Posted on: Wednesday, August 1, 2001

Two-island Senate districts opposed

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief

Waimanalo and parts of Kailua in Windward O'ahu would be combined with Hanalei and other parts of north Kaua'i in a new state Senate district proposed by the state Reapportionment Commission yesterday.

That district was one of four new House and Senate "canoe" districts proposed by the commission. A canoe district is one made up of portions of different islands.

State Sen. Fred Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua-Waimanalo), said he is fond of rural north Kaua'i, but doesn't see how the interests of that area mesh with those of suburban Kailua.

Hemmings represents the Waimanalo, Keolu Hills and Lanikai neighborhoods that would be part of the new district.

The commission also proposed new House and Senate canoe districts that would combine East Maui neighborhoods with the Big Island subdivisions of Hawaiian Paradise Park and Hawaiian Beaches.

Bonnie Goodell, who was the lead planner for the Puna Community Development plan, said combining pieces of lower Puna with Maui makes no sense. "The interests of the two places are very different, so how could one representative try to represent both?" she asked.

Another House "canoe" district would combine north Kaua'i with the Mokule'ia and Schofield Barracks areas on O'ahu.

The new maps released yesterday also would place several incumbent lawmakers in the same districts as other incumbents, meaning those lawmakers would face a choice of either moving, quitting or running against a fellow incumbent.

Among them were Sen. Les Ihara, D-10th (Waikikii-Kaimuki), who would be placed in a newly drawn district with Sen. Matt Matsunaga, D-9th (Wai'alae-Palolo).

The commission has scheduled a preliminary vote tomorrow on the new maps.