No shortage of would-be successors to Mirikitani

By Bob Dye
Kailua-based writer and historian

Corrupt ex-City Councilman Andy Mirikitani is on his way to federal prison.

So is his wife. Voter confidence in the creditability of this City Council has hit rock bottom.

Most voters must wait until the September 2002 primary election to reform the council. But voters in Mo'ili'ili, Manoa and Makiki clean up their district representation when they go to the polls on Jan. 26, 2002.

On that Saturday a special election to fill the seat of convicted felon Mirikitani will be held. It's winner-take-all. No need for a plurality; the candidate with the most votes wins the seat in this nonpartisan race.

The deadline to file nomination papers is tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. Seven well-known citizens had filed by my deadline. In such a crowded field, the candidate who gets a third of the votes could win.

What can a 3-M district voter ask the candidate who knocks at the door? Here are my three questions:

• What happened to ethics?

One of the most important pieces of legislation introduced in the council this year was Duke Bainum's omnibus ethics bill. The bill, offered with fanfare in the aftermath of the councilwoman Rene Mansho scandal, was passed on first reading months ago. It has the support of Chuck Totto, executive director and legal counsel of the city ethics commission. Yet it has languished on the desk of councilman Romy Cachola, chairman of the Policy Committee, to which it was referred. With council ethics a major concern of voters, why the long delay?

Uncharitable voters might guess the bill was shibai from the get-go. And that's not fair to Bainum, who is a strong advocate of ethical government. Frustrated, he asks citizens to put the heat on Cachola.

Or voters could conclude that Cachola and City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura don't want the council hamstrung by ethics. Both of them seek to be on a ballot in September.

• What happened to fiscal responsibility?

The "bread and circuses" Harris administration has been criticized by the Tax Foundation for having "a credit card mentality." And the council, say its critics, has acted like a toady bunch that goes along, irresponsibly courting financial disaster.

The most important issue the new member will face is "the fiscal welfare of the city," says veteran councilman John Henry Felix.

• What happened to leadership?

One of the first votes cast by the new member will be to oust or keep embattled Jon Yoshimura as council chairman. He has embarrassed colleagues and constituents. A coup to toss him out stalled a few months ago, but another attempt will be made.

Will a candidate give Jon a thumbs up, or a downer? It's a fair question for voters to ask. If Yoshimura is deposed, it may be the last nail in the lid on his bid to be the Democratic LG nominee.

I asked the 3-M council candidates what they think is the most important task ahead of them, if elected. Their truncated responses are in alphabetical order:

• Sam Aiona, 36, a businessman and former state representative: "To restore the public trust. It will take a lot of healing. Honesty and integrity are needed."

The city faces a fiscal crisis, he says, and the time for belt tightening is here.

"Sam has the full backing and support of Linda Lingle and the Republican Party," says GOP executive director Micah Kane.

• Danny Auyoung, 53, a restaurateur, businessman and coach: "To bring integrity back to the seat." He is "concerned about how corrupt this city has been and wants to do something about it."

Calling himself the "true grassroots candidate," Danny asks voters to elect "real people instead of career politicians."

• Kekoa Kaapu, 64, a former Democratic city councilman and a McCully/Mo'ili'ili neighborhood board member: "Jobs and the economy."

The Harvard graduate is making a comeback. He served as an aide to Gov. Jack Burns in 1962, and to Mayor Frank Fasi in 1969. He served on the council and as a delegate to the state Constitutional Convention.

• Ann Kobayashi, 64, a former Democratic state senator: "To give good, honest representation back to the district."

A cancer survivor, Anne works as a "dollar a year" aide to Gov. Ben Cayetano. She will work to bring a sense of fiscal responsibility to the council, she says, to protect citizens from tax increases.

• Richard Soo, a Honolulu fire captain who turns 50 tomorrow: "To bring creditability back to the 5th District seat."

Voters who watch TV news are familiar with this high-profile, low-key spokesman for the Fire Department. Articulate and calm in the midst of seeming chaos, he is a cheerful comfort figure.

• John Steelquist, a Chaminade professor of business and the Makiki-Tantalus neighborhood board chairman, who just turned 62: "To represent the district well."

A strong advocate of citizen participation in the public planning process, he says he'll pay attention to constituent input. Public transportation and urban planning are primary areas of his concern.

• Al Furoto, who has also filed for the special council election, was not available at the time this column was written.

This is a good field of new and old faces, offering clear choices to cleanse the council.

By getting to the polls first, voters in the 5th Council District begin the reformation of the council. The rest of us join them in September. And together we finish the job in November.