Gov. Abercrombie, himself a kupuna at age 74, gave a big shout-out to Hawaii’s senior citizens in his big speech Tuesday. Excerpts:

As we look to the future, we must never forget where we came from, and to whom we owe our gratitude. Those that came before us, sacrificed to help build our state, and create the foundation upon which we stand today.  

To those that have long contributed to our society, we owe much, and we should not ignore their needs. 

I will be asking the Legislature to increase the Kupuna Care budget by $4.2 million and make it permanent. Senior advocates should not have to come back year after year to secure their funding.  

By being part of the permanent base for the Department of Health and the Executive Office on Aging, we can allow programs to properly plan and rely upon a steady stream of funding. This should be seen as an investment that will pay immediate dividends as the aging population of Hawaii both grows in numbers and lives longer.