Cayetano’s camp
attacks Lingle’s
‘Maui Model’

But the GOP candidate says
the governor's figures on
Maui taxes and bankruptcies
are false

By Richard Borreca
Star-Bulletin

Gov. Ben Cayetano's campaign went on the attack today, saying there was more to Republican Mayor Linda Lingle's "Maui Model" than the public realizes.

Ann Kobayashi, a Cayetano re-election committee co-chairwoman, said that while a positive impression has been created about the economy on Maui, there are more facts.

Maui, she said, has the highest rate of bankruptcy, the highest rate of foreclosures and is the only county that hasn't seen a double-digit reduction in the average property tax rate.

"We felt it is important that the facts are out," Kobayashi said.

"We aren't knocking anything she is saying . . . we just feel the voters need the whole story," she said.

Kobayashi said today's mid-morning news conference about the "Maui Model" wasn't negative campaigning.

"It is up to the voters to decide - ours is a positive campaign. We aren't going to be going into the mud slinging; we are very positive we are just presenting facts."

In response, Lingle said the Cayetano figures were false and misleading.

"You can see that this is a ridiculously false statement and drags the campaign down to a low level," she said.

Lingle said Maui County has several different features in its property tax base that make it difficult to compare with other counties. For instance, it has a "circuit breaker" which limits home-owners' property taxes to 3 percent of their adjusted gross income.

Lowell Kalapa, executive director of the Hawaii Tax Foundation, which the Cayetano campaign quoted in its news conference, also said it was misleading to use average property tax rates as a comparison.

"These figures don't make any sense at all, they should not be using average rates," Kalapa said.

"They don't understand what average rates mean."

Lingle said it was also incorrect to say that Maui had the highest rate of bankruptcies because the latest figures show that Kauai has more bankruptcy filings.

"Maui is a part of this state and suffered from the lack of vision and overregulation as the rest of state," Lingle said.

"I think he (Cayetano) needs to look how far down he has taken us and concentrate on his own vision for the future."

Kobayashi said the Cayetano campaign would start to lay out its own program, but also wanted to clear the field as the campaign starts.

"We have so many specific accomplishments to discuss with Hawaii's people," she said.

"We don't have to resort to general claims, half-truths, innuendo, and misdirection," Kobayashi said.

Last night, Cayetano started a more-public phase of his re-election campaign with a $25 per person rally at the Blaisdell Center.

Campaign officials estimated that more than 4,000 attended.

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Maui harbor plan sparks
hot dispute for residents

Expanding Maalaea Harbor would
protect boaters but destroy
a reef and surf spot

By Gary T. Kubota
Star-Bulletin

KIHEI, Maui -- Boat owner Robert Luuwai fears that without improvements, more boats will be damaged and people injured from ocean surges at Maalaea Harbor.

But reef fisherman Charley Villalon says the proposal will destroy 4.8-acres of reef, killing fish and limu -- food he and other native Hawaiians gather for their family.

"When you take our food source from our table, you got some angry Hawaiians," Villalon said.

The two were among residents testifying about the proposed expansion of the harbor at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' hearing last night attended by more than 275 people.

Corps officials are reviewing several expansion alternatives for the 89-berth harbor, which range from a 125-berth harbor for $6.4 million, to a 220-berth harbor for $9.3 million.

Officials say the $9.3 million alternative has the highest economic benefit and would protect boats from ocean surges. But they say it would destroy 4.8-acres of reef, a surfing site called "Off the Wall," and a small sandy beach.

Army Col. Ralph Graves, head of the Army Corps of Engineers in Hawaii, said a decision will be made in August or September about whether to proceed with the expansion.

The state is expected to pay about 20 percent of the construction cost, with the federal government contributing the remainder, the corps said.

Corps officials say the proposed expansion is not expected to affect endangered humpback whales and Hawksbill turtles, or the surfing site known as the "Maalaea Pipeline."

Sierra Club-Hawaii officials said the destruction of the reef and a surfing site was unacceptable as a development alternative.

David Frankel, the group's executive director, said the lack of government enforcement in preventing recent siltation at the harbor points out there is no guarantee that development will occur as proposed.

Some native Hawaiians said the harbor was built in the wrong place because of strong south swells.

"No matter what you build to divert the swells you cannot stop the power of the sea," said Charles Maxwell.

Luuwai, also a native Hawaiian, disagreed. He said improvements were needed for the safety of boaters, especially during storms.