 |
| Malia Zimmerman |
Taxi Drivers Plan a Second Protest Strike
Some taxi drivers who pick up passengers at Honolulu International Airport reportedly are planning a second strike today at the state-managed facility to protest recent changes to the rules they operate under.
Taxi drivers, many who have worked at the airport for decades, are used to working under a system that had no state oversight, few rules and was rife with corruption, where the corrupt became wealthy by cheating and passengers suffered because of quality, service, high prices and lack of availability.
One source of corruption -- taxi drivers have been allowed to purchase monthly passes for $400 and pick up an unlimited number of passengers at the airport for that flat fee, but many of them shared that pass with other drivers, cheating the state out of a substantial amount of money. The cab company, which received exclusive and lucrative management procurement rights to dispatch taxis, also was not held accountable by the state for money collected, which came from taxi drivers in trip ticket fees ($4 per trip or monthly passes of $400).
But Gov. Linda Lingle, elected in 2002 on the promise of cleaning up corruption in government, is changing the system to what is known as an "open taxi system" to demand honesty and accountability from drivers and good service.
At great protest by the cab company which most recently had the management contract rights, the state awarded Ampco, a non-transportation related company, to take over operations and clean up the system. Ampco, a subsidiary of ABM Industries Incorporated, is recognized as a parking fee-collection company. The company also serves as a consultant in extremely successful taxi management systems at many highly trafficked airports across the United States.
The change is causing some of the drivers from the previous management company, used to operating in a free-for-all at the expense of taxpayers and customers, to take out their frustrations on the state and passengers by protesting. A few weeks ago, hundreds of drivers protested before television media cameras demanding "fairness." They did not want the new management company to take away their option to purchase those monthly passes -- but Ampco and the state have made it clear -- no more monthly passes, no more cheating. Drivers also have to clean up their cars and pass inspections for safety and sanitation, something not strictly enforced before.
Those in the taxi/transportation industry who want to bring honesty and integrity to the system and improve service and safety and have fought for changes since statehood are relieved by the change in management. They say the Honolulu International Airport has been a microcosm of the problems that exist when openness and fairness are forgotten, while favoritism and unjustness prevail.
Darci Evans of Charley’s Taxi says "it is exciting to see that "business as usual" is experiencing a shake up on the state level. It is also exciting to see a highly reputable company anxious to fix what has too long been broken."
She says since the mid-1990s, Charley's Taxi has consistently taken the position that the fees were arbitrarily set. "There were no numbers to support the $400 monthly fee. And the $4 per trip fee seems inordinately high compared to the rest of the nation. The fee is not a "pass on" to the customers."
The new management company should also be able to answer how many taxi trips are originated at the airport, the total fees collected, corresponding to these trips and the true operational costs of the system. Two of the three management companies, including one that operated for more than 30 years without losing the procurement rights for the management contract, would not account to the state for the total money collected from passengers, most of which was in cash.
"Since the Honolulu International Airport is the largest single taxi stand in the state and a public facility, it should facilitate open and fair access for all qualified taxis," Evans says.
Another benefit to the taxpayers -- some of the drivers are reportedly on welfare and collecting both welfare checks from the taxpayers while collecting cash from their customers -- enough to disqualify them from welfare benefits. The new rules and regulations will help identify those cheating the welfare system.
Experts in the industry believe competition, if allowed to flourish, will help work out the problems and weed out the drivers who are cheating or of poor quality, while allowing those who meet state standards to profit.
Hawaii Campaign Contribution Violators Show State is a Bastion of Corruption – More than 1,000 Violators Caught
To the great dismay of Democrats in the Senate, Sen. Les Ihara, D-Kapahulu, unveiled on the Senate floor with the help of Sen. Sam Slom, R-Hawaii Kai, a 46-foot scroll listing the names of many of the recently-documented violators of state campaign spending law. All are Democrats.
 |
| Photo by Melvin Ah Ching |
Ihara, a Democrat who advocates for openness and honesty in government and in his own party, says in the last few years, over 1,000 illegal campaign donations have been found, with violators documented and fined by the Campaign Spending Commission.
These illegal donations involve over 450 individuals who contributed $1.9 million dollars. Over half the donations given to the winning candidate in the 2000 Honolulu mayor's race were illegal.
Thirty-two of the worst violators shown on the scroll have been charged criminally, some involving hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegal campaign donations. So far, all defendants have pleaded no contest or guilty and, with half the cases completed, judges have allowed all defendants' records to be wiped clean in a few years.
