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IN AND AROUND THE CAPITOL
Government watchers
get a boostCampaign reform boost
By Rosemarie Bernardo
Teacher-testing response tepid
Briefly...
Star-BulletinAnyone can keep track of bills going through the Legislature via the telephone or home computer or by going to the public access room at the state Capitol.
Lobbyist Dorothy Bobilin made it clear that without the staff members and resources of the public access room, an individual wouldn't know how to get involved.
At first, Bobilin, president of Hawaii's Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, was unfamiliar with tracking a bill on the computer. "They provide so much service," she said about staffers who coached her through the steps. Bobilin now recommends public access room workshops that orient people with legislative Internet sites, writing effective testimony and understanding documents.
"It has really made a difference in making us more effective."
This legislative session marks the 10th anniversary of the public access room. Last year, 4,000 people visited while 8,000 callers sought assistance. Staffers received 500 messages via e-mail.
"If it wasn't there, we wouldn't have public participation the way we do now," Bobilin said.
Six staff members and two volunteers help people with the materials and answer questions. The Legislature spends $90,000 a year on salaries for staff members and resources the public access room provides for the public.
"This is the only state in the nation that has created a public access room for the citizens' use," said Suzanne Marinelli, public access room manager. "We try to make this a friendly and informal place so people could feel at ease when they come in."
Even if you've never lobbied the Legislature before, the staff can help you testify at the Capitol, said Larry Meacham, executive director of Common Cause.
"I've seen people who come in here who don't know anything about the system," Meacham said. "After a few hours of coaching from the staff, they walk out ready to rock 'n' roll."
Two computers and typewriters are now available to write testimony. Five computers are available to access legislative Web sites.
A bulletin board labeled "Hot Topics" displays hearing dates and room numbers for bills from the state budget and Hawaiian affairs to the environment and transportation. Hard copies of bills are neatly organized in blue and green binders.
To Leilani Gilfoy and Lokelani Liu, the room is like a one-stop shopping center of information.
"To know that there is such a thing as a public access room is quite an advantage," said Gilfoy, who teams up with Liu to look at bills concerning native Hawaiians for Kupuna Unity.
You'll be able to hear -- and see -- the Legislature in action from your computer, if state Sen. Les Ihara has his way. Tuning in via 'Net may be next
Ihara is seeking $34,500 for a pilot project that would put video and audio of lawmakers on the Internet. The project would allow people to watch and listen in on a legislative session at their convenience.
It's part of efforts to bring the Legislature closer to the public; Ihara also is requesting funding of $13,200 for an additional full-time staffer in the state's public access room to meet the heavy workload.
Ihara and Rep. Marcus Oshiro are co-chairmen of the Joint Legislative Access Committee, which oversees the public access room.
Star-Bulletin staff
The Public Access Room
Location: State Capitol, Room 401
- Big Island: 974-4000
- Maui: 984-2400
- Kauai: 274-3141
- Molokai and Lanai: 1-800-
468- 4644
Neighbor islanders, enter ext.
70478 after phone number.
Campaign finance
By Pat Omandam
reformers look
toward 2002
Star-BulletinAdvocates of campaign finance reform legislation are eyeing the Honolulu City Council races in 2002 for a pilot program geared toward loosening the grip special-interest groups have on elected officials.
By allowing public financing of political campaigns in this election, they hope to attract qualified candidates. These advocates say people have avoided public office until now because they either didn't have the money to mount a successful campaign or didn't want to compromise their integrity by
"We're losing the one-person, one-vote aspect of democracy because the special interests are the ones who have the ear of the legislators," according to Laure Dillon, executive director of Hawaii Clean Elections, who said such sweeping reform is needed to restore faith in government.
Will Best, executive director of the Hawaii Elections Project, said only people with a lot of money or access to it really have a legitimate shot at making it into office.
"Steve Forbes can run for office, but you and I don't really have much of a shot," Best said. "I don't think having personal wealth should be a qualification for running for office. I think anyone should be able to if they can generate community support."
Both Dillon and Best are backing House Bill 1879, a clean elections pilot program that has the support of the House majority caucus. Among other things, the measure cites the growing sense of "cynicism and frustration" among the voting public over the practice of raising campaign contributions by candidates and elected officials.
"Currently, there's a perception of decision-making that is influenced by campaign contributions, and whether or not that is the case, I think it's important for us to address that sort of distrust among voters of politicians," said Rep. Brian Schatz (D, Makiki), one of the bill's main supporters.
H.B. 1879 is expected to be heard within the next week by the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill would establish a voluntary pilot program for the nine City Council seats up in 2002. Up to 27 candidates, who must first qualify for public financing, would be able to spend $30,000 in public funds in the primary election and $15,000 in the general elections, if a run-off race is needed.
Candidates can get an additional $5,000 in both elections if their opposition outspends them by $10,000 or more.
