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Opinion

TODAY'S EDITORIALS

Isles, nation demand focus on joblessness

PREVIOUS EDITORIALS

Police chief to tackle tough job list at HPD (November 20, 2009)
Guiding charities in rough economic seas (November 19, 2009)
Now state's real survival planning begins (November 18, 2009)
APEC gives Isles a stellar chance to shine (November 17, 2009)
New numbers a reminder of growing need (November 16, 2009)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Apec

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Loiterers (November 21, 2009)
Furloughs (November 20, 2009)
Leadership (November 19, 2009)

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TODAY'S COLUMNS AND COMMENTARIES

Mark Platte

A story of failure, valor

The subject of our series is 1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom of 'Aiea, a graduate of Damien Memorial School and the University of Hawai'i and, more specifically,... More »

Harold Meyerson

China rules in U.S. trade

President Obama's trip to China has occasioned a spate of articles documenting the increasingly unhappy yet apparently indissoluble marriage between the American and Chinese economies. More »

Jeanne Mariani-belding

Coping in tough economic times

Mike from Hawaii Kai: Why not raise taxes for three years and conduct an orderly unwinding of targeted state agencies and services through the budget (prioritizing) process? More »

Mark Aoki

Don't punish students for the economy

Students support the use of the Hurricane Relief Fund and "rainy day" fund to offset the deficit; and we advocate for the use of the remaining $35 million in stimulus funds for public education. More »

Rep. Marcus Oshiro

Rescind education budget restrictions

The recent announcement that the governor would support using the "rainy day" fund — also known as the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund, to pay for teacher furloughs is a positive development. More »

Garrison Keillor

Giving the naked ladies their due

I was in Chicago with time on my hands and the sweet woman murmured to me — you know how this goes — "Would you like to see the Art Institute?" And I was thinking No No No God No, and I said, "Sure. Fine." More »

Kate Xiao Zhou

China-Iran partnership poses dilemma

With so much American military, economic and political attention focused on Iraq and Afghanistan, the relative power of China and Iran has risen substantially in recent years. More »

BLOGS » Jeanne Mariani-Belding

The Hot Seat

From politicians to newsmakers: you ask the questions. More »

CIVIC CORNER

Rainy Day Fund

State lawmakers and the Lingle administration seem positioned to divert $50 million from the state's "rainy day fund" to buy back some of the scheduled furlough days on which schools will be closed. But this week social services providers — who also are victims of the current budget woes — have raised concerns that this would leave very little to offset reductions in allotments for services to the needy and the elderly. The Legislature will need to convene in special session to enact the appropriation from the special fund in the coming weeks, and in the regular session will confront the challenge of reshaping government to do more with less tax money. What do you think?

GET INVOLVED
Contact your public officials to make your views known:

Colleen Hanabusa: Sen. Hanabusa is president of the state Senate, which would help decide the use of funds.

Reach her at: senhanabusa@capitol.hawaii.gov or 586-7793.

Calvin Say: Rep. Say is speaker of the state House of Representatives. He also is among the leaders considering the special session on the issue.

Reach him at: repsay@capitol.hawaii.gov or 586-6100.

Linda Lingle: The governor will join in the discussion over the use of "rainy day" funds for emergency uses.

Reach her at: governor.lingle@hawaii.gov or 586-0034.

More »

MORE OPINION FORUMS

Favorite topics of our readers

Education Stimulus Funds

SPECIAL REPORTS

The residents of Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes live in public housing projects crumbling from neglect. It's time to change that.

Beyond oil

A three-day series on the challenges and opportunities facing Hawai'i as we move away from fossil fuels. More »

THE ADVERTISER'S EDITORIAL STAFF

JEANNE MARIANI-BELDING

Editorial and Opinion Editor

STEPHEN J. DOWNES

Deputy Editorial and Opinion Editor

VICKI VIOTTI

Editorial Writer

STACY BERRY

Editorial Page Assistant

THE COMMUNITY EDITORIAL BOARD

Members of the public who offer their insights into the issues of the day.

THE TEEN EDITORIAL BOARD

Voices from selected high school students in Hawai'i.

Extras

OurTurn

Hawaii's high school students share their opinions and editorials from their high school newspapers.

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THIS WEEK'S COLUMNS

In search of policy on war in Afghanistan (November 17, 2009)

David Shapiro

THIS WEEK'S COMMENTARIES

Families struggle with cost of homes (November 19, 2009)

Donovan M. Dela Cruz

A rogue still rough and unready (November 19, 2009)

Ellen Goodman

Travesty in New York (November 19, 2009)

Charles Krauthammer

Symphony needs community support (November 18, 2009)

John Henry Felix

America is losing its luster abroad (November 18, 2009)

Victor Davis Hanson

A Palin reflection of the '08 trail (November 17, 2009)

Margaret Carlson

Art appreciation (November 17, 2009)

Garrison Keillor

Improving our public schools (November 16, 2009)

Linda Smith

H1N1 reveals limits of strained system (November 16, 2009)

Alan Sipress

High stakes in climate change debate (November 15, 2009)

Suzanne Case, Deanna Spooner And Christopher P. Dunn

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