Posted on: Monday, March 18, 2002

EDITORIAL
HTA chief should face confirmation

It's a good bet that on any given day the director of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority has more impact on the fate of this state and its citizens than, say, any individual member of the UH Board of Regents or the state Land Use Commission.

By this logic, Sen. Donna Mercado Kim's proposal that future directors be subject to Senate confirmation makes a lot of sense.

It makes sense that the director of this $61 million a year operation would be someone who understands the public's will as well as the needs and desires of the visitor industry. A confirmation process would be a viable process to ensure the public interest is protected.

Industry leaders insist the authority must not become politicized or converted into yet another agency of the government. And they are right, in the sense that few in government have the experience to direct a multimillion-dollar marketing effort.

So a fair amount of independence is essential. But that can be achieved even if the executive director has to stand muster before the Senate before he or she goes to work.

The university, for instance, has gained a great deal of autonomy but still must see its regents — its governing board — go through the confirmation process. The tourism authority should be subject to the same rules.