Confirmation of state transportation chief likely
Barry Fukunaga appears headed for confirmation as state transportation director, with the Senate Transportation Committee unanimously approving his nomination yesterday.
Fukunaga had been deputy director in charge of state harbors from 2004 to 2007 and was the former city enterprise services director. He also served as the state airport director.
At yesterday's hearing, Fukunaga -- a former Air Force officer who piloted B-52 bombers during the Vietnam War -- was sharply questioned by Sen. Donna Mercado Kim about why no one had told the public that Rod Haraga, former transportation director, had been stripped of his authority by Gov. Linda Lingle.
"None of us knew. We all thought that Haraga was making all the decisions," said Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa).
Fukunaga said Haraga had "embellished" his description of his loss of power and was not "stripped of power."
But Fukunaga said when he made the decision to allow the Hawaii Superferry to proceed without an environmental impact statement, it was up to Haraga to object if he wanted it stopped.
"If he felt that he was not being considered or he was being stripped of his powers, I would say he relinquished that authority on his own.
"It was certainly not something I would have done," Fukunaga said.
Lingle's chief of staff, Bob Awana, had said that Haraga's deputies met with him for the last 18 months of Haraga's tenure as transportation director.
Yesterday, Fukunaga said he would be his own boss when Kim asked, "Are we really confirming you as director, or will your deputies be making the decisions?"
"I can only say I would not relinquish my authority in the way Rod did, and I am certainly in charge of the department and my deputies know that," Fukunaga said.