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Economy main
issue for voters

A poll shows education and a
candidate's record are other
voter concerns

Hannemann and Harris debate

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By Gordon Y.K. Pang and Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

The economy is far and away the main issue on the minds of Oahu voters this mayoral election season.

A candidate's qualifications were a distant second.

And while education is not normally a city function, some voters like the idea that the two main candidates for mayor have been touting school-related initiatives.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jeremy Harris is receiving higher ratings for his job performance.

Those are the latest results of a Honolulu Star-Bulletin/NBC Hawaii News 8 poll conducted Sept. 5-9 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. of Washington, D.C.

Respondent Frank Gomes, 64, said he thinks the mayor can have a direct impact on the economy.

"I work in the area of construction," said Gomes, a St. Louis Heights resident and a Harris supporter. "We need to take a good look at opening city projects. We hire a lot of people, and if there aren't enough projects, there are no jobs."

About 37 percent of women rated the economy as the top campaign issue. Only 21 percent of men thought economy was the priority.

Overall, 26 percent chose a candidate's qualifications and record as the top issue.

The economy was overwhelmingly the key issue for respondents identifying themselves as Filipinos and Hawaiians. Those identifying themselves as Japanese ranked the economy second to the candidates' integrity.

Some respondents also would like the city to do more about education, which is normally a function of the state. That should bode well with Harris and mayoral challenger Mufi Hannemann, who both have pushed education initiatives.

"There is a whole lot they can do on education," said Mary Whitson, 35, of Pearl City, who works in a public elementary school. "The teachers are underpaid and the students are in inadequate facilities."

On the issue of job performance, 69 percent of Oahu voters said they think Harris has done either an excellent or good job as mayor.

The "excellent" rating more than doubled from February 1999, while the "good" rating also rose sharply. Correspondingly, the number of people who gave the mayor fair and poor marks dropped markedly.

Oahu residents at Ala Moana Center last night appeared in line with those numbers.

"As far as an overall administrator, he's doing pretty good," said Mandy Day, 61, of Ewa Beach and a federal corrections officer who described Harris' job performance as excellent.

"Harris seems to be doing a good job," said Barbara Mirasol, 56, a Nuuanu teacher. "He's opened up a lot more parks, like the soccer park. If you treat the children right, they'll do OK. Keep them out of trouble and keep them striving for goals."

Others were not so favorable. Kapahulu student Cynthia Ha, 22, gave Harris a fair job rating. "It's like he's just wasting our money."