MAKAKILO/KAPOLEI/HONOKAI HALE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1998

REPORT FROM REPRESENTATIVE MARK S. MOSES

(Office) 586-8500 (Fax) 586-8504 (Home) 672-8550

E Mail: repmoses@capitol.hawaii.gov



NO NEW TAXES OR TAX INCREASES

I remain opposed to any new taxes or tax increases. During a Labor and Public Employment Committee briefing on April 6th by DBEDT, and Budget and Finance, Dr. Seiji Naya and Earl Anzai confirmed that the purpose of the GET increase was not to fund programs or jobs, but was to help offset the income tax decrease. I suggested, give us less income tax decrease and no GET increase. The net difference is the same. Additionally, the poor and others on fixed incomes such as pensions do not pay income tax, but do pay GET on such necessities as food, medicine and rent.

GASOLINE PRICES UPDATE

In February, my office, requested answers to the following questions from BHP and Chevron Hawaii, and were provided with the following information:

How much per gallon is the cost of gasoline without taxes?

  1. Hawaii has among the highest, if not the highest, gasoline tax in the country. On Oahu, state, federal and county tax amount to 55 cents per gallon. Average price today of a gallon of gasoline - less taxes - would be about $1.03.


How much does it cost to refine gasoline?

  1. The cost to refine gasoline can not be simply answered. The reason is that gasoline companies do not calculate cost on a per gallon, per product basis. It would be different if a refiner were able to manufacture only gasoline, or only diesel fuel. However, the refining process is extremely complex and yields a number of different products, whether or not the refiner wants them.


  2. A single barrel of crude oil yields a variety of products such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel, fuel oil, propane, butane, etc., and each product has its own market value. From a single

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barrel of crude oil, companies can only extract about 11% as gasoline. Some "bottom of the barrel" products are sold even below the cost of crude oil. It is near impossible to calculate individual product costs.

Why is gasoline cheaper on the mainland?

  1. Gasoline is cheaper on the mainland. Like many products, gasoline is more expensive in Hawaii. Our gasoline tax is higher, construction costs are higher, land and lease rent are higher, insurance is higher and environmental compliance costs are also more expensive here.


  2. Unlike many mainland refiners, which are connected by pipeline directly to their crude oil sources, Hawaii's refineries must import all their crude oil. Also, Hawaii does not enjoy the economies of scale that most gasoline stations and refiners benefit from on the mainland.


  3. The fact is, Hawaii and the mainland are two separate and distinct markets. Retail prices are set in the marketplace based on competition. Retail prices do not move with crude oil prices, nor to mainland prices. However, local prices are starting to weaken a bit with wholesale prices coming down recently.


ROAD WORK PROJECT STATUS UPDATE

Attached for your information is a schedule of road work to be done in our area. Listed are the project descriptions, status and remarks, for all the projects. If you have questions about any of these projects please call the Department of Transportation - Highways Division at 587-2241 or my office.

ROAD SAFETY

Our condolences to all who were affected by the recent tragedy at the H1, Makakilo off ramp.

Please take the time to say a prayer for the lost motorist, the injured and their families.

Due to this disastrous accident on March 17, I would like to help make the driving experience safer for all drivers. To do this I have attached a NO-ZONE brochure that promotes safe driving. Please take the time to look it over and drive carefully. For further information on safe driving tips please call the Hawaii Transportation Association at 833-6628 or my office.



MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION

House Bill No. 397, House Draft 2, relating to motor vehicle registration is effective March 18, 1998 as Act 3. This bill gives the counties authorization to exempt stored motor vehicles from registration requirements and county motor vehicle taxes. This bill also provides that a motor vehicle may be junked by properly informing the director of finance that the vehicle will never be registered again.

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AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE AT KAPOLEI PARK

Plan to join the fun at the second annual Relay For Life at Kapolei Regional Park This is a team event designed to raise awareness and money to battle cancer. Also it is honoring cancer survivors and those who have lost their fight with the dreaded disease. The event is on June 13th at 7 PM and ends on the 14th at 7 AM. Mark it down on your calenders to join with me and the American Cancer Society for this worthy cause. See attached flyer for more details.



FERRY SYSTEM

I continue to support the concept of a ferry system to make travel to downtown Honolulu easier for the people commuting from West Oahu. However, along with the ferry system, some form of a people mover is necessary to move passengers from Aloha Tower to their final destination in town and back.

WAIAHOLE WATER SYSTEM

In response to some debate on the House floor regarding House Bill 2990 HD 2 SD 1, relating to agriculture, I said, "You know, we keep talking about these hard economic times and what we're going to do to help businesses, and we keep hearing about all these large land-greedy farmers using up all this water to grow things. Most of these people are very small farmers. These are small businesses. It's diversified agriculture which was supposed to be constitutionally supported. We're growing things to use in the state, we're generating income, and with that we're generating tax revenue."

WAIOLA REGIONAL PARK AND SPORTS COMPLEX

As you know I serve on the Mayor's Public-Private Sports Industries Task Force. A draft Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared for the City Department of Parks and Recreation's proposal to develop a 269 acre site in Waipi'o, Oahu, for the Waiola Regional Park and Sports Complex. The site is bounded by Kipapa Gulch, Kamehameha Highway and the Waikele neighborhood. The complex will house baseball/softball fields, tennis courts,

basketball/volleyball courts, skateboard bowls, in-line hockey courts, multi-purpose fields, a boxcar racing course, an aquatic center, a community center, and training field house. In addition, there will be bicycle/pedestrian paths, restrooms, parking and internal circulation roads throughout the park, as well as a maintenance building and yard and a plant nursery. Approximately 109 acres will consist of landscaped passive recreation area for picnicking, kite-flying, a botanical garden and similar purposes. Public Comment Deadline is May 7, 1998. Send your comments to the following offices:

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City and County of Honolulu Building Department

Attn: Warren Sato

650 South King Street, 2nd Floor

Honolulu, HI 96813

Mayor, City and County of Honolulu

530 South King Street, 3rd Floor

Honolulu, HI 96813

Plan Pacific, Inc.

Attn: John Whalen

737 Bishop Street, Suite 1520

Honolulu, HI 96813

The Office of Environmental Quality Control

235 South Beretania Street

State Office Tower, Suite 702

Honolulu, HI 96813

OMPO POLICY COMMITTEE

At the February Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee meeting I restated my support for the Transportation Improvement Projects (TIP) document to reflect developer-funded projects including Ft. Barrette Road widening and construction of the North South Road.

MAKAKILO BOOSTER NO. 2 RENOVATION, KAPOLEI, OAHU - JOB 98-107

The Board of Water Supply has advertised for construction bids in March and are opening bids this month for the repair of the existing pumping units and renovation of the pumping station.

This project will replace two 2,000 gallons-per-minute booster pumps which are scheduled for replacement. This project is part of the annual program to provide orderly replacement of older equipment requiring major repair and refurbishment. Since these pumps help maintain water pressure in the Leeward water distribution system, their renewal helps maintain a reliable and stable source of water for all who use it. This project also includes general renovation of the facility.

Construction will begin after the contract documents are processed and all permits are obtained. I will inform you when construction is planned to start. If you would like anymore information on this project please call Raymond Iwamasa at the Board of Water Supply (527-5277) or my office. See attached for project location.