Posted on: Thursday, April 25, 2002
'Ethically-challenged' council acts to limit gifts
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
A City Council described as "ethically challenged" by one of its members yesterday unanimously passed a bill to limit gifts given to city officials and tighten ethics standards.
Councilman Duke Bainum, who introduced the bill, said it's important to create a $200 cap on the value of gifts given by any one source during a year to a city official. The bill also eliminates the need to file a public disclosure of those gifts.
Bainum said the bill is an improvement over the current system, which allows unlimited gifts as long as they are disclosed. He said the bill is especially timely after he and other council members have seen two of their colleagues forced from office because of criminal charges or convictions.
"People's trust and judgment in the City Council has to be at an all-time low," he said.
Mayor Jeremy Harris is expected to sign the bill, which takes effect July 1.
In the past, city officials have received gifts that include travel, golf club memberships, free parking and movie passes. Bainum said he thinks the move helps restore faith in city government and reassure the public that special interests aren't unduly influencing city officials.
"I think this sends a clear message that we'll have zero tolerance regarding unethical behavior," Bainum said.
He noted that 30 states have some kinds of limits. "With this ethically-challenged council, we should act vigorously."
Today, former City Councilwoman Rene Mansho is scheduled to be arraigned on felony theft charges.
In December, Councilman Andy Mirikitani retired after being convicted of felony charges. Mirikitani was convicted July 3 of theft, bribery, extortion, wire fraud and witness tampering for offering two former aides bonuses if they kicked back some of the money to him.
Councilman Jon Yoshimura was notified this month by the Hawai'i Supreme Court that he would be suspended from practicing law for six months for lying about drinking alcohol before a 1999 auto accident. Yoshimura pleaded no contest to driving away after hitting a parked car.
Councilman John Henry Felix continues to rack up city fines against him as a result of his legal challenge to the city over his right to hold commercial weddings at his home in 'Aina Haina.
And Councilman Steve Holmes, who has spent most of his career as something of an ethics poster boy who refuses to accept even modest gifts, has not been able to substantiate his stated educational credentials.
The University of Iowa said it has no record that he earned two degrees there.
