THE 2002 HAWAI'I STATE LEGISLATURE
Skipping fanfare, Legislature opens tough session
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
The 2002 Legislature opens its 60-day session today amid high expectations from voters on improving the economy and fixing public schools.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
With the state economy reeling in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, lawmakers will also face balancing the budget with an expected shortfall of more than $300 million.
Jerry Holmes of World Wide Window Cleaning cleans the panes at the House chamber in preparation for opening day.
House and Senate floor sessions begin at 10 a.m., with the Legislature cutting back on the entertainment and fanfare that traditionally help kick off opening day.
House Speaker Calvin Say, House Majority Leader Marcus Oshiro and House Minority Leader Galen Fox will address the House. The floor session will end with a moment of silence for former House Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Ebata, who died last year. Ebata, 45, served as sergeant-at-arms for 14 years and worked for the Legislature since 1979.
Activities in the Senate include speeches from Senate President Robert Bunda and Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom. Local entertainer Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and the Leeward Community College Kanikapila Singers will perform. The Honolulu Symphony, Ale'a and the 25th Infantry Division (Light) Tropic Lightning Band also will perform following the program in the Capitol rotunda.
New austerity
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In recognition of the continuing economic pall cast by the terrorist attacks, House and Senate leaders said they are skipping much of the food, fanfare and high spirits that mark the opening of the session and getting to work almost immediately.
The Rev. Frank Chong said too many are working in the Legislature full-time.
While Hawai'i technically has a part-time Legislature, the state represents a national trend for a growing number of legislators describing their service as their full-time occupation.
Twenty-two lawmakers — nearly a third of the 76-member Legislature — do not have outside careers, according to information gathered by The Advertiser, including lawmakers' most recent disclosures with the state Ethics Commission.
Another 23 lawmakers have jobs in the business field, from real estate and finance to tourism and small business. Professions in health and social services have the smallest representation.
Some lawmakers and political observers expressed concern about the large number of full-time lawmakers, including the Rev. Frank Chong, executive director of the Waikiki Health Center.
"The reason why I say it's a danger is they come with very limited life experience," Chong said. "When the Legislature is your full-time job, it tends to be your life, and the Legislature was never intended to be professionalized in the sense that you have full-time legislators. It was always intended to be part-time, meaning that you always wanted people who had other interests, other experiences, a range of concerns to represent the larger community."
Full-time duties
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Legislators are paid $32,000 a year, with the Senate president and House speaker earning $37,000.
Rep. Mindy Jaffe, R-19th, said the job requires full-time commitment.
Rep. Mindy Jaffe, R-19th (Waikiki, Kaimuki, Diamond Head), said she goes into debt every month as a full-time legislator. But Jaffe, who sold her magazine business after deciding to run for office in 2000, said she felt it was important that she dedicate all her time to the Legislature.
"I just couldn't see how you could do both," she said. "I really wanted to be able to give my community my full attention. I didn't even attempt to have another job. Unfortunately, it's a very, very full-time job with a part-time salary."
Jaffe said that while she does not have a job outside of the Legislature, she brings to the House her experiences from past jobs and from starting businesses.
Many full-time legislators have retired from areas ranging from the military to banking to teaching.
"I wish more of our colleagues were not full-time but part-time legislators who have outside jobs," said House Speaker Calvin Say, "so that they have a better understanding of our community as a whole."
But he said he appreciated the retirees "because they bring to the Capitol their work experiences in the public or private sector."
He added, "I wish we had more business people or retirees from business."
You can reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.
