Anzai back in
state budget picture

By Mike Yuen
Star-Bulletin

Despite the state Senate's refusal to reconfirm Earl Anzai as budget director, Anzai will continue to have a voice -- perhaps even an influential one -- in shaping the state's financial plan.

That's because Gov. Ben Cayetano, outraged by the Senate's rejection of Anzai and Attorney General Margery Bronster last week, has named Anzai his executive assistant for budgetary matters.

Cayetano said yesterday he also offered to name Bronster a special deputy in the attorney general's office, but she declined.

Asked if he thought Cayetano was making Anzai the state's de facto budget chief, Senate President Norman Mizuguchi laughed. "The governor needs to do what he needs to do in terms of augmenting his particular staff. I have no control over that," said Mizuguchi (D, Aiea).

He has no reason to believe that Cayetano is circumventing the Senate's confirmation vote with his appointment of Anzai, added Mizuguchi, who voted against Anzai and Bronster.

The inability of Anzai and the administration to articulate "a master plan" to improve the state's financial situation and point the state toward economic recovery was one of the reasons why Anzai was ousted, Mizuguchi said. Cayetano said he believed politics was behind Anzai's rejection.

Cayetano said Anzai will be "put on loan" to the Budget Department, where he will be advising Wayne Kimura, his former deputy who has been elevated to acting budget chief.

The assignment, Cayetano said, will last about a year. Anzai's salary will be about what he earned as a Cabinet member, which was $85,302 annually.

"Earl won't be able to sign papers -- but he will still be there to put his input on fiscal matters," he said. "There are very few people who have Earl's ability to understand state financing. That's why he's very, very valuable.

"Earl recognizes that he will not be the director. But he will be offering valuable advice because at some point Earl is going to leave and Wayne is going to take over."