Hawaii's proposed SB1395/HB1076, aimed at establishing a “Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund”, would be a waste of DoD resources and of emergency funds. The approach taken to “mitigate climate change” is nothing short of government overreach and fiscal irresponsibility.
Establishing a special fund administered by the Department of Defense (DOD) would be an expansion of government authority into areas far better suited for the private sector. Climate solutions should emerge from voluntary cooperation and market-driven initiatives, not bureaucratic mandates. The DOD's involvement also opens the door to mission creep as it would divert resources from the emergency funds, to the national defense, and then finally to climate-related projects. This could easily lead to inefficiencies in the defense department as well as a lack of expertise in environmental management. Seriously, we wouldn't want a climate activist to handle our civil defense strategies would we? This concept was a monumental failure in the case of Lahaina.
The bill proposes allocating funds from the Transient Accommodations Tax and interest from the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund to the new special fund. No wonder Governor Green has no faith in Hawaii’s ability to respond to emergencies; it all keeps getting diverted.
This raises several questions about the prioritization of government spending. Instead of making slush funds to pay for their pet projects , the state should consider reducing taxes and allowing individuals to manage their resources as they see fit. Or here’s a genius idea: be transparent about where the funds are going and stop playing games with the books.
The bill also includes provisions for appropriations that do not lapse at the end of fiscal years, potentially leading to a perpetual cycle of spending without accountability. Lack of oversight always creates a breeding ground for waste and inefficiency. The government needs to live within its means and prioritize essential services over expansive and never-ending environmental programs. SB1395 relies on government intervention and misallocation of resources.
A more effective strategy would involve individuals and the private sector responding to environmental challenges as they deem necessary without government interference. The State has no more power to “save our planet” than the average person does. And the individual’s motivating factors are almost always better than bureaucratic whim.
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