Maui mayor rivals trade accusations

• 2002 General Election Voter's Guide

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

In the 1998 mayoral election, Democrat James "Kimo" Apana narrowly edged Republican Alan Arakawa in the tough fight between two Maui County Council members.

JAMES "KIMO" APANA ADDRESS: 2090 Kolo Place, Wailuku OCCUPATION: Maui County mayor FAMILY: Married, no children ONE BIG IDEA: Create an Open Space designation in county zoning code. • • • ALAN ARAKAWA ADDRESS: 407 S. Kamehameha Ave., Kahului OCCUPATION: Maui County Council member FAMILY: Married, two children ONE BIG IDEA: Bring credibility and integrity back to government.

Both candidates said Maui County voters have a clear choice, not necessarily about political ideology but management style.

Apana, 40, described himself as a visionary who embraces new ideas, hires the best people and lets them carry out his plans.

Arakawa, 51, countered that the mayor does not know what his lieutenants are doing, which has led to a lack of coordination and inability to get things accomplished. The Kahului councilman said that he would know more about day-to-day operations as mayor. "I try to understand everything that needs to be done so that we can set and meet objectives," he said.

Apana, who served three terms on the council before succeeding Linda Lingle as mayor, called Arakawa a micromanager and said his opponent could not possibly do the county justice by making all decisions, large and small.

"You can only do so much in a day," he said. "The philosophy he preaches is detrimental to the life of the county. All the decision-making in one person is not healthy."

Arakawa, who has served six years on the council, defended his management skills by pointing to his selection as county Wastewater Division manager of the year while supervisor of the Kahului sewage treatment plant.

"My job is never to turn the wrenches — that's micromanaging," he said. "I have to make sure there is the proper support to do the job. My job is to understand the goals of each division and to make sure they meet objectives. You can't manage what you don't understand.

"That's where Kimo gets in trouble. He doesn't understand. He doesn't micromanage — he doesn't manage at all. ... You can't run a business that way."

Arakawa said Apana's management style backfired when he blindly followed his "vision" to establish the county service center at the Maui Mall, consolidating the property tax and driver's license offices and other functions. He ended up spending $1.35 million — nearly twice as much as budgeted — renovating a former Woolworth store.

And if the mayor were more on top of his management team, Arakawa said, he would not have allowed the Planning Department to harass the island's vacation rental owners in an effort to bust illegal operators. Horror stories of confrontations with zoning inspectors surfaced recently in hours of testimony before Arakawa's council committee.

Apana said the whole issue had been blown out of proportion. Rental owners were turning in other owners, he said, requiring inspectors to enforce the law.

He said Arakawa and the council had done little to solve the problem of illegal vacation rentals, and that the administration was working with the owners to find a solution that balances tourist demand for vacation rentals against the interests of neighbors.

Apana, who lives in Wailuku, said he was proud of his record as mayor, that under his watch the county had achieved the highest bond rating in Hawai'i and Maui County was the strongest economic engine in the state.

Among his accomplishments, he listed creation of the framework for a countywide bus system, forming a committee that raised millions for classroom computers, successfully battling an outbreak of dengue fever, helping to provide assistance to residents who suffered financially from the Sept. 11 fallout, creating a long-range planning office, preserving access to Palauea Beach, working to acquire 900 acres of watershed lands for sale by C. Brewer and establishing a transportation coordinator.

Traffic was a hot topic early in his administration, he said, but he helped alleviate the situation by working with the state to accelerate road construction projects on Mokulele Highway and Kuihelani Highway at Honoapi'ilani Highway, as well as restriping Pi'ilani Highway to create a four-lane road.

The administration hired a Honolulu engineering and planning firm to draft design plans for a new 8- to 10-mile section of Honoapi'ilani Highway, from the pali to Lahaina.

"The state said there were no funds, so we went ahead with it. The plan is to build it (with 80 percent in federal funds) and turn it over to the state," the mayor said.

Arakawa scoffed at the idea that about Maui's traffic woes were a thing of the past.

"This is not reality," he said. "Traffic is a major problem. We have lost our status as the No. 1 island in the world (from Travel and Leisure Magazine) and can anticipate an even further drop if we don't get our act together."

Arawaka said he would pursue a proposal to take traffic decisions away from the state and bring them under county jurisdiction. If that were not possible, he would work closely with the Department of Transportation to ensure the right projects get money.

Arakawa also said he would establish an environmental coordinator and agricultural coordinator; create a regional community center, fairgrounds and a recycling facility; restore air ambulance service throughout the county; and secure money for social service agencies.

But Arakawa will have to defy history to get elected — no Maui County mayor has ever lost a re-election bid — as well as overcome a huge financial disadvantage.

According to campaign financial statements, the incumbent has more than $175,000 in cash left after spending more than $550,000 since 1998, while Arakawa has $1,541 after spending more than $5,500.

Arakawa was quick to point out that many of Apana's contributions come from off island, plus consultants, engineering and construction firms and others likely to seek county contracts.

Apana denied that campaign donations influence his decision-making, and noted that county contracts are awarded by a selection committee.

"I don't get involved," he said.

In recent days of campaigning, Apana has offered a few stunning position statements that Arakawa called an insincere attempt to attract environmentalists and anti-development supporters.

At a debate on Maui's environment, the mayor said he would not support the drilling of East Maui wells, a $50 million project toward development in Central Maui, and opposes any new development of the Makena Resort, which is proposing 1,100 new residences and a hotel or time-share complex.

Earlier the mayor explained that environmentalist Robert Parsons, who finished a strong third in the mayoral primary, had "helped shift the mindset of the community" toward understanding the importance of striking a balance between development and conservation.

Arakawa called Apana's comments "a glaring, hollow attempt to pretend he's green," a reversal that had failed. Parsons announced this week that he was supporting Arakawa for mayor.

Arakawa called such a switch typical of the mayor. "How can you trust somebody who has no conviction?" he said.

Apana said he had plenty of conviction, which he was using to accomplish the will of the people.

"Some people say I'm too nice of a guy to be mayor," he said. "I refuse to believe that. You've got to be able to work with many organizations, open your ears and listen to many points of view."