MONDAY REPORT - From Chamber President Jim Tollefson – January 25, 2010  

ACTION ALERT!

A hearing is scheduled on two unemployment insurance bills for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26 at 9:00 a.m. at the State Capitol in Room 309. 

Since last September, your Chamber has been working hard to address options to the Unemployment Insurance Tax increase. As mentioned in the Action Alert sent out last Friday in the Chamber’s Legislative Action Center e-Newsletter, we have been pushing for a bill that mitigates the dramatic increase and have met with legislators and stakeholders throughout the process to ensure that information is shared and our position is effectively communicated.

Although we recognize that the bills being heard by the committee do provide some tax relief, we believe it is not enough assistance to help reduce the impact the dramatic tax increase will have and is not enough to safeguard the statewide unemployment rate.  Therefore, we are asking the committees to amend the bills and need your help. Click here for the Chamber’s Testimony.

I want to thank those members who have already submitted testimony and I want to urge every business leader to submit testimony by the end of the day today and testify at the hearing tomorrow. We are all affected by this issue and the business community must be vocal and united. Below are directions on submitting written and providing oral testimony.  A testimony template is available at the bottom of this message along with talking points.  If you will be attending the hearing, please email Sherry at smenor-mcnamara@cochawaii.org.

MAHALO

I want to thank the over 50 Chamber members and representatives from our local and neighbor island chambers and leaders from other business organizations, who joined us for the “Walk Around” at the State Capitol last Thursday. It was a powerful representation of the commitment the Chamber and the business community has to maintaining a strong presence at the Capitol this session. 

I would also like to thank all those members and business leaders, along with the over 40 legislators who attended the 8^th Annual Legislative Business Forum and Pau Hana event. We appreciate each of our legislators for taking the time to join us.  It was a very successful networking event and was a valuable opportunity for Chamber members to meet their legislators and share personal stories and insight into the issues important to Hawaii’s business community. 

DIRECTIONS ON SUBMITTING TESTIMONY

Testimony will NOT be accepted via e-mail.  Members can submit testimony via:

1.      On-line at  http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony/

OR

2.       Faxed to (808) 586-6331 or 1-800-535-3859 (neighbor islands)

DIRECTIONS ON ORAL TESTIMONY

The following provides some information for those attending the hearing:

·        A two-minute oral testimony limit will probably take place. 

·        The UI bills are the first two on the agenda., so contingent on the number of testifiers, the hearing should end by noon. 

·        You are not required to stay for the entire hearing and may leave after you provide testimony.  The order of testifiers is based on the order the committee receives written testimonies.

·        Metered parking is available at the Capitol.  Discounted parking is available at Alii Place on Alakea or at any downtown municipal parking lots.

·        Tell your “story” however, please be courteous and professional.

TESTIMONY TEMPLATE

For the Chamber’s talking point handout (click here).  Feel free to cut and paste  and utilize some of the talking points.

Testimony to the House Committee on Labor & Public Employment

Tuesday, January 26, 2010; 9:00 a.m.

Conference Room 309

RE:         HOUSE BILL 2169 and 2207 RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY

Chair Rhoads, Vice Chair Yamashita and Members of the Committee:

My name is [FULL NAME] and my company is [NAME AND DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY INCLUDING # OF EMPLOYEES].   I appreciate the efforts made by the chair and the committee in addressing the unemployment insurance tax increase.  I support HB 2169 and 2207 with amendments. 

[STATE HOW THE INCREASE WILL IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS INCLUDING POTENTIAL JOB LOSSES, BENEFITS, AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS COST PER EMPLOYEE, IF POSSIBLE].

 To help reduce the “tax shock” and safeguard the statewide unemployment rate, please amend the bill by holding the tax rate schedule to D in 2010 and F in 2011, permanently set the taxable wage base at 90% and maintain the adequate reserve multiplier at 1.0. 

This will reduce the impact of the tax increase on the average and small businesses.  Extending the tax assistance beyond 2010 will save jobs, preserve businesses and spur the economy by keeping more dollars flowing into the economy through wages and purchases.  This will help businesses plan expenses over a longer period of time.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.  If you have any questions, please contact me at [FULL CONTACT INFORMATION].

Jim Tollefson

President & CEO

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii

The Voice of Business in Hawaii

1132 Bishop Street,  Suite 402

Honolulu, Hi. 96813

Ph: 808-545-4300 ext 388

Fax 808-545-4369

www.cochawaii.org