Sunday, May 04, 2008
AP story on Ethics Commission gets it right
The AP seems to have gone right to the issue: the Superferry will not be punished for its underreporting of lobbying expenses (article via KPUA):
State Ethics Commission says Superferry will not be punished
HONOLULU (AP) _ The state Ethics Commission says Hawaii Superferry will not be punished for grossly underreporting its lobbying expenses last year.
The company spent nearly 380-thousand dollars lobbying lawmakers in 2007, as it fought an environmental impact statement and then asked for legislation allowing it to resume interisland service.
But Superferry executives initially reported only 22-thousand dollars in expenses.
Thank you, AP.
Oh, at Costco today I saw someone wearing a "recycle" t-shirt. That reminded me that if the Superferry proves to be too big for the Hawaii route, it need not be wasted. I still am fond of my idea of turning it into a floating restaurant complete with free parking, a la the Jumbo Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen Harbor.
The Kakaako skyline is planned to look like Hong Kong anyway, so why not have our own floating attraction?
Ha- someone commenting tongue-in-cheek today asked if the Superferry might be used to ship our trash to the mainland where it came from as I've advocated for years. But a floating restaurant might not be a bad idea... assuming the "floating" part is still operative.
All of the "good government" state agencies like Ethics, OIP, etc., don't like going down too hard on those that repent and quickly. There theory is that they'd rather have voluntary swift penance from 80% than having to engage in costly and lengthy enforcement proceedings against the few they have reason to investigate while 80% get away for lack of evidence.
I don't that I buy it but, of course, I'm not exactly in their shoes.
That floating restaurant looked a little tired the last time I was boating around Aberdeen harbor. But, nothing a little new paint, drydock couldn't fix, government backed loans, and EIS exemptions couldn't cure.
Ha. You're right, the idea wouldn't work, they don't do EISs.
I haven't been to Aberdeen harbor in a long time, too bad about the condition of the Jumbo. The food was always so-so, but it impressed the foreign devils. And you could get dressed up like a fake emperor and have a picture taken on a fake thone.
great read on the stupor ferry:
http://www.bigislandweekly.com/articles/2008/05/01/read/news
Time to jump ship?
Superferry manufacturer under fire
By Kristin Hashimoto
Thursday, May 1, 2008 9:54 AM HST
: May 6, 2008 at 10:57:00 PM HST << Home
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