Session Wrap at HVCA – May 26, 2011

Senator Slom speaks before the Hawaii Venture Capital Association. Video by Jay Fidell, Think Tech Hawaii.

Recent Video Clips Featuring Senator Slom

News Behind the News: Senator Slom & Dr. Panos Prevedouros

Senate Minority Report: Legislative Wrap-Up

Regarding the TSA and Intrusive Airport Security

“No Alternative” State Budget

Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Gene Ward

(more…)

The Budget, The Budget, The Budget

Senator Slom talks about the State Budget bill (HB 200) during the April 12 bill crossover voting session. Senator Slom voted against the State Budget because it proposed more spending and more taxes. Senator Slom always votes against tax increases.

Senate Minority Report – “No Alternative” Budget

Senator Slom held a press conference on April 8 to go over the Senate Minority “No Alternative” budget. This budget proposes several program and department cuts, offers no raids on special funds or tax increases. Watch the video below:

Video lasts approximately 29 minutes.

GE Tax Hike Deleted From HB 793

April 8, 2011.

The Senate Ways & Means Committee struck out the section pertaining to the 25% General Excise Tax hike yesterday (April 7). The motion to amend HB 793 and take out the tax increase passed in a rare motion where members of the committee voted against the recommendation of the the committee chairman. The bill still retains other components that make it less than perfect, which Senator Slom voted against.

The bill description for the SD 1 now reads “Suspends from 1/1/2012, to 6/30/2015, the exemptions for certain persons and certain amounts of gross income or proceeds from the general excise and use tax and requires the payment of the tax at a rate of 4%. Appropriates funds to expedite implementation. ” You can get the full text of the bill from this link.

Testimony against the GE tax increase was plentiful. Some examples of testimony submitted against the tax increase included:

“The legislative branch should be working toward reducing spending through elimination of redundant services or de-funding programs which are nice to have but not necessary to operate an effective government… I dare you to take a stand against over expenditure and eliminate unnecessary programs or excessive government agencies. I am not asking you to do the impossible but I am expecting you to do the difficult. Do your job.”

- Marc Grandmaison

“You have a SPENDING problem, not an INCOME problem.”

-David Verret

“Why raising taxes is always the first thing the legislature thinks of as the solution is not fiscally responsible. You are very very close to the tipping point on what individuals and small business can handle… CUT THE SPENDING.”

- Adrienne King

“In tough economic times, everyone tightens up and eliminates unneeded or wasteful expenses. That is, everyone EXCEPT the government. Instead the government continues to spend and increase spending, all on the backs of the hard-working, taxpaying Hawaii residents. This trend needs to stop immediately.”

- Lisa A. M. Miller

Additional Links on the Defeat of the GE Tax

Rebellion in the Senate Kills GE Tax Hike Proposal, HawaiiReporter.com
Senators Kill Excise Tax Increase, KITV 4 News
G.E.T. hike shelved by senate committee, KHON Channel 2 News

The GE tax increase could resurface again during the conference committee process despite legislators saying that the proposal is off the table for now.

Photo: Senate Ways & Means Committee hearing on April 7.