Excuses, excuses
Unless Labor Committee Chair Rep. Richard Onishi holds a hearing, Senate Bill 3289, which would create a Hawaii retirement savings program, will die.
Rep. Onishi told the Tribune-Herald that the bill has language about educating employers, but not employees, on how the program works. This is shibai.
There is language about educating employees in the bill, and as chair of the committee, Onishi can amend the bill to make it clearer.
Onishi also says he’s afraid employees won’t figure out that they are enrolling in a savings program and wants them to opt in, rather than opt out.
First of all, workers aren’t stupid. But they do want retirement programs to be easy. If you make workers fill out too much paperwork, fewer workers will save. That’s why it’s best practice in human resources to have opt-out, rather than opt-in savings programs.
Secondly, where does he think the worker’s money will go? It goes into a Roth IRA, and any money they put into savings can be withdrawn without penalty.
Workers don’t lose any money.
Three other states — Oregon, Illinois and California — have similar automatic IRA programs with opt-out. In these states, employees can and do decide how much or how little they want to contribute to the saving program. They can decide to take the money out if they can’t afford it, and some do just that.
As taxpayers, we feel that helping people save for their retirement will save the state money in the long run. Future retirees won’t have to rely on public-assistance programs to make their ends meet.
We hope the public will support this bill and let Rep. Onishi know that the bill should get a hearing. Let the legislators vote their conscience. Hawaii workers deserve the chance to save easily at work, and small businesses want to help their workers.
Fred and Chalintorn Burian
Paauilo
Support for EVs
Noel Morin brought up more points to consider in Your Views concerning EV charging stations.
Yes, EVs are important, and we need to increase their adoption. The passage of House Bill 2278, a carbon fee and dividend by tax credit, will help EV affordability and help Hawaii get to a clean zero-emission state.
Bobbie Best
Wailuku, Maui
System broken
About two years ago, my truck was stolen. He was sentenced to four years of probation.
Since that time, he was rearrested for six nonviolent felonies, but he was bailed out due to COVID instead of going to prison for probation violations.
His probation officer rarely returns my calls — my supposed victim advocate seems irritated with my calls — and a letter to the original sentencing judge was returned due to it being an “ex parte communication” (in other words, it is not a properly filed pleading).
The victim advocate and judge do not really care one iota about me!
At least the (criminal) who stole my truck has an excuse for his behavior.
Michael Quay
Pahoa
