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On Politics Richard Borreca |
Lingle offers hopeful
vision of new sessionAt least three times in the last week Governor Lingle was asked what she thought would be the result of the current legislative session.
All three times Lingle responded that "it is going to be fabulous." By the third "fabulous," however, she prefaced it by adding that she was standing in opposition to "some cynics" who think the session will be without any major accomplishments.
Here's why the governor thinks that there will be a sudden cease-fire in the guerrilla warfare that has raged between the Democratic legislative majority and the Republican administration: Productivity will result in better campaign ammunition this fall.
Lingle reasons that if there is movement on education reform and drug control then everyone will be able to share the credit and go into the campaign season with some thing to show the voters.
So far both sides have been careful not to corner their opposition. Lingle, for instance, did a modified retreat this week on her initial reaction to the Legislature's exhaustively detailed plan to combat crystal methamphetamine. The report was weighted heavily toward education, prevention and treatment with a $22 million price tag and did not include the increased police powers that Lingle wanted.
Her first reaction was to say "you cannot throw money at the problem," but in later comments Lingle said much of the Legislature's plan was worthwhile.
The Legislature and Lingle also seem to have a lot of points that match up when it comes to reforming public education. On the surface both sides are for decentralization, accountability and more authority lower down the educational food chain. In reality, Lingle and the Legislature are in sharp disagreement about how much money to give to education and stripping the central Department of Education of its statewide authority.
Finally, the biggest challenge for Lingle and the Legislature is the looming public employee pay raises. The governor last week called the union's request a "budget buster" in light of current projections. Right now the state is expecting to have only a $3.5 million surplus next year. The only reason the national bond firms haven't sent a warden out to lock the treasury doors is that for accounting purposes the $30 million in the hurricane fund and other money in the rainy day fund count towards the surplus.
For Lingle, the infuriating catch is that even the old conservative state budget projections show a $500 million surplus two years down the road, but reportedly the unions and the state are unable to fashion a long-term contract that is back-loaded with the big pay raises coming two or three years from now.
The political jujitsu of the Legislature, however, gives campaign ammunition not only to those who accomplish the most but to those who protest the loudest, and this session is already pumping up the volume.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Richard Borreca writes on politics every Sunday in the Star-Bulletin. He can be reached at 525-8630 or by e-mail at rborreca@starbulletin.com.