scott Saiki, District 22 - Portion of Moiliili, portion of McCully, portion of Kaimuki (808.586.8485)
• Calvin Say, District 20 - St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Maunalani Heights, Wilhelmina Rise, portion of Kaimuki (808.586.6100)
• Brian Schatz, District 25 - Tantalus, portion of Makiki, portion of McCully (808.586.9425)
• Maile Shimabukuro, District 45 - Waianae, Makaha, Makua (808.586.8460)
• Joe Souki, District 8 - Kahakuloa, Waihee, Waiehu, Paukukalo, Puuohala, Waikapu, portion of Kahului, portion of Wailuku (808.586.9444)
• K. Mark Takai, District 34 - Newtown, Waiau, portion of Pearl City, Waimalu, Pearl City Peninsula (808.586.8455)
• Dwight Takamine, District 1 - Hawi, Halaula, portion of Kawaihae, portion of Waimea, Kukuihaele, Honokaa, Paauilo, Ookala, Laupaheohoe, Honohina, Hakalau, Honomu, Pepeekeo, Onomea, Papaikou, Paukaa, portion of Hilo (808.586.6200)
• Roy Takumi, District 36 - Portion of Pearl City, portion of Waipahu, Momilani, Pacific Palisades, Manana (808.586.6170)
• Glenn Wakai, District 31 - Moanalua Valley, Moanalua, Salt Lake (808.586.6200)

If every business would assure that each of their employees was well informed about what is about to be done to them, the stuff would hit the fan.

Gov. Lingle has said she will veto the bill. What if she lets it become law without her approval? The outcry by that time would be deafening -- kinda like the talivan, only worse.

Then the above legislators could fry in their own fat until they could engineer a repeal. Then we would have personal accountability for those legislators, a nice touch.

An even nicer touch could occur in the next election, November 2004.

Do it!

Richard O. Rowland is president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. He can be reached via email at mailto:grassroot@hawaii.rr.com or by phone at (808) 487-4959. More information about the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii can be found at its Web site at http://www.grassrootinstitute.org

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