Harris need not
resign as mayorThe issue: A former judge says
Mayor Harris should resign because
of his gubernatorial campaign.
DELEGATES to the 1978 state Constitutional Convention could have been more precise in phrasing an amendment aimed at stopping Frank Fasi from running for governor without leaving Honolulu Hale. Fasi twice was forced that year and twice later to resign as mayor in his futile quest for Washington Place. The amendment works, despite criticism that it has been implemented too loosely.Russell Blair may wish that a legal challenge had been put before him in his six years as a district judge, as he wasted no time upon departing the bench this week in delivering his post-judicial verdict: Mayor Harris should be forced to resign to continue his campaign for governor. If Blair is confident about his exact interpretation of the constitutional provision, he should return to court -- as a plaintiff.
The 1978 amendment provides that an elected state official with eyes on another office must resign "before being eligible as a candidate" for the other office, if the term of the office being sought begins before the candidate's present term expires. Fasi and Harris have interpreted that to mean they should resign as mayor before filing nomination papers for governor.
That seems to be the intent of the amendment. A mayor -- the same could apply to a state senator -- cannot be a candidate for governor at mid-term without resigning from his or her current office. Blair, formerly a state senator, sees it differently. He believes any expenditure by a mayor on a gubernatorial campaign should prompt the mayor to resign immediately. However, early expenditures often are made during exploratory stages of a campaign, before a potential candidate decides to run.
Blair objects to a mayor spending "a year and a half of a four-year term running for governor." Is there much difference in Mazie Hirono spending the same running for governor at the end instead of the middle of her term as lieutenant governor?
Many people may be annoyed at elected officials using visibility to further their political future. Like it or not, that is the reality of American politics, whether an elected official is seeking re-election or higher office -- or, as in the case of Joe Lieberman, both. Lieberman kept his name on the Connecticut ballot for another term as U.S. senator even while he was Al Gore's running mate in last year's presidential election -- and was re-elected to the Senate.
Waikiki tries to
woo local residentsThe issue: The scarcity of visitors
compels businesses to lure Hawaii's
citizens to Waikiki.
Businesses in Waikiki who cater to tourists shouldn't be surprised when local people look a little askance at Waikiki's open arms now that the number of travelers from the mainland and Japan have dwindled. They should understand that the prevailing perception, valid or not, has been that Hawaii residents are less important in the resort area.At the same time, local people shouldn't snub Waikiki. Spending there could help friends, neighbors and relatives remain gainfully employed. Further, the dearth of tourists makai of the Ala Wai canal opens up the quarter for them to reclaim what all along has been rightfully theirs despite the image of exclusivity developed over the years.
Because of the drop in visitors, Waikiki merchants are courting residents with low rates for hotel rooms, discounted dinner cruises and special deals at restaurants. Local people should take advantage of these offers because everyone has a stake in keeping the state's economy going.
The city is attempting to lure people to Waikiki on weekends with free movies on an open-air screen, sunset dining along the Kapahulu groin and musical entertainment along the beach. The effort is an expansion on the city's "Brunch on the Beach" program that has restaurants serving food along Kalakaua Avenue on certain Sundays.
The idea was to bring Hawaii people to Waikiki to mix with tourists to establish what Mayor Jeremy Harris called "a sense of place." Although some residents complained that the effort made them look like background scenery, the current plan appears to place local people front and center.
The city and the merchants have overlooked perhaps the greatest drawback in getting locals to Waikiki, which is the lack of affordable parking. Few people are willing to traipse to Waikiki to get nailed with a $15-$20 parking fee.
Another worthy program is the Retail Merchant's "Buy Hawaii" campaign that encourages people to make purchases at island stores instead of through catalogues or Web sites. Money spent here generates tax revenue and keeps retail workers employed after 24,000 jobs have disappeared.
Merchants who offer to wrap and ship packages to the mainland or to Asia, for a reasonable fee, would find buyers who are too busy to do that for themselves or are among those who don't want to carry packages onto airplanes in this day of more intense airport security.
All told, local consumers can drive the economy. When visitor numbers again increase, merchants should remember that tourists come and go but local people stay.
Published by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.Don Kendall, Publisher
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.comRichard Halloran, editorial page director, 529-4790; rhalloran@starbulletin.com
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