• Look at the facts, not rhetoric • On the fence • Charter-based governing Look at the facts, not rhetoric It is unfortunate that Mazie Hirono has launched her senatorial campaign by misleading the public and mischaracterizing former Gov. Linda
• Look at the facts, not rhetoric • On
the fence • Charter-based governing
Look at the facts, not rhetoric
It is unfortunate that Mazie Hirono has launched her senatorial campaign by misleading the public and mischaracterizing former Gov. Linda Lingle’s record on energy independence and education reform, and her relationship with President Obama.
Hirono’s deliberate distortion of Gov. Lingle’s record is particularly reprehensible given the representative’s lack of any record of achievement or vision for Hawai‘i or America’s future in these two key areas.
From the very beginning of her tenure as governor, Linda Lingle championed efforts to reform public education including modernizing the governance structure, revamping poor performing schools, instituting merit pay for teachers, and increasing the rigor of standardized achievement tests. She was also at the forefront of STEM programs, especially robotics programs statewide.
The governor’s administration played a pivotal role in developing the Race to the Top public education program that was awarded $75 million in Federal funds and won praise from President Obama’s Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. She aggressively pushed for college and career ready diploma standards in our high schools, an effort that mirrors the standards being recommended at the federal level.
Gov. Lingle supports the president and any other public official, regardless of their party affiliation, when they propose good ideas. But unlike Hirono’s lockstep party loyalty, the governor is also willing to let the public know when she disagrees with policies she believes are not in Hawai‘i’s or America’s best interest.
After decades of inaction on energy, during which Rep. Hirono was a state legislator and then a two-term lieutenant governor, Gov. Lingle’s administration launched Hawai‘i firmly on the path toward energy independence. Hirono either purposely failed to acknowledge Gov. Lingle’s landmark, community-based effort known as the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative, or she has been away from Hawai‘i so long she is out of touch with the progress that has been made in this critical area. President Obama’s Department of Energy has lauded the HCEI as a model for other states.
Voters need to ask themselves what has Mazie Hirono done in more than 25 years in various state and federal government positions, and why did she start her campaign by attacking someone else’s record instead of talking about her own.
Perhaps it is because she just doesn’t have much to show for so many years in public office. Her “Johnny come lately” focus on jobs and the economy belies a record of little in the way of tangible achievements.
Whatever the match-up may be in the U.S. Senate race, I hope voters will look at the facts, not at the rhetoric generated by candidates with few achievements of their own.
Barry Fukunaga, Former Chief of Staff to Gov. Linda Lingle
On the fence
I would just like to say what a nice view the beach park fence is now that some person complained about congratulation signs.
We now have a perfect view of the beautiful yellow caution tape and broken/ leaning and rusted fence. It looks so much better now. Not!
Come on people, what has our island come to when we complain about signs supporting our kids? Next we will go after the long tradition of selling fish on the side of the road or better yet how about the sweet couple during Christmas who ride around in an old car dressed as Santa and gives out candies to the kids.
Come on people, save your complaints and fights for something that really matters or will make a difference in the lives of our children instead of taking away from them.
Shame on you!
Ken Herman, Kapa‘a
Charter-based governing
The Salary Commission is the only county entity authorized to change the mayor’s salary.
The Salary Commission resolution currently in effect raises the mayor’s salary from $114,490 to $122,504 effective July 1, 2011.
Since adopting the resolution last November the Salary Commission has not met, so barring last-minute action by the commission the mayor’s salary increase must take effect as mandated by the resolution.
In the normal course of events the increase would be incorporated in next year’s budget, but the budgets projected by the mayor and council do not reflect the mayor’s salary increase. Elected officials apparently assume that their good intentions, which are above reproach, justify ignoring the resolution and by extension disregarding the charter and the law.
The same kind of “reasoning” is reflected in a provision contained in Resolution 2010-1 whereby the Salary Commission purports to authorize the Mayor and Council through the budget process to set the salaries of all non-elected officials at figures lower than those established for the positions by the commission.
This provision, put forward with the best of intentions and embraced by all concerned, does not simply disregard the charter; it makes a mockery of both the charter and the executive salary process it authorizes.
The irony is that the result intended by our well-meaning officials could be achieved by sensible and lawful means; i.e. responsible communication among agencies and timely action by the Salary Commission.
Horace Stoessel, Kapa‘a
