[ OUR OPINION ]
FINAL chapters have yet to be written for some important stories of the past year, while others sagas are just beginning. Answers to vital questions ranging from peace and prosperity in the world to the operation of local governments under a new Republican state administration and a mostly new City Council were left dangling at the close of 2002. Fiscal and terrorist
problems remain in ’03
THE ISSUE Many new political players will have to tackle matters handed over from last year.
Last January, President Bush spoke of Iraq, Iran and North Korea as "an axis of evil" threatening the rest of the world with "the world's most dangerous weapons." Saddam Hussein denied possessing weapons of mass destruction, and United Nations inspectors now are searching for evidence of chemical, biological or nuclear weaponry throughout Iraq. North Korea has brazenly reopened a nuclear facility that it had agreed to shut down eight years ago, accusing the United States of "creating an atmosphere of pressure" necessitating violation of the agreement.
The Bush administration now minimizes the potential threat from North Korea while it gears up for military action against Iraq. The White House estimated early last year that such a war would cost as much as $200 billion; it now pegs the price at $60 billion -- less than the cost of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, which was shared with numerous allies.
At the same time, although numerous security precautions have been taken at great expense, the Homeland Security Department has yet to be assembled and the United States remains vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Many Americans who support the war against terrorism are rightfully dubious about the U.S. waging a separate war against Iraq without U.N. authority and as part of a broad coalition.
As the president talks of cutting taxes, the nation's governors moan about "the most dire fiscal situation since World War II," describing nearly every state as being "in fiscal crisis." With a tourism industry still struggling to recover from the East Coast terrorist attacks of more than a year ago, Hawaii shares that grim plight.
Linda Lingle has begun steps in her first month as the state's chief executive to make state government more open to the public and friendlier to business. During her campaign, she proposed various methods of reducing the tax burden on Hawaii's individuals and businesses while achieving goals of "good schools, a strong economy and a government that the public can trust and respect."
Trust and respect may be the most attainable of those goals in the year ahead. Economic strength is likely to depend upon events beyond Lingle's control.
Mayor Harris and the City Council, with six new members and only three carry-overs, face a similar problem -- a staggering $160 million budget deficit and a decision about whether to cut services or raise property taxes to achieve a balanced budget. They can find some relief in the departure of former members embroiled in scandals that tarnished the entire Council.
The only certainty about 2003 at all levels of government is the continuing challenge of adhering to fiscal responsibility while preparing to ward off potential attacks from abroad.
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Published by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.Don Kendall, Publisher
Frank Bridgewater, Editor 529-4791; fbridgewater@starbulletin.com
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Lucy Young-Oda, Assistant Editor 529-4762; lyoungoda@starbulletin.comMary Poole, Editorial Page Editor, 529-4748; mpoole@starbulletin.com
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