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REPUBLICAN Rep. Galen Fox is grumbling that supporters of publicly financed elections are missing the point. Fox backs plan to limit
campaign contributionsFox backs a plan supported by Bob Watada, state Campaign Spending Commission executive director, that limits contributions and bans donations from corporations and unions.
The bill would also prohibit fund-raising during the legislative session, which is the practice in many other states, Fox said.
He asked that campaign contributions be limited to $1,000 per election, about half of what legislators can now collect.
Democrats in the House, however, are supporting a bill to permit candidates in the next City Council election to qualify for public money if they agree to limit their own fund-raising. That proposal is stalled in the Senate.
CONFUSING TERMS:
An obscure change in the state election rules could be causing trouble for the state Senate.The Constitution requires a reapportionment of legislative districts in 2001. To accomplish that, the 14 candidates winning this year will get only two-year terms. In 2002, all 25 Senate seats will be open for election.
But, according to the Constitution, senators elected this year to a two-year term can run for a four-year term in 2002 to re-establish the staggered term system, under which half of the 25 senators run every two years.
Confusing as that seems, what it means is that those incumbents re-elected in 2002 to the 13 Senate seats up for election this year would get four-year terms. But successful challengers would only get two-year terms.
It is not likely that the legislature will have enough time to remedy the situation this year.s
RUNNING MAN:
Leeward Coast Councilman John DeSoto told supporters at a fund-raiser last week that he likely will run for lieutenant governor in 2002.DeSoto's fourth term as a Council member runs out in 2002 and a new rule taking effect that year bars him from seeking re-election again.
DeSoto, 52, said he would be a strong advocate for children's rights and small business as lieutenant governor.
He said that during his Council term, including several years as chairman, he's been known for being able to "bring people together."
A Democrat and small businessman, he is the son of A. Frenchy DeSoto, a trustee of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Senators are preparing a new version of proposed changes to the state's collective-bargaining and civil service laws. Senate to offer civil service compromise
Associated PressSenate conferees told their House counterparts they will present them with a compromise bill early this week that they hope will bridge the gap between the two sides on how to change the way government hires, compensates and evaluates its workers.
Senate Labor Chairman Bob Nakata wouldn't say what the new draft will contain, but said it likely would only repackage parts of the proposals already submitted by the Senate, House and Gov. Ben Cayetano.
"We don't want to (release) it piecemeal, because then we're going to get everyone excited," said Nakata (D, Kahuku-Heeia-Kaneohe).
"I think we will come up with significant items. Most of it is " in the existing proposals, he said.
Rep. Dwight Takamine, chairman of the House Finance Committee, said the goal is to make government more efficient and responsive to the public while balancing the interests of the state and the public worker unions.
WINNERS
Cal Kawamoto: The senator is winning two battles: First, he's extracting a compromise to strictly regulate fireworks; second, he's holding a bill to allow public money to be used for political campaigns.
LOSERS
This feature by Richard Borreca runs
Mondays throughout the legislative session.
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