Proposed recess
draws heavy fire

The five-day break would enable more
discussion on task force recommendations

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

A resolution asking for a five-day legislative recess so lawmakers can review economic revitalization plans with the public gave the Senate's dissident faction a chance to openly vent at the chamber's leadership.

Sen. Randall Y. Iwase (D, Mililani), who heads a group of majority members challenging Senate President Norman Mizuguchi (D, Aiea), said yesterday lawmakers know more than anyone else that the community wants action now to resolve the struggling state economy. Iwase said taking a recess from legislative action is not the answer and criticized leadership for deferring bills that could promote economic recovery.

"Everyone in this chamber knows just how angry the public is," he said on the Senate floor. "And everyone in this chamber knows we'd better damn well go home with something to improve this economy, or we are not going to be coming back."

Half the Senate and all House members are up for re-election this fall.

Minority Floor Leader Sam Slom (R, Hawaii Kai) urged members to reject Senate Concurrent Resolution 42, saying there's been enough talk about the Economic Revitalization Task Force's recommendations and that action must be taken.

"I don't think the public wants us to go into another five-day recess, and I don't think we need to have more community meetings on the ERTF, because we've already had more than 19 town community meetings," Slom said.

Human Resources Co-Chairwoman Suzanne Chun Oakland (D, Nuuanu) said the resolution -- which passed first reading yesterday and is now before the Senate Ways and Means Committee -- is a response from the social services sector for a say in the task force recommendations.

Chun Oakland said leaders in the health and human services fields felt proposals were moving too quickly, and wanted assurances that whatever passes does not hurt those who can't help themselves.

Majority Floor Leader Mike McCartney (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe) said the resolution arose because the social services community felt a recess would give it a chance to engage with economic power brokers in the legislature.

Despite the criticism, the Senate leadership is ready for bold and tough decisions, he said.

"It's easy to throw stones," McCartney said.

"It's much harder to take those stones and build a house. And that's what we're committed to do."

Iwase ally Sen. Norman Sakamoto (D, Moanalua-Salt Lake) said the Senate should quickly pass bills they can agree on and save the ones they can't for last, such as those dealing with tax increases.

"Let's start putting down the foundation, and don't keep the stones on the side," Sakamoto said.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Joseph M. Souki (D, Wailuku) said the House intends to finish its work on time and didn't see any reason for the recess.

"If we can reach a point where we can pass all the measures out, I don't see why the Senate with 25 (members) can't do the same," Souki said.

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Hey, don’t blame me,
governor says of bill

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

While Gov. Ben Cayetano came under attack yesterday from his Republican opponents for a House bill limiting campaign donations they say greatly benefits him, he again insisted that he's not the mastermind behind the measure.

Cayetano said the idea came out of a discussion with Senate President Norman Mizuguchi (D, Aiea) and House Speaker Joe Souki (D, Wailuku), when they accompanied him on a trip last month to San Francisco to talk to officials from the nation's two top bond rating services.

"I can't remember who brought the idea up," he said. "What difference does it make? We're getting away from what the bill is intended to do."

The bill is aimed at preventing individuals from skirting the $6,000 campaign contribution limit by funneling money through a political party that would then be passed on to a candidate. So the $6,000 individual contribution limit would apply also to political parties.

But here's what Cayetano said in two interviews Wednesday about the bill's genesis:

"We're not the invisible hand. But it's a great idea."

"We talked to the (House) speaker and the Senate president about it and, you know, put the thought in their heads and they moved forward with it."

Yesterday, Maui Mayor Linda Lingle, a GOP challenger for the governorship, said: "They are arrogant to try something like this, but not brave enough to pass it. It is not going to stop me, but it changes the rules in the middle of the game and it is not fair."

She and her supporters maintain that Cayetano, who has nearly $2.3 million in his campaign coffers, isn't counting on any funds from the Democratic National Committee, which is in debt.

Lingle, who has about one-eighth of the funds that Cayetano has, said earlier this week she's counting on funds from the Republican National Committee.

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LEGISLATURE UPDATE

A calendar of tomorrow's hearings:

HOUSE

None scheduled.

SENATE

None scheduled.