On Monday, January 23, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie gave his State of the State address to the people of Hawaii. The governor's basic message was that the state has done a good job in balancing the budget and now must look forward in creating opportunities to improve its economic future. Abercrombie stated, "by working together and through shared sacrifice, we have started to turn the corner. This past year has not been easy, but we have accomplished our purpose."
Governor Abercrombie's suggestions include creating $300 million worth of bond-financed state construction projects to help the job market. The state would use that money to repair and renovate public schools, medical centers and other public buildings. He also called for support to install an undersea cable that would link wind and other energy sources between the islands to stablize energy prices. Abercrombie also promised that he would unveil a new plan shortly regarding alternative energy for the state to reduce the dependency on imported oil. The governor added, "Why do we continue to send billions of dollars a year outside the islands to meet our energy needs? If there's one thing we export from Hawaii, it's dollars. It's our major export -- for oil, for food, for prisons. We've got to keep these dollars here in Hawaii."
Gene Ward (R), the House Minority Leader, reacted to the Governor's State of the State address by giving the following comments to the media: "Remember, this governor is a Picasso. He can paint with words, pictures that are excellent. But to deliver them, to put it in a frame, to put it on the wall without cracking anything, without breaking any of the glass -- that's really the part where we're in it, because we're down at the legislative policy level and we need to know details."
