Last Day of May

May has not been a good month if you are concerned about cost and surviving in the State of Hawaii. The legislature wrapped up its 2009 session and socked the people with more taxes. People are going to have to pay more for hotel rooms, property sales, gasoline per gallon and penalties on higher incomes. The City & County of Honolulu are entertaining higher property taxes and more gasoline taxes so that they can keep their operations going as well as financing the $7 billion train system.

Instead of taxing the people more government should continue to downsize itself by cutting programs and yes, even personnel.

Meanwhile over at the State Capitol, the state is spending at least $330,000 to reburbish the two state seal medallions that were hanging outside the building. Each seal weighs about 7,000 pounds each and both were lowered and moved to an area outside the capitol for cleaning and refurbishing. They are expected to be re-hung later this summer.



The Hawaii Superferry declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy this month after its operation was forced to close down by the Hawaii State Supreme Court, a bunch of environmental wacko groups headed by the Sierra Club of Hawaii, and overzealous politicians who have hated the ferry service from its inception. Not surprisingly all of Hawaii Superferry's assets were recently auctioned off in Honolulu and the 2 ships have not yet found a new place to sail. Superferry will not be coming back to Hawaii.

Speaking of bankruptcies, the Chrysler Corporation went into Chapter 11 on April 30 and tomorrow, June 1, General Motors will go into Chapter 11 bankruptcy too. The people have long ago made up their minds about American made cars. The quality wasn't there, the imports were better built. Import brands offered vehicles that consumers wanted vs.the lackluster cookie cutter type of vehicles offered by Chrysler and GM. The financial downturn certainly did not help automakers and other segments of our economy. People have adjusted and are simply not spending.

But that is what happens when government wants to make our lives more expensive. We cut back. Save for another rainy day, which seems to be plentiful in these painful economic times.

Photos: Top workers remove State Seal from State Capitol. 2nd photo: Hawaii Superferry's second ship, Huakai sits idle near its manufacturing plant in Alabama. Superferry went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy this month. I am sure the environmental wackos are happy.