WITH Ben Cayetano, what you see is what you get. When his State of the State address began Monday you knew exactly what was coming. Why Harris should/
should not runThe governor stuck to his controversial tax plan, which lowers income taxes, raises excise taxes and hopes to export most of the increase to tourists.
He again warned state workers that their jobs were not secure.
So for those looking for mystery and intrigue, the focus must be not on Cayetano, but on his potential Democratic rival, Mayor Jeremy Harris.
The number one question is: Will Harris run against Cayetano this fall?
It has been fueled by Harris' own refusal to bow out of the race. First he said he would make a decision by the beginning of the year, then the end of the month. On Monday he changed that to next week.
Such dawdling gives Harris a chance to gauge public reaction to both his State of the City and Cayetano's State of the State speech and then make a decision.
In order to both speed up the process and dispose of six months' worth of notes taken as lobbyists, lawyers, fellow scribes and politicians speculated on the gubernatorial chances of both Harris and Cayetano, here are the top 10 reasons why Jeremy Harris should run for governor:
1) Cayetano's Economic Revitalization Task Force plan. Retirees with $25,000 in pension income would see their overall taxes rise by $329, according to tax consultants.
2) Harris is taller than Cayetano.
3) The Democratic Party needs a consensus-builder like Harris.
4) Cayetano won in 1994 because the general election vote was split three ways. Nearly two-third of the voters wanted someone else.
5) Ramona Harris.
6) A disastrous legislative session will sweep Cayetano away in an anti-incumbent tide.
7) Harris has a better chance of beating GOP candidate Linda Lingle.
8) Harris will get his share of union support, denying Cayetano a united labor vote.
9) If Harris waits, his chances of re-election in 2000 are problematic.
10) The economy.
But, as Cayetano's supporters point out, there are at least 10 reasons why Harris shouldn't run:
1) No one has ever defeated an incumbent Democratic governor in Hawaii.
2) Vicky Cayetano.
3) Harris ran for a four-year term as mayor. Quitting now would make him appear opportunistic and overly ambitious.
4) Cayetano has more campaign money and more sources to tap for extra funds.
5) After serving in the Legislature, as lieutenant governor and governor, Cayetano knows state government better than Harris.
6) If Harris waits, he can easily run for the top job in 2002, without having to buck an incumbent.
7) Cayetano's administration has been relatively scandal free, while Harris' is still haunted by the Ewa Villages arrests and allegations of cost overruns.
8) Cayetano has tapped into a fiscal conservative sentiment that is popular with voters.
9) U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye supports Cayetano.
10) Harris may live in Kalihi, but Cayetano went to Farrington High School.