Editorials
Tuesday, May 6, 1997DURING a period when cronyism and self-interest permeated state government, Richard Matsuura will be remembered for standing apart from other Hawaii legislators and pressing for reform. His courageous efforts forced the Legislature to correct the politics-as-usual hypocrisies of the system and helped restore public confidence. Matsuura, who died Friday of cancer at age 64, was a model of integrity for past, present and future lawmakers. Richard Matsuura was
legislative standoutMatsuura, who represented Hilo in the House for four years and in the Senate for 12, gained a reputation for his dogged commitment to act in the best interest of his constituents long before most people became aware of his unusual devotion to honesty in government. He was one of the early opponents of the "high three" pension system that allowed former legislators exorbitant retirement benefits if they worked at least three years as city or state administrators. "He was a tiger for issues he believed in," said a fellow Big Island senator, Andy Levin.
That aggressiveness -- Matsuura likened himself to a samurai -- was most pronounced in his attempt in 1993 to get to the bottom of allegations about cronyism in state nonbid contracts. A Senate investigative committee headed by Matsuura uncovered $12 million of nonbid contracts given to a golfing buddy of Yukio Takemoto, then the state's budget director. Takemoto resigned, denying any wrongdoing, after the Star-Bulletin and then-Lt. Gov. Cayetano urged him to step down, and Matsuura was stripped of his committee chairmanship. But the Legislature enacted a new procurement system aimed at eliminating cronyism in state purchases.
The procurement law, although cumbersome, was a positive measure that injected responsible decision-making into state government. It took a person of Matsuura's integrity and tenacity to withstand pressure from the political establishment to adopt changes he proposed, steps that regained public trust.
IN their exuberance to crack down on illegal aliens last year, Congress passed a bill to cut off federal nutrition and disability aid to legal immigrants. President Clinton signed the bill into law despite his opposition to the cutbacks, saying he would try to restore the aid to legal immigrants in future legislation. Justifiably embarrassed by the misdirected welfare-slashing, Clinton and congressional leaders have agreed to undo much of the damage. Aid to immigrants
LAW-ENFORCEMENT agencies are making good progress in learning how to deal with extremist groups, whose violent rhetoric often erupted into gunfire. An armed separatist group in Texas surrendered after a seven-day standoff in the West Texas mountains, dropping its vow to wage an Alamo-style confrontation. The willingness of authorities to embrace the group's juvenile rhetoric was instrumental. The 'Republic' falls
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
