Taxes?

http://taxfoundation.org/state-tax-climate/hawaii

According to the site the Hawaii has 12 tax brackets that run from 1.4% all the way up to 11% and it collects about $910 per person in state and local taxes.

http://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/census/Census_2010/presentation/IIA_Hawaii_9_18_12.pdf

According to the 2012 Department of Business Economic Development & Tourism the average household income is roughly $63,000. We rank 5th in the country for medium household income but 2nd in highest tax rates.

One of the frightening facts of the report is the federal and the state government are the 2nd and 3rd largest industries in the state. Only tourism employs more people!

http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-tax-revenue-data.html

The numbers:

General Fund Tax Revenue 5.5 Billion Dollars n 2012

Where is it going?

http://khon2.com/2014/04/29/hawaii-lawmakers-approve-state-budget-for-fy2014-15/

Reading all that made my head hurt. I will highlight some of my "who wants that" and "how is this going to help me" lists:

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2014/bills/HB1700_CD1_.htm

1.5 million to continue the Housing First homeless initiative program- What good is building them homes when you can't make them stay there.

$3 million in general funds for a pre-kindergarten program, which will be coordinated by the DOE and the Executive Office on Early Learning in the Office of the Governor- Basically a daycare fund paid for by the tax payer...

$600,000 for an educator evaluation system to measure teacher effectiveness

$256,000 in general funds to implement a mentoring program for new teachers -so program says our teachers are bad and the other pays for the mentors. I thought senior teachers were responsible for the mentorship of junior teachers?

$9,000,000 to cover the shortfall in utility costs- What shortfalls, where and why did this happen?

$685,000 for electricity budget shortfall in libraries statewide- Looks like green energy isn't paying off?

$500,000 for the Resources for Enrichment, Athletics, Culture, and Health Initiative (REACH) program to provide a framework for intermediate school after-school programs - More free daycare? Don't they already have sports? I saw 2million marked in the budget for sports.

$835,000 in special funds for security services at Honolulu International Airport- More high-tech ways to molest me before I get on an airplane.

$4,000,000 in special funds for pavement-marking rehabilitation at eight airports -Please fix my roads instead? Only 10 million for Oahu highways, Maui is getting 80 million, the Big Island 20 million and Kauai is getting almost 30 million.

A total of $33.5 million to accommodate salary restorations and increases for University of Hawaii faculty members. Includes $14 million in special funds for salary restorations and $19.5 million in general funds for salary increases - why no funds for public school teachers at the k -12 levels?

$9,350,000 in special funds for various programs in University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine- If any of these include the study of sunscreen on sheep or any other ridiculous idea I want all of it back

It looks like we spend over 7 million on mental health programs. why are there so many crazy people roaming the streets ?