Hawaii Council members
get OK to run
HILO >> Hawaii County Council members who were elected in 1996 are eligible to run again this year, despite eight-year term limits adopted in 1996, a new opinion from the county attorney says.
The opinion by Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida comes to the same conclusion as an opinion last year by County Clerk Al Konishi.
Councilman Bob Jacobson had sought the opinion because voters adopted the limits in 1996 but no date was given when the limits would go into effect. A "significant body" of law across the country indicates that the law went into effect in 1998 -- the first election after term limits were adopted, Ashida said.
The limits prevent council members from serving more than four consecutive two-year terms.
Three current members are affected. Council Chairman Jimmy Arakaki, on the Council since 1990, said yesterday, "I'm going to run."
Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung and Kona Councilman Curtis Tyler, both first elected in 1996, have said they will not run. But Jacobson said, "The pressure has been on some of these people to run."