Those using public money, however, must agree not to spend any more than the amount given and must keep detailed records and make various reports to the Campaign Spending Commission, which would administer the program. Also, they can't accept loans from any source or private contributions other than in-kind contributions (services, rent, etc.) of less than $100.
Violations of the agreement are costly. If a clean elections candidate spends more than 105 percent of the public funds allocated, the candidate would have to repay the Hawaii elections campaign fund an amount equal to 10 times the total expenditure.
Schatz said the Council races were chosen because Council incumbents are not allowed to run for re-election in 2002. This provides a clean slate to test this kind of campaign reform and see if it will work in Hawaii, he said.
So far, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Arizona have enacted such clean elections programs, although they don't take effect until this election year.
But not all agree this is the right way to do it. Robert Y. Watada, executive director of the Campaign Spending Commission, questions whether this type of reform is needed and says he will oppose the measure.
Watada said the commission has a problem with spending $60,000 of public money for a job that pays $35,000 a year. He said people are going to run for office regardless of whether they have the money.
Moreover, the state already has a partially funded public campaign financing program, in which 49 candidates took part last year.
Instead of the pilot program, Watada wants to see strong reform measures, such as lowering contribution and expenditure limits for campaigns.
Teacher-testing proposal
By Richard Borreca
gets lukewarm response
Star-BulletinA plan by Gov. Ben Cayetano to require testing of all public school teachers does not appear to be gaining much much support at the Legislature.
During his State of the State speech last week, Cayetano called for teacher testing to start by next year. Hawaii needs it, he said because Hawaii is one of only two states that don't require teacher competency testing, and accountability is needed throughout the school system.
But since then, educational officials have stressed that the nine-member state teacher standards board is already busy writing up long-term standards for all teacher.
Teachers who came into the system in the 1997-98 school year, about 1,200, did have to be certified and approximately 165 didn't make it.
Cayetano figures that if one out of 10 new teachers has problems, then a similar ratio must be in the teaching ranks already.
"You need to find a way to find that 10 percent in there and get them up to snuff or get them out," he said in an interview.
But when the review board granted licenses for all teachers who were already certified in 1997, the new licenses were only for five years, so new standards and a new test could come, according to the teacher board's executive director, Sharon Mahoe.
Also Sen. David Ige, chairman of the education committee, says the Department of Education already has the authority to set up standards for teachers.
"Who gets certified is in the hands of the DOE, they are in total control; there doesn't have to be a state law," he said.
Ige added, however, that in areas where there is a need for special skills and an existing lack of teachers, such as in special education classes, or science classes on the neighbor islands, there have been complaints about a lack of standards.
In those areas, he explained, the shortage causes teachers who aren't qualified for a specific subject to be put in the classroom anyway.
"So I am open to considering it," he said.
Although the Cayetano administration has no specific bill on teacher's standards, there is an administration proposal to require the Department of Education to draw up plans for student, school and professional accountability.
Key to the plan, however, is a clause removing all the accountability requirements from union negotiations. In other words, the unions would not be able to bargain teacher standards as part of their contract.
In an interview yesterday, Cayetano explained that this sort of plan has much to do with his remaining two years in office.
"We need to find some ways to measure. For my last couple of years -- that's what we are going to do," he said.
Briefly...
AUDITOR AGAIN:
Hana hou, Marion M. Higa.In a validation of her work, both the House and Senate overwhelming confirmed Higa to another eight-year term as state auditor, beginning July 1.
Higa, who has been with the auditor's office for 29 years, has produced 209 audits since she took over the office in 1992, and they have improved government service, saved the state millions of dollars and improved public confidence, said state Sen. Les Ihara (D, Kaimuki).
Lawmakers said yesterday Higa's "user-friendly" reports have set the standard for the auditor's office. They point to her audit of the Department of Education's now-canceled library-book contract with Baker & Taylor as an example of how her audits can improve government services and save money.
Senate Minority Leader Whitney Anderson (R, Waimanalo) said Higa is a role model for her staff of 33.
"In short, she is what all public servants should be," added House Majority Leader Ed Case (D, Manoa).
WITHIN THEIR MILLIONS:
For the third year, the state Legislature is making do with the same amount of money. Not for the state, but for its own operations.A bill clearing the state House yesterday and now under consideration in the Senate contains no increase in the budgets to run the House and the Senate.
The Senate requested $5,005,794 while the House asked for $7,254,882. "Living within our means is the main reason," Rep. Bertha Kawakami said.
There's also money for legislative support agencies.
Appropriations include: Legislative auditor, $2,019,850; state Ethics Commission, $660,946; special studies and planning, $150,000.
Also, the Legislative Reference Bureau got $2,229,349, which includes the computer systems programming and operations. The ombudsman's office will receive $728,892.
By Star-Bulletin staff
You can track bills, hearings and other Legislature action via: Get involved
Neighbor islanders, call toll-free and enter ext. 70478 after the number:
Big Island, 974-4000; Maui,
984-2400; Kauai, 274-3141;
Molokai and Lanai, 468-4644.
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