Senator Sam Slom's Opening Day Remarks - Hawaii - 2015

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• published: 28 Jan 2015
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Senate Minority Opening Day Remarks — 28th State Legislature, 2015 By State Senator Sam Slom (R ¬– 9th District O’ahu), Senate Minority Leader Senator Slom said, “Senate President Kim, Governor Ige, our Military, distinguished guests and overburdened Hawaii taxpayers, on behalf of the entire Senate Minority: Aloha! First, let me reassure all of you who have been worried, that I remain a Republican—I’m not switching parties— and will continue to represent the loyal, but responsible, opposition to harmful legislation, while advocating reasonable alternative legislation to solve problems and ease the economic burdens on our citizens. It has become increasingly difficult to stand up and speak out against the status quo and call for change in Hawaii. Yet it must be done. There are some who would silence any dissent. Sometimes there are severe political, media, economic and social consequences for speaking out. Ask former UH Chancellor Tom Apple. Ask me. With a New Year, we remain hopeful with a new Administration we may actually get some positive change. We now have a Governor, who was one of us in the Senate, whom I respect —with an engineering and not a community organizing background. As he said, government can’t do it alone; people must get involved and do some of the “heavy lifting” to solve our problems still left over from years past. Our job is to restore and encourage the public’s confidence in our process, and to be more transparent and accountable ourselves, while empowering our citizens. We have to do more than just talk or make speeches; we need appropriate action. We can do this. The public feels disconnected because we haven’t done a good enough job. There haven’t been consequences for bad behavior in government. We have been lax in the oversight of billions of taxpayer dollars. Your Senate Minority offers a thoughtful, effective 5 point Action Agenda for 2015: (1) Economic Diversification and Budget Reduction. (2) Meaningful, Outcome Based Education (3) Health Connector, Obamacare and HHSC Alternatives. (4) Changes to the Public Utilities Commission and Analysis of the Proposed HECO Merger. (5) Reduction in the Cost of Living for our Beleaguered Residents, middle class and poor. Contact: senslom@capitol.hawaii.gov