I don’t even know if Charles Djou is a B-ball fan being just a second-tier fan myself; my husband is guy, but he’s not happy that LA won -again.
But I am talking JONES, as in the Jones Act part of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. According to our friend WIKI, it requires that all goods transported between US ports be carried in US-flag ships, built in the United States, owned by US citizens, and 75% crewed by US citizens and US permanent residents.
Until now all Hawaii’s Congressmen and women (union lovers that they are) have been staunch supporters of the Jones Act. Then along came Djou. Nearly everyone concerned about the terrible oil rig explosion and ensuing mishandling of the clean-up agrees with Djou that the Jones Act should have been waived so that foreign entities WHO OFFERED CRITICAL ASSISTANCE WITHIN DAYS OF THE RIG’S EXPLOSION could get to the Gulf and begin remediation immediately, but it still hasn’t been waived.
Anyone in Hawaii who has at least pretended to pay attention over the years knows the Jones Act RAISES THE COST OF ALMOST EVERYTHING not grown or produced 100% in Hawaii, including all ingredients and packaging. I’m thinking Kona Brew which has come up with a new 11% lighter bottle which will save them a ton (no pun intended) when shipping empty bottles here to fill with beer.
Melia Zimmerman of Grassroot Institute of Hawaii reported, O’Keefe & Sons Bakers in Hilo had to close in 2008 largely because of the Jones Act. O’Keefe said,
“The six figures I spent on paying Matson, labor unions and shipping owners could have been spent on local salaries, growth for my business, and during the economic downturn, could have meant the survival of my business.”
Instead they’re gone like so many others. Years ago as a RE broker I learned during the County’s pathetic stab at ‘affordable” housing that the Jones Act added a minimum of $5,000 to the cost of every house built. And what about the added cost for all those mega-buck estate homes built at the resorts. Which just got dinged with a 28% property tax increase by our illustrious Mayor, “you have my word” Billy Kenoi in order to keep the Hilo golf subsidies in place for his cronies and still be able to balance the budget.
At any rate, let’s hope the Jones Act is waived for the sake of what is left of the Gulf Coast and that he will be successful in getting Hawaii permanently exempted too.
Aloha, Mikie
Dare2Kerr@gmail.com
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