Both Democratic leaders, in their respective speeches, also listed as priorities financial aid for the fight against crystal methamphetamine addiction and their continued support for a new prescription drug program to help those most in need.

House Speaker Calvin Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights., Palolo, Wilhelmina Rise), pledged to work with Lingle to "make education reform a reality." But Say also made it clear that he and other Democrats do not think elected school boards will work. "Let me make a prediction," he said. "More school boards will bring more bureaucracy and reduce already strained resources in our classrooms."

Too much energy has been devoted to the fight over school boards while "we have ignored more important issues," Say said. "We have left on the sidelines the most important people in this debate. Those people are our children and their teachers."

Say also took a direct shot at Lingle, saying she antagonized teachers and principals in her zeal to push through local school boards. "In the process of achieving true educational reform, we must avoid disenfranchising the very people we need to achieve it," he said. "Our public school teachers and principals are not the enemy. They should be our partners in changing the system for the better."

It was a pointed reference to the fact that Lingle excluded current teachers and Department of Education officials from her Citizens To Achieve Reform in Education panel that came up with educational reform proposals that are to be presented to lawmakers this session.

Senate President Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa), echoed Say’s remarks. "We need to trust the dedication of our teachers, and support the authority of our superintendent," he said. Bunda also urged senators to "keep an open mind and be receptive to all ideas and opinions" about education reform. He said schools need support rather than scorn, and that it’s better to let educators do their jobs rather than micromanage educational governance.

Bunda’s speech highlighted Hawai'i’s crystal methamphetamine problems and expressed support for recommendations from a joint House-Senate task force that includes more substance abuse treatment and prevention and an expanded Drug Court.

"For critics who claim spending money on prevention is a waste of time, I say this: When it comes to the safety of our children, our families and our entire island community, we must devote adequate resources to the war on drugs or we will continue to lose ground," Bunda said. "We must not let the issue turn into a public relations battle that has little to do with real solutions."

Say also addressed skeptics of the task force’s recommendations. "It is going to take money and commitment from every part of our state to turn back this terrible epidemic." Bunda said that the Legislature should also "refine" the state’s Hawai'i Rx program to reduce prescription drug costs for low-income residents. Say also expressed support for the program that will create a state bulk-purchasing pool to leverage lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo, Hawai'i Kai), expressed support for the Lingle administration’s recommendations for local school boards and to put resources and accountability into the hands of principals and teachers.

House Minority Leader Galen Fox, R-23rd (Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kaka’ako) urged lawmakers to "put the money in the hands of principals who thrive if they succeed ... replace them if they don’t." He added: "And if we don’t trust local school boards, at least let Hawai'i’s people decide for themselves whether local boards best help local schools."

As for addressing the ice problem, Fox said, "Let’s give the police the tools they need so they no longer have to fight the war on ice with one hand tied behind their back."

With different approaches to education reform and the state’s crystal methamphetamine problems, the major drama of this session may revolve around whether Democrats and Republicans can find common ground.

There are 36 Democrats in the 51-member House and 20 Democrats in the 25-member Senate. All representatives in the House and half of the Senate are up for election this year. And while majorities in both houses may be the GOP’s ultimate goal, a more easily attainable step may be to capture more than one-third in each chamber — three more seats in the House or four more in the Senate.

That would allow Republicans to block the override of any vetoes Lingle may send down.

Some lawmakers are expected to propose giving the counties additional taxing authority to pay for mass transit programs, although there appears to be little support to raise taxes this year. Many county officials want the authority, saying it will give them financial independence and prevent them from raising property taxes.

But raising taxes is a historically unpopular idea in the Legislature.

Some lawmakers also want to revisit the issue of capping state gasoline prices. Some want to change the state gasoline price-cap law, which was passed in 2002 and takes effect in July. The change would tie the maximum gas price to prices nationwide rather than just to those on the West Coast.

Lingle and the GOP, however, want to repeal the law entirely before it takes effect.