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Hawaii's system of government is broken. One only has to look at the way our State legislature dickers over every issue and gets little done each session to see the proof. The bicameral Senate/House of Representatives structure for such a small state makes no sense. It's inefficient and redundant to have so many reps, who all have staffs and cost taxpayers extra money to perform the same tasks!

It allows our elected officials an easy out: oh, don't blame us for inaction -- the other committee killed it... not my fault -- the chairperson didn't schedule your bill for a hearing... blame the House/Senate -- they didn't act when the bill crossed over.

Those are some of the excuses we've heard for the past two years from legislators on why public beach access bills died in committee, despite strong support we had. Here's the link to my op-ed column in Sunday's Star-Bulletin on this topic... please feel free to add your comments on the Star-Bulletin site below my piece!

Excerpt:

Hawaii should adopt unicameral legislature

As the 2010 state Legislature gets under way, it's hard not to have a sense of deja vu. Thousands of bills will be introduced — many of them resurrected from last year, or the session before that. Most will die in committee. About 10 percent of those bills will cross the finish line, amid great cheering or hand-wringing. But the vast majority of citizens who get involved because they care about a particular issue will walk away disappointed or disillusioned...

To read the rest, go here: http://tinyurl.com/yckyokj

Labels: Beach Access Hawaii, Hawaii beach access, hawaii government reform, Hawaii State Legislature, kauai public beach access, public shoreline access, Rich Figel, unicameral legislature

Posted by richfigel at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Although I will continue to do what I can to promote the beach access cause, the reality is I need to make a living too! But times are tough... which is why I came up with the concept for a local TV show called Career Changers TV. Our first program began airing on OC16 last month. It's geared to people who are looking for jobs or thinking about pursuing new careers. If that's you, check out the CCTV web site for details!

www.CareerChangers.tv

I'm also writing a blog for the site, called Squashed Gecko. It's all about me! Well, not entirely... it's more about all the things I've learned from failing at various endeavors. If you're interested in the entertainment biz, especially screenwriting or writing in general, please drop by and post comments here.

As for the current State Legislature session and our prospects of seeing any significant action in regards to shoreline setbacks or beach access, all I can say is don't hold your breath. It's all about money this go-round -- meaning "non-essential" matters will get short shrift.

Labels: career changers TV, CareerChangers.TV, Hawaii career opportunities, Hawaii jobs, Hawaii State Legislature, kauai public beach access, OC16 tv shows, Rich Figel, squashed gecko

Posted by richfigel at 5:02 PM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Thought we had a chance to get bills passed that would protect beach access and shoreline setbacks. I was wrong... bills we supported died in committee the final week, or were amended in such a way that they could actually weaken existing setback standards!

Why? Frankly, it's because we didn't have enough public support. Our politicians kowtow to business interests and individuals who pony up the biggest campaign contributions, or pander to factions that are organized enough to make the loudest noise.

For instance, State Legislators caved in on equal rights for gays because the religious right mobilized their forces and turned civil unions into a referendum on traditional marriage. It made me ashamed of my upbringing as a Christian to see these red-shirted church-goers say gay people were somehow "defective" and didn't deserve the same legal rights as straights.

I once thought Hawaii took pride in our culture of "aloha" and tolerance. The beaches symbolized the open nature of people here... but now it's a place where people put up walls, fences and gates to keep anyone out that is "different" or not as wealthy as they are.

These are sad times, and I'm not willing to fight for any cause, unless it's for the benefit of ALL people in Hawaii -- regardless of race, religious views, income level, place of origin, and yes, sexual orientation. As long as we let differences divide us, nothing positive can be achieved on bigger issues that affect everyone.

End of rant. Don't know when I'll be back. It's up to YOU to do something if you want to see real change.

Labels: civil unions, Hawaii State Legislature, public beach access, shoreline setbacks

Posted by richfigel at 8:17 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

HB593, which would give the State DLNR the authority to implement a 2-year moratorium on Kailua Beach shoreline building setbacks, will be heard by the Senate Water, Land, Ag committee on Friday, March 20 at 3 pm. You can submit testimony online by going to this link: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony/

We've also received word that SB1088 should be getting a hearing date by next week. That's the bill our alliance helped draft to re-define obstructions to public access, and make it more feasible for citizens to file lawsuit to stop gates from going up in areas with limited beach access for residents.

I'll be sending out a group email as soon as we get confirmation on the hearing dates. Mahalo to all who submitted testimony these past couple of weeks! Your emails and letters made a difference, and will continue to do so. Keep up the good work, folks.

Labels: Hawaii State Legislature, Kailua Beach, public beach access, shoreline setbacks

Posted by richfigel at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post

Quick update: HB593, which would establish a two-year moratorium on Kailua Beach shoreline building setbacks, cleared the House Finance Committee hearing on Thurs., March 5. There were 15 "ayes," and no votes against.

It will now cross over to the Senate side, where the bill will be assigned to the appropriate committees for more hearings. But so far, looking good!

However, we must continue to lobby the Honolulu City Council to do something quickly to protect Oahu's vanishing beaches. Building setbacks are really in their jurisdiction. A special election will be held to fill the seat of Barbara Marshall, who recently passed away. Our condolences go out to her family and many friends.

Although we may have disagreed with her stand on certain issues, she did work hard for what she felt was best for the citizens she represented. She also had to deal with a divided City Council. Hopefully, her replacement will be able to do more to protect shoreline access, and persuade the City Council to be proactive on beach conservation.

After all, if we continue to lose more of our beaches, and make it harder for people to reach the beach, what will happen to Hawaii's appeal as a world class travel destination?

Labels: beach conservation, Hawaii State Legislature, HB593 bill, Honolulu City Council, public beach access, Rep. Cynthia Thielen, shoreline management

Posted by richfigel at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments | links to this post