WASHINGTON » Hawaii's four county mayors met with members of the state's congressional delegation yesterday to discuss aspects of a federal economic stimulus plan.

The congressional visits came ahead of today's start of the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual winter meetings.

Of particular interest to the mayors was an afternoon meeting with U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, Hawaii's senior senator and newly appointed chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

“;We're here to say not only that we wanted his support for economic recovery proposals for the counties, but that we're willing to do our part to show how that money is going to be used wisely,”; Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said after the meeting in Inouye's office.

Hannemann, a member of the mayoral group's advisory board, said no specific proposals were discussed, “;just that he is going to be very understanding of the concern that we have as mayors.”;

Hannemann said he and colleagues at the municipality level voiced concern over how federal money gets handled once it is doled out to state governments.

Inouye said he recognized the problem.

“;We have found that every so often you'll find situations where once the governor gets the money, the control over that becomes really difficult,”; Inouye said. “;It is not so with municipalities.

“;There is a tendency in the Congress to look to fund cities, municipalities or townships with a little more favor.”;

Inouye and his colleague, Sen. Daniel Akaka, noted the importance that Congress is placing on a stimulus package, and President-elect Barack Obama has listed it as a top priority, as well.

“;Normally, in the Senate, we don't convene until after the inauguration,”; Akaka said. “;We convened January 6th and we worked on Sunday.”;

Talks surrounding the stimulus proposal have focused on funding projects that could move forward quickly.

“;I'm not an expert, but some of the easier things we can do ... are the so-called infrastructure works: highways and bridges,”; Inouye said. “;You can put men and women on the payroll almost immediately, provided the design work and the environmental impact studies, all that, have been finished.”;

He said it was unlikely that the proposal would directly address Hawaii's main industry, tourism.

“;We're hoping that we can get some moneys that help tourism, but not the business itself because Congress would frown upon that,”; Inouye said. “;But we can provide moneys for beach improvements—that type of improvement—of the surrounding part, highways bridges and such.”;