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The Chamber View: Look within before adding any more fees and taxes

Each legislative session there are a number of bills that seek to increase the cost of doing business and this year is certainly no exception. There is clearly a long-standing belief that businesses can keep paying more and more, absent of economic realities and the challenges they face. This is evident in the way many business bills are unfairly written, weighted and move forward, without due consideration of their impact on businesses. It is why we continue to ask that an economic impact analysis be included before bills are introduced. While getting such an important tool may sound ...

Business / In Brief • Feb. 28, 2013

Volcano generates millions in spendingHONOLULU - A new study finds that Kilauea volcano generates many millions of dollars in spending at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park each year.Hawaii News Now, citing the study, says Kilauea generates about $97 million a year in spending at the park and surrounding communities.According to the National Park Service study, almost 1.4 million visitors toured Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 2011. The report goes on to say that spending supported almost 1,200 jobs on the Big Island. Those jobs are in lodging, food, retail, recreation, transportation, and ...

Business / In Brief • Feb. 22, 2013

Coffee farmers, contractors finedHONOLULU - The U.S. Department of Labor is fining seven Big Island coffee farms and farm labor contractors $42,000 for violating labor laws.The department said Thursday that it imposed the penalties after finding many workers who hand harvested or processed coffee cherries weren't paid legally required wages.The violations included paying workers below the minimum wage and failing to pay workers for all hours worked.A farm labor contractor found to have violated child labor laws is paying the biggest fine - $16,000.Five companies also must pay back wages ...

Law OKs vendors at Honolulu festivals

HONOLULU (AP) - Vendors again will be allowed to sell their wares at nonprofit festivals held in Honolulu parks under a reinterpretation of an ordinance enacted last summer.Honolulu city attorneys took a look at the law and have given festival organizers the OK to hold the events, even if they involve commercial vendors.Vendors at the nonprofit festivals can sell items ranging from food to electronics, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported."These festivals are part of the fabric of our community and must be allowed to continue," Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Tuesday at a news conference.The ...

Business / In Brief • Feb. 19, 2013

Hawaii chamber CEO to retireHONOLULU - The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii said that its CEO will retire in August after 12 years of leading the state's largest business organization.The chamber said Friday that Jim Tollefson will be succeeded by Sherry Menor-McNamara.The 41-year-old will be the group's first female president in its 162-year history. She will also be the youngest.Menor-McNamara is currently the chamber's chief operating officer and senior vice president of government affairs.She was the events manager for ESPN Sports' Sheraton Hawaii Bowl before joining the chamber in ...

Business / In Brief • Feb. 16, 2013

New jobless claims increased last weekHONOLULU - State labor officials report that new jobless claims are down in Hawaii compared to the same time last year, but up when taking the short-view.Hawaii News Now says according to the Department of Labor & Industrial Relations there were 1,881 new jobless claims last week. That is down about 7 percent compared to the same time last year, but an increase of about 200 from a week ago.Labor officials say new claims rose on Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and in all three Oahu unemployment offices, but fell on the Big Island. The total number of ...