Support needed for Hawaii immediately

Dear Friends,

Something just came up of dire importance.

A bill is being slipped into the Hawaii Legislature that proposes to create a non-transparent agency through which public funds would be funneled with no public oversight to the defense industry. This would open the door for private defense contractors to spring up all over the state, with no public oversight.

Because Hawaii's economy is tourism-dependent, the Legislature accepts testimony from people who reside outside of Hawaii. It is SO SIMPLE to submit testimony -- all you have to do is check "OPPOSE." Please follow the instructions below to prevent Hawaii from being overrun with missile and satellite launch pads in anticipation of the burgeoning post-disarmament era.

The deadline to submit testimony is Tuesday Feb. 5 at 3:00 p.m. Hawaii time.

Right now, Alaska Aerospace is trying to build a rocket launch pad nine miles from Hilo, on a site that was the first place ever where hula was performed. Apparently, after two decades of sucking public funds out of Alaska, the Alaska governor finally cut off the stream of massive subsidies to Alaska Aerospace. That is one of the reasons the company is coming to Hawaii. It is looking for a new "victim." If this project, or SB999, succeeds, it will cost Hawaii taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually in subsidies to defense companies like Alaska Aerospace.

And, in full sinister form, the hearing for the bill is precisely the same time as the public meeting for the rocket launch pad in Hilo. So there is no way that opponents here can be two places at once.

HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY:

• Go to capitol.hawaii.gov and click Register at the top right.

• Fill in the blanks in the middle of the page.

• If you are already registered, Sign In at the top right of that page capitol.hawaii.gov

• (Fill in your user name and password as requested.)

• Click the orange "Submit Testimony" button in the middle of the page.

• In the blank on the left, enter SB999

• Click "Get Hearing"

• For each of these bills, check "Oppose"

• Check "No" you will not be in attendance at hearing (it's Tuesday)

• Check "Individual"

• Scroll down and click "Submit."

Here is a link to the bill on the capitol legislative web site: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/hearingnotices/HEARING_EET_02-06-19_.HTM

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG.

Mahalo,

Koohan Paik-Mander
Hawaii