I want to give a big mahalo to the anonymous donor who donated $50.00 towards my blog today. If you find my blog useful please feel free to donate whatever you think is appropriate.
This commentary raises some good questions regarding the closure of Kulani Prison. However the biggest question for me is why Governor Lingle closed Kulani when the state is is spending 55 million dollars to house 1,800 prisoners on the mainland ? .
The State of Hawaii is facing a deeper budgetary crisis due to a 36.8 million dollar accounting error.I only can hope that the unions and State of Hawaii can put aside their differences and make the necessary sacrifices to avoid a looming financial Armageddon.
General Motors has decided to close down its Saturn brand. I wonder how this decision will affect Saturn of Honolulu’s Hilo operations. Saturn established a General Motors warranty maintenance facility at the old Island Chevrolet location on Kekuanaoa Street. It will be really unfortunate for all the GM vehicle owners that the Big Island will be without a GM warranty maintenance facility yet again if this new facility has to shut down.
Lastly, this letter to the editor is yet another example of how the looming teacher furloughs could’ve been avoided if the fat in the DOE’s budget was cut first
October 1st, 2009 at 4:58 PM
The prison problem is anti-union sentiment again. When prisoners were first sent to the mainland the argument was that the UPW would not fold on wages and benefits so the price of building and operating a government run prison in Hawaii would be to high. That was way before Lingle, not sure who was the governor. A prison as nasty as the place may be is employment for hundreds of people. At this time the money is sent to “wherever” into the pockets of private companies to house inmates. This should be done here in Hawaii by a Unionized staff in a community that will benifit greatly.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:58 AM
I agree completely. It deeply bothers me that 55 million dollars in taxpayer money is leaving the state of Hawaii to house these inmates on the mainland.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Not if it’s cheaper to house inmates in the mainland. Plus, what community will accept a prison in their neighborhood. The last time a prison was considered on the Big Island was Ka’u and the community shut it down before it could even be seriously considered.
First, you have to get in past the community feedback and approval and no community in Hawaii wants a prison in its backyard. Second, it’s cheaper to send inmates to the mainlnad where the cost of construction (labor and material) is cheaper plus no union pay, medical, and retirement benefits. I’d like to keep inmates here but not if it is going to bankrupt the state to provide jobs for people.
November 14th, 2009 at 9:57 AM
It would be interesting to compare the cost between housing inmates on the mainland versus locally. All I know is 55 million dollars to house 1,800 inmates on the mainland is an awful lot of taxpayer money that is leaving the state.