Editorials

Friday, October 26, 2001

Public safety needs
will not diminish

The issue: Security measures will
exact a heavy price on government
budgets over the long haul.

The costs of providing public safety have increased since the September 11 attacks and will likely continue upward for the indefinite future. With tax revenues dropping and demands for aid to stimulate Hawaii's shaken economy and to help the unemployed, it is clear that government dollars will soon be stretched thinner than they already have been.

Governor Cayetano should gather state and county public safety and health leaders to formulate a plan for coordinated services that would eliminate overlapping operations and keep costs down.

Further, ahead of a serious fiscal crisis, state and county leaders should begin a comprehensive review of government functions to get the most out of each tax dollar not only for public safety but for all government programs. The changes in American life that the terrorist attacks have wrought requires a leaner, meaner way of doing business.

A hint of things to come was heard earlier this week when Caroll Takahashi, the city's budget director, warned the City Council that the economic downturn will cut the city's share of hotel room tax revenues by as much as $7 million. At the same time, Takahashi said the attacks, concerns about anthrax contamination and other bioterrorism and the outbreak of dengue fever had increased the costs of police, fire and emergency services. Neither she nor the heads of those departments could give an exact price tag, but officials say they hope that a $5.3 million "rainy day fund" set up by the Council a few years back will cover the bill.

The state has emergency funds to cover the costs of its economic stimulus programs. However, these funds do not come from a bottomless barrel. Sooner or later, the monies will dry up.

Even when the economy improves and revenues begin flowing again, public safety agencies will still require more funding. Anthrax scares may dwindle after awhile, but it is unlikely that City Hall, the state Capitol and other municipal structures will be returned to the casual accessibility of the days before September 11.

Now that we've witnessed the unpredictable nature of terrorism -- from New York to Oklahoma City -- we cannot let our guard down. Like it or not, security will remain a priority. Government leaders must adjust funding to reflect this new public need.

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Gasoline prices
in Hawaii dip a bit

The issue: On the mainland,
the cost of fueling up has
been steadily declining.

Although prices for cheaper grades of gasoline in Hawaii have dropped a few pennies per gallon in the last month, drivers are still paying nearly 50 cents more than the national average. No fair.

The economic downturn in the state has put the squeeze on everyone's pocket and it is vexing that the law of supply and demand that has trimmed prices on the mainland hasn't had much of an effect here. Even so, drivers here and across the country should count their blessings. So far, the strife in Afghanistan has not had a major influence on oil supplies. That doesn't mean it can't happen.

The unsettled conditions in the region make it all the more evident that the United States must design a more rational national energy policy. The Bush administration, although fixed on the campaign against terrorism, took the time last week to push Congress to pass its flawed energy package. It is heavy on tax breaks and government subsidies for oil producers and light on conservation and the renewable energy development that could go a long way to reduce dependence on oil, foreign and domestic. A more creative plan would encourage the emerging technology on all fronts of energy production and put money into stimulating further development.

"Energy is the other shoe to drop in this crisis," argues Tony Rosenbaum, a political science professor at the University of Florida who focuses on energy policy. "And the subtext will be, let's get the Middle East out of our hair."

Thanks to a worldwide economic slump, there is a glut of oil at present, thus the corresponding decline in prices. The Star-Bulletin's weekly gasoline survey shows that from Sept. 26 to Wednesday, the price for unleaded regular decreased about 4 cents. The most significant cut was 20 cents at Arco stations. However, Arco's drop is shaded by the fact that its prices had been at least 10 cents higher than any other seller's. The rest of the country has seen the average cost drop to $1.31, more than 20 cents since the end of the month.

Gasoline producers contend that prices in Hawaii are less sensitive to a glut market. Higher prices, they say, are due to increased costs for shipping and refining. Experts say that's hogwash. The real reason is that Hawaii is a captive market and producers can charge what they want. All motorists here can do is decrease demand, which is a good idea. Drive less, save money.

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Published by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.

Don Kendall, President

John Flanagan, publisher and editor in chief 529-4748; jflanagan@starbulletin.com
Frank Bridgewater, managing editor 529-4791; fbridgewater@starbulletin.com
Michael Rovner, assistant managing editor 529-4768; mrovner@starbulletin.com
Lucy Young-Oda, assistant managing editor 529-4762; lyoungoda@starbulletin.com

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