[ OUR OPINION ]
| Voters have chance
to use their votes as
catalyst for change
THE ISSUE The Star-Bulletin chooses candidates for governor and lieutenant governor as voters prepare for Saturday's primary election.
Linda Lingle has waged an ambitious campaign for governor and has been recognized from the start as the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party. The Star-Bulletin endorsed her candidacy in the general election four years ago as a catalyst for change in Hawaii. She again calls for "a new beginning for Hawaii" and is our clear choice to head the GOP ticket. James "Duke" Aiona, a former city attorney and state judge, is the most qualified candidate to be her running mate as lieutenant governor. THE REPUBLICANS
Lingle and Aiona
The centerpiece of Lingle's campaign has been a booklet detailing her agenda for the state during the four-year term as governor. The widely distributed booklet sets forth her proposals in the areas of government services, the economy, education, the environment, Hawaiians, public safety, health care and alternative energy. It calls for a government that "provides outstanding service to the people of Hawaii, rather than burdening them with high taxes, wasteful spending and outdated regulations."
Governor Cayetano has criticized Lingle's plans to reduce various taxes, which his tax director estimates will reduce state revenues by $428 million over four years. That estimate fails to account for the economic benefits that would be created by the tax cuts and incentives. Further debate on this important issue should continue.
As with many proposals outlined in Lingle's booklet, any tax changes will need legislative approval. Even though the Democratic Party is likely to remain in control of the Legislature, gridlock would not be likely during a Lingle administration. As mayor of Maui County, Lingle gained the cooperation of a largely Democratic county council.
Aiona has never before run for public office but has engaged in an impressive career of public service. He served for eight years as a city deputy prosecutor and deputy corporation counsel and seven years as a judge, first in Family Court, then in Circuit Court and finally as the first administrative judge of the Drug Court Program. Knowledge of the community and decision-making abilities gained from that experience make him the most suitable GOP candidate for the job of lieutenant governor, capable of being Hawaii's chief executive if need be.
Among the three candidates in the Democratic primary for governor, Ed Case alone dares to challenge his party to step away from the status quo, to wrestle against the stagnation that has left Hawaii in the doldrums. As such, Case is the Star-Bulletin's choice to lead his party's slate toward the general election. Lieutenant governor candidate Matt Matsunaga, a composed and skilled legislator, best fills out the Democratic ticket. THE DEMOCRATS
Case and Matsunaga
Throughout his campaign, Case -- whose roots run deep in Hawaii -- has been dauntless in calling for fresh approaches to governance, even at the expense of alienating some in his party. He represents a revival of Democratic ideals placed in the new context of voters' demands for leaner government.
Case is not afraid to shake the cages of public workers, but takes a pragmatic approach. His calls for government reform date back to his early years as a representative in the state Legislature. His campaign's "Blueprint for Real Change" is based on legislation he has proposed to determine the necessary functions of government, rank them and fund them accordingly. Case's course is to produce state budgets for the long term instead of the present year-by-year scrambles that can leave good projects and programs undone, a waste of time, money and hope.
Case prudently recognizes Hawaii's economic health must be derived from a spectrum of businesses large and small to supplement tourism. He sees the state's homegrown industries, such as agricultural production, as assets for exportation as well as for self-sustaining objectives. He would retain statewide curriculum and performance standards for education while eliminating legislative meddling in setting priorities and allowing school districts to determine spending for teachers and other personnel, construction and repairs.
Like Case, Matsunaga recognizes Hawaii's global potential in research and development of renewal energy. The son of the venerable U.S. Sen. Spark Matsunaga has built a reputation with his compassionate defense of the vulnerable and disenfranchised. His 10 years in the state Senate have been marked by an ability to gain consensus, a faculty that would serve him well as second in command, or governor if the need arose.
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Published by Oahu Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Black Press.Don Kendall, Publisher
Frank Bridgewater, Editor 529-4791; fbridgewater@starbulletin.com
Michael Rovner, Assistant Editor 529-4768; mrovner@starbulletin.com
Lucy Young-Oda, Assistant Editor 529-4762; lyoungoda@starbulletin.comMary Poole, Editorial Page Editor, 529-4790; mpoole@starbulletin.com
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