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Water Ways Ray Pendleton |
Rep. Case seems to get
privatizationDid you listen to Mike Buck's radio talk show on Tuesday?
While interviewing U.S. Rep. Ed Case, Buck asked for his opinion on Hawaii's crumbling recreational boating infrastructure, as well as the recent offer to the counties from Department of Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young to take over the management and operations of their islands' small boat harbors.
As to Hawaii's lack of adequate infrastructure, Case observed that we have never appreciated our situation (as a potential boating Mecca), so most public officials haven't focused on how to improve it.
Regarding the state transferring its responsibility for its marinas to the counties, Case told Buck that most other locales don't have Hawaii's situation of state-operated marinas and that we would probably be better off having our marinas run by the counties.
Case also noted that any move to let private companies operate our marinas has been obstructed by a number of present harbor users who have had a really good deal. And yet, he said, private marinas, like the Kaneohe Yacht Club, may provide the best facilities.
This was all a pleasant surprise, as it came from a politician in the Democratic Party, rather than the GOP that one usually relates with efforts to downsize government.
It would appear Case understands the relationship between recreational boating and public officials in Hawaii. He might even agree with my comparison of our bureaucrats with those stone statues on Easter Island that all look inland, rather than toward the sea.
How else to explain our island state having fewer registered boats than any of the other 49 states, or its letting what few public boating facilities we have fall into such an appalling state of disrepair?
Case is absolutely correct that there are many examples throughout the country of county governments, or even cities, successfully overseeing marinas, but it's unlikely there are any states doing so.
And, I would add that most of those local governments, sooner or later, undertake lease negotiations with private marina operators. This allows those entities to share in the revenues generated without running the marinas themselves.
It has been repeatedly shown nationwide, and particularly in Hawaii, that government lacks the expertise to operate marinas. Consequently, at least elsewhere, they have been leasing out the management to the private sector.
Additionally, I doubt boaters would see much difference in a county-operated marina compared with the present situation. For example, can anyone really notice a distinction between the potholes in our state highways and those in our county roads?
Case apparently used the Kaneohe Yacht Club as an example of a private marina because Buck was broadcasting from there, but it may not have been the most appropriate example since private clubs bring membership into the equation.
Although it's been universally accepted that boat, fishing or yacht clubs have a place in most well-rounded marinas, when membership in any of them hinges on acceptance by ballot, I question they should have control over an entire marina.
Still, I think Case's point was clear. In comparing marinas around the state, it would be impossible to find anything in the public sector that measures up to our islands' yacht clubs, or a private marina like Ko Olina.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Ray Pendleton is a free-lance writer based in Honolulu.
His column runs Saturdays in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at raypendleton@mac.com.