Cayetano pulls Land
Board nomination

Critics maintain that Virginia
Goldstein is too pro-development

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By Bruce Dunford
Associated Press

Gov. Ben Cayetano is withdrawing his nomination of former Hawaii County Planning Director Virginia Goldstein to the state Board of Land & Natural Resources, his office confirmed yesterday.

Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa-Haleiwa-North Shore) and Senate Water, Land, Energy and Environment Chairwoman Lorraine Inouye visited the governor last week to tell him Goldstein's appointment was in trouble.

Inouye, whose committee was preparing a confirmation hearing on the appointment, said her office has been flooded with letters and e-mail objecting to Goldstein's nomination, primarily from the Big Island.

Goldstein could not be reached for comment.

Most opposition involves Goldstein's actions as planning director under Mayor Stephen Yamashiro's administration, said Inouye (D, N. Hilo-Hamakua-S. Kohala), who was defeated by Yamashiro for mayor in 1992.

Some of Goldstein's official actions conflicted with the community feelings, such as approving the 1,250-acre Hokulia luxury housing project near Kealakekua Bay in West Hawaii opposed by environmentalist and Hawaiian groups, Inouye said.

"I'm not saying she's not fully qualified to be on the Land Board, it's just that there's a sense that she'll be pro-development," she said.

Among the objections raised with Inouye's office is a perceived tie between Goldstein and Sen. David Matsuura's proposed Oneloa Onsen and Sports Complex, which is opposed by some Puna area residents, Inouye said.

Matsuura (D, South Hilo-Puna) said he asked Goldstein to be a planner on his 500-acre project but has not hired her.

"I guess her appointment to the Land Board would have made that a conflict," he said.

Matsuura said he was surprised that Goldstein's appointment has come under fire "because she's not really pro-development. Actually, her background is in archaeology.

"One thing you can say for her is that she's always been very fair," he said.

While there was no indication from either Inouye or Matsuura that the move for withdrawal of Goldstein's appointment was pushed by politics, the 2002 legislative reapportionment has put the two Democratic senators in the same district, setting up a potential primary election showdown later this year.

There was no immediate word on whom Cayetano might nominate in Goldstein's place for the Big Island seat on the Land Board now held by Dr. Fred Holschuh, who lost his bid for Hawaii County mayor in 2000.