Comment: Legislation would help 10,000 veteran-owned businesses in Hawaii

Kymberly Pine

The following was written by State Rep. Kymberly Pine (R), who represents Ewa Beach, Iroquois Point, and Puuloa.

Retired Army reservist Alika Wietecha and Vietnam Army veteran Ron Prescott are both business-owners that that could benefit from legislation that is being proposed this session to ask the State to do at least three percent of its business with Hawaii-based veteran-owned businesses. Mr. Wietecha owns Kapolei-based A M Landscaping, and Mr. Prescott is president of Tokunaga Masonry.

My colleagues and I announced on Tuesday, January 10 our proposal to present this legislation in the upcoming session as 14 other states have similar laws. We held a news conference to share our plans as veteran Mike McKenna’s Windward Ford offices and many veterans showed their support.

“This will help a lot,” said Wietecha, who returned from Iraq in 2004. “It’s hard to start, shut down, and start again after 15 months. This will help companies get back on track.”

Wietecha also explained that the legislation will also be of great help to the veterans’ families, who are also affected by deployment.

In addition to supporting other veterans with his business, Wietecha also offers people with special needs the opportunity to volunteer with his company and learn new skills.

It is veterans like Mr. Wietecha who give of themselves to our country and our community that we want to help with this legislation. The bill would give a 4.5 percent preference for a veteran-owned business, and a 5 percent preference if a veteran were service disabled.

“This is near and dear to my heart,” says David Bateman, a veteran and owner of Heavenly Hawaii Farm, which produces Kona Coffee. “To help returning and retired veterans to work in our economy. We want to thank our veterans.”

According to the 2007 Census, there are 10,000 veteran-owned businesses in Hawaii. One out of seven business owners in the nation are veterans, which translates to 2.4 million veteran-owned companies.

Rep. Gene Ward (R) pointed out that one in five people in Hawaii are related to someone in the military and that Hawaii has the most military in the state.

As a Navy wife, the grand daughter of a Pearl Harbor attack survivor, and a board member of U.S. Vets, issues affecting our veterans are important to me. Other legislative issues I plan to work on this session include re-opening an emergency room on the Leeward side, agriculture, cyber crime, and emergency preparedness.

Rep. Kymberly Marcos Pine, R-District 43 (‘Ewa Beach, Iroquois Point, Pu‘uloa), serves as the Minority Floor Leader in the State House. To contact her, call (808) 586-9730 or email [email protected].