Newswatch
But a union official agreed with the ruling, issued yesterday, that puts on hold the proposal to delay state paychecks one day a month.
"When you talk about doing something like this, it is a substantial issue," said Joan Husted, negotiator for the Hawaii State Teachers Association's contract talks.
"It is not an issue the government can decide unilaterally. It has to be brought to the table.
"Many teachers live paycheck-to-paycheck as many people do in this community," she said. "Then to say 'delay the paycheck' makes it very difficult. I think that's what the Labor Relations Board recognized in its decision."
The HSTA and the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, the faculty union, had filed a complaint with the Labor Relations Board about the payroll delay proposal.
Anzai said unless the issue is resolved, the decision will leave the state with "a big puka" its new budget, starting July 1.
The administration was counting on a payroll lag to save $47 million to help balance the governor's proposed two-year, $13.6 billion budget.
Matsuura (D, Hilo) wants his successor to be his 33-year-old son, David Matsuura, who has never held public office.
"He's been with me on my political campaigns. He knows my style. He knows what I stand for. He can finish the unfinished business," the veteran lawmaker said.
The elder Matsuura, 64, whose cancer has spread from his pancreas to his liver, met with Gov. Ben Cayetano for 30 minutes yesterday and asked that his son be appointed.
Cayetano declined to discuss Matsuura's request, saying he considered their conversation to be private.
Matsuura, who was in a wheelchair, was wheeled into Cayetano's office by his wife, Dr. Ruth Matsuura, while David Matsuura and a family friend, James Hamano, waited outside.
David Matsuura said he met with Cayetano earlier this week.
The younger Matsuura and regulars at the Capitol believe Cayetano might also be considering state Insurance Commissioner Wayne Metcalf, 44, and Hilo Democratic state Reps. Jerry Chang, 49, and Eric Hamakawa, 32, for the Senate seat.
"He made a great number of proposals as to how we should use state money. I'm almost tempted to go across to the city and tell the city how we should use their money," Cayetano said yesterday, chiding Harris, who some believe may run for governor against Cayetano in 1998.
"The state is not dropping the ball on crime. We have had a plan for over a year on how to expand our prison system without spending $160 million or $170 million to build the equivalent of a Halawa (prison) out at Kulani. We have a plan. If the Legislature provides us with the money - and I think it will - we will be able to build 1,000 beds," Cayetano said.
This, Cayetano added, doesn't include additional beds the state will rent when a new federal prison is built in Honolulu and other plans.
"If he really wants to fight crime, he should let us do what we have to do and he should do what he has to do, which is to support the police and give them the tools they need to get more police on the road. We will provide the prison space," Cayetano asserted.
The governor added: "Set aside the politics. The election is over. Politics will come up in 1998."