Say may be next speaker,
some legislators say

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

House Finance Chairman Calvin Say has emerged as a compromise candidate to replace House Speaker Joe Souki, several House members said today.

And majority Democrats are not only wrestling with who to place in the leadership lineup but how that process should proceed, they added.

Meanwhile, in the 25-member Senate, which has 23 Democrats, veteran lawmaker Norman Mizuguchi (D, Aiea) appears to have the votes to remain as president.

But the question many have is whether he will retain the chamber's much-criticized system of committee co-leaderships. If he doesn't, that may mean the number of panels may have to be expanded to give Democrats committees to head.

Former Senate Co-Majority Leader Mike McCartney has said that the system could remain in place for just the major panels -- the Judiciary, Consumer Protection and money committees.

In the House, some members, like Rep. Alex Santiago (D, Pupukea), believe that there should be open nominations with secret balloting to determine the leaders of the 51-member chamber, which has 39 Democrats, rather than the "old-style" of candidates for the speaker's position rounding up votes by offering perks such as committee chairmanships.

But others contend that it is important to know what an entire leadership slate looks like, since a committee chairman could emerge by election who is not in tune with what the speaker might want.

House Democrats were scheduled to meet today in a caucus called by Souki (D, Wailuku).

The meeting, said Rep. Nestor Garcia (D, Waipahu), "won't be a coronation of Say. It'll be where we put our cards on the table. We'll get a determination who is where and where is all of this going to go."

Since Say (D, Palolo) is a longtime friend and ally of Souki's, he has to move delicately, Garcia said.

"He can't come over as the heavy. He does owe something to Joe," Garcia added.

"Loyalty is the currency politicians trade in. Without that, there is nothing."

Say could not be reached for comment this morning.

Rep. Kenny Goodenow (D, Waimanalo), a member of Say's Finance panel, said Say launched his candidacy for House leader after it became apparent that Souki did not have the 26 votes needed to remain as speaker and that dissidents also could not reach a majority.

Say does not want to have the sort of standoff that took place in 1996 when it took weeks for the House to organize for the 1997 session, Goodenow said.

Both Goodenow, who backs Say, and Garcia, who is uncommitted at this point, had much praise for Say.

Say, who is known for his calm demeanor, is open with his colleagues, the news media and the public, they said.

Souki's leadership has been damaged by his backing of a general excise tax increase, which many members did not favor, and by his opposition to a bill that would limit the compensation of Bishop Estate trustees.

Souki ended up on the losing side of both issues.