[ OUR OPINION ]
Lingle makes right move
in rescinding Cayetano’s
hiring ruleBEN Cayetano's attempt to extend political patronage beyond his term as governor by sidestepping the civil service process was unfair and created unnecessary discord among public employees. Governor Lingle acted properly in rescinding her predecessor's executive order, which gave political appointees an advantage in finding new government jobs.
THE ISSUE The former governor issued an order that gave his political appointees an advantage in getting new jobs.
Cayetano's order, issued less than three weeks before he was to leave office, was even more grievous in that it permitted these employees to keep their old salaries even if their new jobs pay less. Some stood to earn thousands of dollars more a year above what the positions paid. Two people doing the same job but getting vastly different salaries cultivates an inimical work atmosphere. Moreover, it plays loose with taxpayer money. Lingle and the government workers who complained about the situation have done the public a favor.
The order allowed appointees to apply for government jobs at the same time as civil servants instead of having to wait until the slots were announced publicly. It is unclear if the order violated union contracts and there have been no allegations that unqualified people were given jobs, but Lingle has prudently put a stop on filling further vacancies and will review recent hirings to see if there were any improprieties. Neither the unions nor Lingle know how many people were hired as a result of the order.
Cayetano's order was an act of blatant favoritism. Those who accept patronage jobs are fully aware that their careers are pegged to the elected official who hired them. As employees exempt from civil service rules, they may enjoy benefits others in government work don't receive. They cannot expect the advantages allotted to civil servants as well.
The civil service system, as Lingle pointed out, was set up "so that people are treated fairly in employment." In calling back the order, she is doing exactly what she promised during her campaign -- restoring integrity to government and cutting off political favoritism at its knees.
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City wobbles in
big wave competitionCOMPETITION for the North Shore's prized winter swells has moved onshore to City Hall recently in an all-too-familiar conflict over use of Oahu's natural areas. Reconciling demands of economic interests and recreational surfers appears as elusive as the perfect wave, but as the city revises its rules for surf contests, officials must maneuver through the rough waters to give a fair ride to all.
THE ISSUE Professional contests and businesses vie for North Shore waves with recreational surfers.
Officials would do themselves a favor if they stuck to current rules the city has established for contests along the 10-mile stretch from Mokuleia to Sunset Beach. The rules were set up to minimize the effects professional surfing events have on residents and on recreational surfers and other ocean-users who aren't allowed into the water when contests are held at a site.
During the surf season from October to March, rules allow only four contests, each lasting four days, at one surf spot. However, because a contest may stretch those days in half-day increments and organizers are given 15 "holding days" from which to choose when surf is best, recreational users are often left on the beach.
Problems became acute last season when several contest organizers sought permits for the same location around the same time. Because such conflicts are settled at the city's discretion, some organizers -- contending the basis for decisions were vague -- threatened to sue. The city solved the problem by cutting into the 10-day "cooling-off period," the stipulated time interval between contests. As a result, Pipeline was in a holding period for 40 straight days.
The disputes extend beyond recreational vs. professional users to professional interests themselves. Last month saw bodyboarders and surf boarders pitted against each other for permits and there appears to be no diminishing of demand.
The city and North Shore businesses would hate to see the number of contests cut. Mayor Harris, peeved by the adverse publicity in November, transferred the permit responsibility from the parks department to his economic development office so the city can better "support and promote" competitive surf events. He has made his goals clear. However, even though these events are important to the North Shore economy and deserving of support, officials are also obligated to look out for the interests of the public as well as residents, who put up with the traffic and other pressures contests bring to North Shore. A better balance is needed.
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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
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