Harris to
run for gov

He challenges Hirono for
Democrats' support in 2002

Hannemann, Fasi, Bainum for mayor

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
and Rosemarie Bernardo
Star-Bulletin

The speculation is over: Mayor Jeremy Harris will resign to run for governor next year.

Harris' announcement yesterday sets the stage for a free-for-all, post-Ben Cayetano gubernatorial race pitting Harris against Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, a fellow Democrat, in a primary election. The winner likely will face Hawaii Republican Party Chairwoman Linda Lingle.

It is also expected to trigger a series of announcements as candidates scramble to run for mayor and the other seats that might free up as a result.

"I think that I have a contribution to make," Harris said. "I think we have a lot of opportunity. I think the types of things we've accomplished in the city are the same types of things that can be accomplished at the state level."

Micah Kane, executive director for the Hawaii Republican Party, said, "He's not been in office for more than six months (since his re-election).

"His personal priorities are more important than serving the people in the City and County of Honolulu."

Harris said his main issue will be to improve the state's education system.

"While everyone has talked about it, no one has put the resources to match the rhetoric, and it's time that we did," the mayor said. "That means providing resources for facilities, for technology, for equipment and for teachers."

Harris said that in general, he supports pay raises for teachers. But he refused to speculate if there would be a strike if he were governor today, stating he did not know enough of the details being negotiated.

The mayor has not supported -- although he has not blocked -- increases for city workers in the Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers. But he says it is not inconsistent for him to lend support to teachers.

"Why in the world that people think that the refuse workers and the city planners and the police officers and the teachers all need the same salary negotiations is ridiculous," Harris said. "They all need to be considered separately. And when you look at the teaching profession, it's clear both at the (Department of Education) and at the university that they're underpriced."

Harris said he will be able to succeed in improving the education system where others have failed because he has increased police, fire and other services in the wake of shrinking property taxes.

"I think I've demonstrated I can get the job done, not just talk about it," he said.

Another key platform will be one he has been stressing over the past several years: improving the economy.

"I think our destiny is to be a center for knowledge-based technology for the Asia-Pacific region," Harris said. "We need to tap into the global economy and not be so dependent on tourism and military spending."

Melding the city's transportation plans such as the Bus Rapid Transit system and an electric tram with state resources is a third issue, he said.

Harris has been mayor since Frank Fasi resigned to run for governor in 1994. As his then-managing director, Harris became mayor.

That September, he won a special election to fill the last two years of Fasi's term. Harris then won re-election in 1996 and again last fall.

An announcement is being made now because "it's going to take between now and next September to mount the campaign, get organized, raise the funds, develop a neighbor island organization, so I have to make my intents clear before I can go out and ask people to support my candidacy."

Harris, 50, refused to call himself a front-runner but said polls show him ahead.

Cayetano was informed of his decision, but he did not ask for an endorsement, nor was one given, the mayor said.

Harris made it clear that his strategy, at least early on, will be to aim for Lingle and the Republican Party, not Hirono.

While the mayor's seat is a nonpartisan one, Harris wants it clear he is a Democrat, calling the new administration of President Bush appalling. Not only have environmental policies regressed, he said, but "our economy is in shambles."

Of Hirono, Harris said: "She's a talented woman. I certainly don't have anything negative to say about her. I think she's made it clear she wants to run."

Harris said he has no preference for a lieutenant governor running mate. Councilman John DeSoto and Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Clayton Hee, both Democrats, said last night they will probably run.

DeSoto said he made the decision a year ago to run for lieutenant governor. He said he can work with either Harris or Hirono.

DeSoto has been on the Council since 1986, including time as chairman in the mid-1990s.

Hee noted that he received 156,000 votes in his statewide race last fall, highest among OHA candidates and second statewide only to U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. He added that he will have completed three four-year terms by 2002. "That's a long time, and I've made my contributions to the office."

Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura has also been rumored to be a likely candidate for lieutenant governor, but he refused to comment last night.

"As the Council chair, I'm more focused with the work that's right in front of me," he said.

To run for governor, Harris will have to resign as mayor by July 2002.

He said he expects Managing Director Ben Lee to fill in as acting mayor until a special election is held that September to determine who would fill the remaining two years on his term. Lee said he does not intend to run for mayor.

Former Mayor Frank Fasi, Councilman Duke Bainum and former Councilman Mufi Hannemann, who challenged Harris two years ago, said last night they intend to run in the special election for mayor.

---

Hannemann, Fasi,
Bainum will run
for Honolulu mayor

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
and Rosemarie Bernardo
Star-Bulletin

And then there were three.

Three major contenders emerged for the office of Honolulu mayor within hours of Mayor Jeremy Harris' announcement yesterday afternoon that he will step down to run for governor in 2002.

Former Councilman Mufi Hannemann, current Councilman Duke Bainum and former Mayor Frank Fasi all said they will run for the top post at Honolulu Hale.

Hannemann, who lost to Harris last September, said he and his campaign staff had anticipated the mayor would be leaving.

"It's not like we're starting from scratch," Hannemann said. "But we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us."

Bainum, a Council member since 1994 and a state legislator before that, also was not hesitant to announce his intentions.

"I've had six years of experience at City Hall and been hard-working on the issues," Bainum said. "I think I have the knowledge of government, temperament and abilities to make Honolulu even a better place to live, work and play."

Fasi, who served 20 years as mayor and was replaced by Harris when he resigned to run for governor, said he is also ready.

Fasi finished third behind Harris and Hannemann last September.

Fasi said he likes both Hannemann and Bainum and think both are qualified but feels his experience will make him more attractive to voters.

Harris has until July 2002 to resign as mayor to run for governor.

Assuming that scenario, a winner-take-all special election would be held in September to fill the last two years left on Harris' term.