August 21, 2013
West Community Cooperates To Fix Its Roads
Aug 14, 2013 by Representative Bob McDermott
During my first term as your state representative, I've tried to meet with as many constituents of district 40 as I possibly can. I've held town hall meetings, visited with condo associations and have gone door-to-door.
I've asked people what their concerns are, and have done my best to get them some action from government. Many of those concerns focus on city services, including the bus routes, police service and maintenance of streets.
Well, thanks to a very active community member, Ewa resident Ariel Dejesus, we took up the project of getting North Road repaired, albeit temporarily. The immediate safety issues have been mitigated, and we are working with Councilmembers Ron Menor and Kymberly Pine to see if the city can come in with a more permanent solution.
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August 8, 2013
Health Department ruling blocks loans for isle veterans
Aug 07, 2013 By Bob McDermott
An arbitrary state Department of Health ruling effectively blocks Veterans Affairs loans to homes with rainwater catchment systems, many of them in Hawaii County.
This declaration by the DOH, that rain catchment water is non-potable, has stopped all VA loans and refinancing on homes with county-approved catchment systems. This could affect up to 60,000 of the most affordable homes on the Big Island. It has locked in existing VA home mortgages at higher rates and blocked veterans who own existing homes from refinancing at the current low rates with no money down.
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July 1, 2013
Rep. McDermott blasts Abercrombie administration's obstruction of VA loans
Friday, June 21st, 2013
State Rep. Bob McDermott held a press conference at the State Capitol to outline his efforts to work with Gov. Neil Abercrombie's administration to alter an arbitrary Department of Health ruling posted on their website that blocks VA loans to homes with rainwater catchment systems.
"We tried working with Gary Gil at the DOH and Blake Oshiro at the Governor's Office for over sixty days," explained Rep. McDermott. "Everyone seemed to understand the situation, but absolutely nothing was done to correct the problem."
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June 17, 2013
Iroquois Beach Target Of Replenishment Project
May 29, 2013 by Representative Bob McDermott
Midweek article
Everybody knows that Hawaii's beaches are world-renowned. They are assets to our island communities and contribute greatly to our unique Hawaiian lifestyle.
Having eight children of my own, I can attest to the fact that going to the beach is one of the best and most affordable things a family can do together.
The Ewa community has several beautiful beaches, from the old Barbers Point Air Station, to our town's namesake Ewa Beach, to the scenic Iroquois Point.
Our relationship to our beaches helps define us. Whether it is fishing for a record-size 'o'io, surfing, or just enjoying the sunset, our beaches are critically important to who we are as a people - and that's why it is worth noting when one of our corporate citizens repeatedly steps in to make things better.
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April 3, 2013
Proposed Capital Improvements For Campbell High
March 27, 2013 By Representative Bob McDermott
My first CIP (capital improvement project) requests for House District 40, the Ewa area, were focused on Campbell High School. After a series of meetings with school administrators, teachers and the Department of Education engineers, I came to several conclusions.
First, a new second high school is not needed, but major improvements to Campbell High School's existing facilities are long overdue.
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February 27, 2013
Rep. Bob McDermott Addresses Teachers' Contract
February 20, 2013 by Rep. Bob McDermott
It is long overdue to settle the teachers' contract. Making them grovel over less than a 2% increase (when health care costs are factored in), while at the same time proposing an expensive new preschool program is breathtakingly insulting. This reinforces the belief among teachers that they are not appreciated and they are made the perennial whipping boys for all of the systemic shortcomings that produce public dissatisfaction. The teachers are by and large dedicated professionals who feel underappreciated and this preschool maneuver by the Governor offers them solid evidence that they are indeed taken for granted.
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