Ihara and many others who want honesty in the campaign finance system are frustrated that these violations don't seem to have convinced Hawaii's public leaders that there is a full-blown campaign corruption scandal in Hawaii. So far lawmakers have resisted passing any meaningful legislation to stop the cycle of what is known as "pay to play" or political contributions exchanged for favoritism in government contracts, permitting or zoning.
In a recent speech on the Senate floor, Ihara criticize SB 459 on campaign reform, which he says does not qualify as "reform" because only minor changes were made. "I supported the bill only because it increased the criminal penalties for most campaign violations," he says.
Ex-Beauty Queen in Harris Scandal Owes Government Big Bucks – Scandal Details Still Mysterious
Hawaii Reporter public records and tracking system shows there is a federal tax lien recently filed against Lisa Katherine K. Otsuka, the ex-Maui beauty queen now under scrutiny by law enforcement, for three consecutive years: In 1999 for $1,137.12; in 2000 for $125,124.71; and in 2001 for $155,283.38.
Otsuka, who won the 1987 Miss Maui beauty queen title until pageant officials learned she faked her academic record at Maui’s Baldwin high school, came into the media spotlight last year in connection with the investigation of the campaign and administration of Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris.
A witness and a possible suspect in the investigation, Otsuka reportedly was funneled more than $90,000 from Harry Mattson and his company, Campaign Services, who received the money from Harris’ campaign -- money Otsuka never reported receiving.
Mattson, a loyal strategist and political poller for some of Hawaii's most powerful Democrat politicians including former Gov. John Waihee, Honolulu Councilmember Duke Bainum, 2002 Candidate for Governor Andy Anderson and Harris, was hired by the Harris campaign for "services rendered," according to public state campaign spending records. Sources close to the Harris investigation believe this money and possibly more than $300,000 was funneled from Harris’ campaign to Mattson to Otsuka.
What Otsuka received the money for is not yet clear, though she was arrested three times in 2002, including once on the charge of promoting prostitution. Otsuka also has served as a "hostess" for the Democrat party conventions, according to Hawaii Democrats who remember seeing her there.
Other Otsuka arrests were for theft, including once for allegedly stealing $3,000 on April 1, 2001, from a non-profit Tahitian culture and dance group -– Manutahi -- that helps at-risk kids.
Otsuka has continuously denied any wrongdoing or connection to Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris or his wife Ramona, and has told the media she is "shocked by everything."
The mayor denies even knowing Otsuka and the mayor's lawyer says tying the mayor to Otsuka is part of a "smear campaign."
Otsuka has had a number of financial and other troubles in recent years:
- Aug. 15, 2002, she was arrested on a charge of promoting prostitution and posted $10,000 bail. If convicted, she could serve up to 5 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
- Sept. 9, 2002, she was arrested for failing to appear at an investigative grand jury hearing on the Harris case and posted $10,000 bail.
- Besides criminal problems, Otsuka faced a series of civil lawsuits. In November 2001, Otsuka moved into a rental unit at 2422 Hopena Way in Honolulu with her mother, Patricia Kushi, sporadically paying rent, which led to her eviction and a lawsuit filed against them in Honolulu District Court for back rent and an odd collection of damages to the home.
- Without paying the claim issued against her by the court, Otsuka moved into another home in Ewa in May 2002, with her business partner Earl Huang, owner of Allied General Contracting and Engineer Brokers and president of Drivers Foundation. But that didn't last long. Just weeks later, June 5, 2002, the management firm for the property filed a claim against Otsuka and Huang in Honolulu District Court for non-payment of rent. Otsuka did not appear at her hearing scheduled Sept. 13, and instead sent a nervous Huang to tell the judge she was ill.
- Earlier court records from 1994 in a separate case show a New York judge awarded $19,000 to creditor Hinman Co. after it sued Otsuka for an unpaid promissory note, an award the company was unable to collect.
Inmate Transfers Will Eliminate Overcrowding, State Says
The State of Hawaii transferred its first 150 inmates earlier this week from the Florence Correctional Center in Arizona to the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Mississippi, under a new agreement with the Corrections Corporation of America designed to save costs and relieve overcrowding.
This new agreement will result in a major reduction in costs of over a million dollars a year, says Department of Public Safety Director John Peyton. The state also send maximum custody inmates to the Mainland, not allowed under the old agreement. "That will help to reduce overcrowding at the Halawa Correctional Facility," says Peyton. "When the transition is complete we expect to have over 600 inmates in Mississippi by the year 2005, Peyton added.
Hawaii pays approximately $52 per day per inmate at contracted facilities in Arizona and Oklahoma. Under the terms of a new contract signed last week, the cost to house inmates in Mississippi is approximately $43 dollars per inmate per day. The cost reduction will not result in a reduction of inmate services, he says.
