Newswatch
By Star-Bulletin Staff
By Star-Bulletin Staff
The computer checks were discovered by Citizens for Camp Kailua, a group backing the preservation of the former church camp as an accessible urban camping facility. The group found computer listings of property tax information from a city computer system attached to the two sets of testimony in files at the Department of Land Utilization.
Both testimonies opposed the city proposal.
"After speaking with city employees in the Department of Land Utilization, I am convinced that the entire affair ... is a stupid attempt to embarrass the staff of the department," Fishman said in a written statement yesterday.
Fishman said the Honolulu Police Department has been asked to investigate.
Ursula Retherford of Citizens for Camp Kailua said it is "far-fetched" for Fishman to imply that the group staged the incident. "That's just crazy," she said. "They just got caught with their pants down."
The counties would lose about $22 million next year.
Some county officials fear they will have to raise property taxes to offset the loss.
Senate Ways and Means chairwoman Donna Ikeda says the state needs a larger share of the hotel room tax to cover its $165 million budget shortfall and avoid eliminating remaining state tax credits.
The counties wouldn't be allowed to raise hotel property tax rates unless they also raised other property taxes.
The full Senate must vote on the proposal.
Officers located the man at the restaurant at 450 Kamehameha Highway at 5:25 p.m. yesterday.
Police recovered a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol.
Witnesses saw the man carrying the pistol in a holster partially concealed by his T-shirt, police said.
The women, ages 32 and 44, were arrested at the Amapola Massage Studio on Kapiolani Boulevard and another business at 1020 Keeaumoku St. Investigators from the Regulated Industries Complaints Office issued citations.
If violations continue at the business, investigators can revoke the owner's license, said Maj. Mike Carvalho, head of the police narcotics/vice division.