Council hopefuls meet with voters

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

At the beginning of a forum for City Council District 5 candidates last night, Manoa resident Sheri Pacheco said: "I sure hope they discuss the issues tonight."

•	Final forum tomorrow A final public forum for District 5 candidates will be broadcast live from the Honolulu Hale courtyard at 8 p.m. tomorrow on 'Olelo Community Television (Channel 52). Reporters will question the 14 candidates. The public is invited.

The City Council District 5 candidates are Sam Aiona, John Anderson, Danny Auyoung, Albert Furuto, Nasir Gazdar, Richard Gee, Kekoa Kaapu, Joe Kinoshita, Ann Kobayashi, Richard Lee, Ron Lockwood, Harris Murabayashi, Richard Soo and John Steelquist. Lockwood and Gazdar did not attend.

District 5's 91,000 residents live in Manoa, Mo'ili'ili, McCully, Tantalus, Makiki, Pawa'a, Ala Moana and Kewalo and have been without representation since Mirikitani resigned Dec. 1 following his conviction on federal corruption charges.

About 100 people attended the forum in the Noelani Elementary School cafeteria. They crowded the child-sized dining tables and listened attentively to the candidates.

Nick Stevenson asked the candidates if they supported the city's $1 billion Bus Rapid Transit plans, which would move passengers on electric busses from Middle Street to downtown to the University of Hawai'i but would require years of construction and eliminate already tight parking. The system would take up one or two lanes of traffic along Dillingham and Kapi'olani boulevards.

Lee and Furuto were the only candidates present who supported the project, and Furuto had reservations.

Soo spoke out against the proposal, saying that he likes the concept but that the plans are flawed.

"It is not well thought out," Soo said. "I would like to see our nationally awarded bus system be improved before we embark on this $1 billion project. The mayor's plan relies on people giving up their automobiles. I don't think that has been proven yet."

Steelquist said the plan doesn't help mauka-makai passengers who need to get from Manoa and Makiki to downtown.

Another resident asked whether anyone received campaign contributions from Hawaiian Electric Co. and whether any candidate supports HECO's plan to install a transmission line to link the Pukele substation at the back of Palolo Valley to the Kamoku substation at Date and Kamoku streets, 3.8 miles away. The $31 million project would replace 40-foot poles with new ones as tall as 120 feet.

Lee was the only one to say he had no position on the proposal, which the others opposed.

Kobayashi said she has been given contributions from HECO employees and law firms that work with the utility company, but they were not from the company itself and she did not solicit the money.

"Campaign contributions are used for the election only, not for decision-making, and I don't mix the two," Kobayashi said.

Anderson said that in the aftermath of Mirikitani's conviction, honesty among politicians has become high-profile issue. Several of the candidates spoke of their personal integrity.

"I remember when politicians were men of character," Furuto said. "Recently they are lower than used-car salesmen. No offense to used-car salesmen."

"Many people are frustrated with the antics of the City Council members today," Aiona said. "I'm not endorsed by any union or business because they know they can't control me."

Auyoung said he is a retired business man and not a politician, which should give him an edge in the election.

"My wife didn't want me to run and I did anyway," said Auyoung. "If I can fight her, I can fight for you."

Aiona expressed support for developer Gary Furuta's plans to build Punahou Vista, an eight-story affordable rental project on Wilder Avenue but only if it is modified to fit the needs of the community.

Residents formed the group Citizens Against Irresponsible Development to thwart the project because they were concerned about increased traffic, a loss of parking and crowded conditions.

Murabayashi and Lee laid out their economic plans for reduced government.

Kinoshita said the City Council should deal with more immediate community concerns.

"You're looking for a bark park, bikeways and bus shelters," Kinoshita said. "I will work to see they come to fruition."

Gee, a tree trimmer who attended the event in a wheelchair because of injuries from a recent fall, said there are fewer and fewer trees in Manoa while traffic keeps increasing. He would work toward turning that around.

The special election will be held Saturday. The winner takes office for a term that expires Jan. 2, 2003.

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.

Correction: District 5 City Council candidate Sam Aiona said he voted at a Manoa political forum on Jan. 23 to support the Punahou Vista affordable rental project only if it is modified to fit the needs of the community. An earlier version of this story posted on Jan. 24 referred to his comments before the vote and said he spoke in support of the project. The story did not include his conditions.