ACTION ALERT!
We must continue to stay vocal and persistent
Dear Chamber Members:
A hearing (Hearing Notice) has been scheduled on HB 2169 HD1, the Unemployment Insurance Tax bill, for this Friday, February 5 at 1:30 p.m. at the State Capitol in Room 308. This is the second hearing of four, but each one is equally important in getting your voice heard.
More than 100 testimonies were submitted at the last hearing. Let's exceed this number! We urge you to submit testimony and if possible, testify at the hearing so that a strong statement can be made to the committee. Our united efforts could result in a UI bill passing the Legislature before March.
Although the current draft provides some tax assistance, the Chamber believes it does not go far enough to help reduce the "tax shock" and safeguard the statewide unemployment rate. Therefore, we are asking the committee to amend the bill. A recap of the House Labor Committee's amendments were explained in the last LAC e-newsletter.
Below are directions on submitting and providing oral testimony. For your convenience, a testimony template (see below) and a talking point handout (click here) are provided. Feel free to cut and paste off the template and some of the talking points.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Sherry at smenor-mcnamara@cochawaii.org.
Thank you for your time and support.
DIRECTIONS ON SUBMITTING TESTIMONY
Testimony will NOT be accepted via e-mail. Members can submit testimony via:
1. On-line at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/emailtestimony/
OR
2. Faxed to (808) 586-6001 or 1-800-535-3859 (neighbor islands)
You may submit testimony up until the time of the hearing.
DIRECTIONS ON ORAL TESTIMONY
The following provides some information for those attending the hearing:
The UI bill is the second on the agenda., so contingent on the number of testifiers, the hearing should end by 3:30. You are not required to stay for the entire hearing and may leave after you provide testimony. The order of testifiers is based on the order the committee receives written testimonies. Metered parking is available at the Capitol. Discounted parking is available at Alii Place on Alakea or at any downtown municipal parking lots. Tell your “story” however, please be courteous and professional.
If possible, please e-mail me a copy of your testimony and let me know if you plan to attend the hearing. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time and support. Together we can make a difference.
Sincerely,
Sherry Menor-McNamara
[COMPANY LETTERHEAD]
Testimony to the House Committee on Finance
Friday, February 5, 2010; 1:30 p.m.
Conference Room 308
RE: HOUSE BILL 2169 HD1 RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT SECURITY
Chair Oshiro, Vice Chair Lee and Members of the Committee:
My name is [FULL NAME] and my company is [NAME AND DESCRIPTION OF COMPANY INCLUDING # OF EMPLOYEES]. I appreciate the efforts being made by the Legislature in addressing the unemployment insurance tax increase. I support HB 2169 HD1 with amendments.
[STATE HOW THE INCREASE WILL IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS INCLUDING POTENTIAL JOB LOSSES, BENEFITS, AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS COST PER EMPLOYEE, IF POSSIBLE].
Although the current draft of the bill provides some tax assistance, I feel that lowering the schedule to another level in 2011 will alleviate some of the hardships and help businesses plan expenses over a larger period of time as well as minimize the impact on jobs, wage or benefits reductions.
To help reduce the “tax shock” and safeguard the statewide unemployment rate, please amend the bill by holding the tax rate schedule to D in 2010 and F in 2011, permanently set the taxable wage base at 90% and maintain the adequate reserve multiplier at 1.0.
This will reduce the impact of the tax increase on businesses. Extending the tax assistance beyond 2010 will save jobs, preserve businesses and spur the economy by keeping more dollars flowing into the economy through wages and purchases.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony. If you have any questions, please contact me at [FULL CONTACT INFORMATION].
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