FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2002
Release No. #2002-26
Contact: Sen. Fred Hemmings
Phone: Phone: 587-8388/371-3577 (cell)

 

NEWS RELEASE

SENATOR FRED HEMMINGS LAMENTS CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS DECEPTION AND MALFEASANCE

HONOLULU—In a statement issued today, Senator Fred Hemmings pointed out the continued malfeasance of the state budget:

"Besides the unaccountability of the state budget, the Capitol Improvement Projects (CIP) are obscene in the face of a disastrous Hawaiian economy. The great irony is that the Democratic Party has created a failing economy, which has resulted in entire buildings being abandoned by the private sector," Hemmings said.

"Then the state turns around and buys the real estate that the private sector could and should be operating and paying taxes from. For example, the state purchased One Capitol Building for about $25 million. In this year's budget, close to $1 million is additional money to fund the state art center. All of this is happening while the schools are falling down in disrepair. I emphasize that every art business in Hawaii will be threatened by the state's competition. All expenditures by the state are expanding government while private sector business are failing," Hemmings added.

"The recent revelation that $8 million was put into the budget for the Japanese Cultural Center while more pressing needs such as the Waimanalo Wastewater Treatment Plant repairs go unfunded. Excuse the play on words, but quite frankly the entire situation stinks," Hemmings said.

"The state is planning to purchase the old Federal Post Office Building for $33 million. This is all in the budget and bears testimony to the incredibly bankrupt policies of the incumbent political dynasty running the state of Hawaii," Hemmings concluded.

 

 

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