The Legislature provided additional moneys this session to increase the amount of beds in contracted Mainland facilities from 1,300 to 1,500 beds.
Opponents to the concept of prisoners being transferred from their home state say prisoners will have no support system if they leave their families in Hawaii
Governor Goes to Israel With Hawaii Delegation
Gov. Linda Lingle, the first Jewish governor in Hawaii and only one of two Jewish governors in the nation, left for a trip to Israel this week, leading a delegation of 27.
Lingle, who was invited by Israel’s political leaders, is being hosted along with Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona’s wife, Vivian Aiona, and senior communications adviser Lenny Klompus. All other delegates on the trip have paid their own way, along with House Rep. Mark Moses, R-Kapolei. They will return May 22.
Lingle called Israel "America's strongest ally in the Middle East," and says she will meet with President Moshe Katsav and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, among other political leaders as a part of Israel's effort to build support.
Hawaii's American Idol Makes National News, Along With KSSK's Michael W. Perry and Lt. Governor
Hawaii’s Own American Idol, Maryknoll High School senior Jasmine Trias, is making national news today, including reports on ABC News and in USA Today.
The USA Today article entitled "It's aloha to La Toya on 'Idol'" by reporter Bill Keveney, quotes KSSK Morning Radio Personality Michael W. Perry who explains Hawaii’s enthusiasm for Trias and the "aloha spirit." Complementing the report is a photo of Trias getting a proclamation presented to her by Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona yesterday at a ceremony in his office.
See the full report at: http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-05-13-idol-politics_x.htm
Trias, who is Asian-American, was thrown into the midst of a controversy when one of the three judges essentially blamed ethnicity for the bouncing of La Toya London, who is African American, while Trias and two others remained on the show.
Hawaii viewers, who have voted enthusiastically and religiously for Trias, also have been wrongly accused of being the sole reason for Trias’ success.
The article says other states also have cast a heavy number of votes for Trias. "Though island votes helped Trias, they make up only a small portion of a national total that regularly tops 25 million."
But Hawaii is still doing its fair share to ensure Trias goes all the way to the number one spot. USA quotes Kevin Laverty of Verizon: "Hawaii's 1.25 million population completed a total of 1.23 million calls in the two-hour voting period after Tuesday's show, a large portion of which were for Idol. That's 24,000 more than were recorded in New Jersey, which has seven times the population. Overall, Hawaii logged more calls than all of Verizon's 29 coverage states, except for New York and California, in the post-Idol hours."
Unfortunately a great deal of the article is condescending toward Trias, purporting she was the weakest of the top four singers. Also left on the show are high-schooler Diana DeGarmo, 16, who got the most votes last week and Fantasia Barrino, 19. The article then launches into ecplanation of why the public loves Trias and continues to vote for her, saying her youth is popular with younger voters; voters protesting bad treatment of Trias by judge Simon Cowell; and racism, which producers dispute (Trias is Asian for goodness sake, how can the vote be racist?).
Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told USA Today voters are selecting their "idol," who is not necessarily the best singer.
"This is not a competition for best singer. You vote for your next American Idol. You need a lot of other things. You need charisma, you need warmth. Maybe America felt La Toya had a fantastic voice but she wasn't as warm," he says.
Popular Cast Shines in Rendition of Camelot at Fort Shafter's Richardson Theatre
KHON TV's Tina Shelton showed last night she can not only report the news, she can sing and act too, as she starred as "Guenevere" in a wonderful family-appropriate rendition of Camelot at Fort Shafter’s Richardson Theatre.
Her co-stars included Bryan Bender, who played the kind but indecisive "King Arthur," and Matthew Pennaz, who acted as the alluring "Lancelot."
Those who frequent the state Capitol may know Pennaz, a University of Hawaii Graduate Student of Economics, who also is an intern for Sen. Sam Slom, R-Hawaii Kai.
Starring as a genuine bad guy in the role of "Mordred" was Dion Donahue, Hawaii television and stage star.
David Farmer, who formerly headed the state’s arts department, was super in the role of "Merlin" the magician.
The show, which debuted yesterday, will feature additional shows on May 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29.
For tickets on line go to http://www.squarecone.org/ACT
Hawaii's Funniest Cartoonist Wins First Place in Local Competition
Congratulations to John Pritchett, one of Hawaii’s most talented cartoonists, for an award he received Thursday, May 6, from The Hawaii Publishers Association for first place honors in the editorial cartoon category.
See the winning cartoon: http://www.pritchettcartoons.com/roost2.htm
Malia Zimmerman, editor and president of Hawaii Reporter, can be reached via email at mailto:Malia@hawaiireporter.com
