Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who has been loyal to the labor movement for four decades and never held a real job during that time, has said he does not want to demonize public workers as he attempts to close a projected two-year budget deficit of $700 million. But he has also said that public-sector union health care and retirement benefits are unsustainable and in some instances unjustified, that the many can no longer afford to pay for the benefits of the few__ rhetoric that mirrors what conservative Republican governors are saying on the mainland.
| As they say in economics 101, things that can't go on forever, won't... |
Randy Perreira, the HGEA's ( Hawaii Government Empolyees Assn - the sole owner and operator of the State of Hawaii) executive director, said the most troubling thing about Abercrombie's budget draft is that it expands state spending while asking public workers to accept concessions.
Have to admit he has a point - Gov's budget shows nearly $500M increase in spending - all due of course undoing the "damage" the last (GOP) Governor did by balancing last year's budget....
| Might also be due to Medicaid growing by leaps and bounds. It's usually the single largest item on any state budget. |
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