BUSINESS BRIEFS
Jobs opening up at Census Bureau
Advertiser Staff and News Services
The U.S. Census Bureau says it is looking to hire hundreds of census takers and other employees in Hawai'i in preparation for the 2010 census.
The bureau needs to have 3,500 applicants by Feb. 13 to help count Hawai'i's more than 1 million people. The Census Bureau said it is looking particularly for census takers who can canvass the neighborhoods in which they live.
The pay ranges from $12.75 an hour to $18.50 an hour for a variety of jobs from 20 hours to 40 hours a week. The minimum term of employment for census takers is six to eight weeks, with the option to extend the term. Office jobs may last as long as one year, with an option to extend.
For more information, call 866-861-2010 or 535-0902, or visit www.2010censusjobs.gov.
UPDATED WEB SITE AIDS TAXPAYERS
The state Department of Taxation said it is updating its Web site to make it easier for taxpayers to complete the general excise periodic tax form online.
Starting Jan. 5, taxpayers who fill out Form G-45 will find that the new version will perform the math calculation for taxpayers who fill out the form electronically, or use the "Web-fillable" version of the form.
The tax department said the new feature eliminates about 90 percent of the errors made by taxpayers.
To fill out the form electronically, go to www.hawaii.gov/tax and click on "E-Services." Users will need to register to use the service. Once completed, the form can be filed electronically.
To complete the Web-fillable form, go to www.hawaii.gov/tax and click on "Forms." Next click on "Alphabetical List," then the letter "G," and scroll down to the Form G-45 entry and click on "General Excise/Use Tax Return (Rev. 2008 - Calculated)." Once completed, the form can be printed out and mailed in.
HAWTEL EXTENDS FREE-PHONE DRIVE
Hawaiian Telcom said it is extending its free-phone program for its residential customers through the end of February.
The phones, which have cords, do not rely on household electricity to work.
"In light of the recent islandwide power outage, we have decided to extend the program for another two months to ensure that all eligible customers have time to pick up their phones from a Hawaiian Telcom retail store," said Craig Inouye, Hawaiian Telcom senior vice president for sales.
The corded telephones work on the low-level electrical current provided from Hawaiian Telcom central offices, which have backup power systems in case of emergencies. The phones can be picked up at all Hawaiian Telcom outlets.
For more information, visit www.hawaiiantel.com.
HOKU SOLAR POWER I LLC LAUNCHED
A subsidiary of Hoku Scientific Inc. and United Fund Advisors is launching an investment company that will provide financing for photovoltaic power systems to be installed and operated by the Hoku unit in Hawai'i.
Hoku Solar Inc. will use the investment company to finance a previously announced agreement with the state Department of Transportation to install and operate photovoltaic power systems at state airports.
The investment company, called Hoku Solar Power I LLC, will sell the electricity generated by the photovoltaic systems to the DOT at a predetermined rate over a contract period of 20 years.
Hoku and UFA confirmed that the financing is expected to be sufficient for Hoku to complete all seven planned photovoltaic installations at DOT facilities on Kaua'i, Maui and the Big Island, a total of nearly 1 megawatt of clean solar power.
