Hawaii Tribune-Herald: Leaders Fail to Act on Diversifying Economy
Nov. 4, 2020
By Mark Hildebrant
For decades our leaders have been talking about diversifying our economy, yet their cumulative decisions have left us with an economy that is dependent on 10 million people travelling here yearly in carbon-dioxide factories and overwhelming our roads, neighborhoods and natural resources.
New $122,400 taxpayer-funded bureaucrats, central planners picking winners and losers, and bills to micromanage the recall of hotel workers will not diversify our economy (“Hotel workers bill before City Council reduced to resolution,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 3).
Leaders making good decisions will.
There is a plant on Hawaii island ready to hire hundreds of local workers, provide 18 megawatts of reliable power rain or shine, and replace imported oil with locally produced renewable energy (“Former Hawaii governors support Big Isle energy project,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 23).
The money we spend on its power would mostly circulate in the local economy and produce badly needed tax revenue rather than being sent to overseas oil companies.
Decisions like keeping this plant shuttered will ensure that our economy remains completely dependent on tourism.
Mark Hildebrant
Kailua
Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Nov. 4, 2020: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/11/04/editorial/letters/treatment-of-surgeon-general-a-disgrace/