State should drop cap and pay OHA its due

House Bill 55, now being deferred by the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committees, puts a %15.1 million cap on what the state can pay to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Currently, the state pays OHA 20 percent of the public land trust, with a maximum of $15.1 million. However, some estimate that OHA's percentage of this trust could exceed $30 million.

Gov. Cayetano has publicly announced that the state expects a $150 million budget surplus. If we are to believe this, we must also note that the state has the money to vie OHA its due.

OHA accepted the $15.1 million cap in 1997 because of our terrible sate economy. Now that this economy is in much better health, this bill should be dropped.

In addition to unfairly limiting OHA's revenues, House bill 55 could subvert current and future efforts to negotiate between OHA and the state.

OHA provides a valuable and unique service to Native Hawaiians in this state. It is unfair and unethical for the state to avoid paying funds to this organization.