I agree for the most part with this letter to the editor. The unions representing government workers are literally strangling the county and state budgets. For example, 70% of the budgets for State and County of Hawaii are used to pay for labor (here, and here). These out of control costs are ultimately shoved upon the taxpayers of this state.
Thus, I strongly think that there needs to be a through analysis of what government services should be relegated to the private sector and what should be kept by the state and counties. The County and State of Hawaii’s current budgetary path of being everything to everyone is unsustainable.
The latest Building Industry Magazine had an article that stated the Mamalahoa Highway widening project in Waimea would start in late January 2010. However, Goodfellow Brothers has not received a notice to proceed from Hawaii County yet.
The new Hilo Target/Safeway project was also mentioned in this edition.
“Hilo’s Safeway and Target-anchored center with sitework started in 2009 by Swinerton Builders (more also, on this project later in this report)”
“Makaala Center—Retail giants Safeway and Target signed a lease as tenants-in-common for this property formerly referred to as Hilo Center, on land owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). Swinerton is working on site development and also is bidding on the vertical construction for Safeway. (Nordic PCL is doing the Target store.)”
The latter is news to me. I didn’t notice any construction going on across from the Hilo Home Depot in early January. In addition, it is my understanding that they haven’t even had the groundbreaking for this project yet?
Lastly, I firmly believe all the members of the State House of Representatives are cowards for voting anonymously to defer the civil unions legislation.
January 31st, 2010 at 3:50 PM
How do state and county personnel costs compare with other jurisdictions as a percentage of budget totals?
It’s hard to judge whether they’re too high without comparisons.