Cooperation called for in State of State address

Gov. Linda Lingle in her State of the State address expressed hopes of cooperation and urged lawmakers to put politics aside. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

The agenda is expanding for Gov. Linda Lingle, who added fighting crime, improving healthcare and protecting the environment to her top priorities in her State of the State address yesterday.

The governor also repeated her message from last year's speech to the Legislature, calling for education reform and initiatives to stimulate business.

Besides calling for education reform and initiatives to stimulate business, Gov. Linda Lingle in her State of the State address yesterday also added fighting crime, improving healthcare and protecting the environment to her list of priorities for this legislative session. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

"When history judges our actions, let us not be seen as quarreling and ineffective politicians who were primarily motivated by self-interest and the interests of our parties," she said.

House Speaker Calvin Say, D-20th (St. Louis Heights, Palolo, Wilhelmina Rise), agreed that there is consensus on a number of issues that could make for a productive session. "We will be addressing education, we will be addressing the ice issue," Say said.

Even on issues such as education reform, where Lingle's plan for local school boards appears to be meeting with resistance from the Democrats, Say cited a number of other points where the two sides agree, such as student weighted formulas and giving more authority to the principals.

Senate President Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa) echoed the harmonious tone. "She actually shares our vision as far as legislation is concerned, so we'll take those proposals and put (them) on the table and see where we can come to some kind of agreement," Bunda said.

In her speech, Lingle touted anti-crime recommendations made during Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona's Drug Control Strategy summit, as well initiatives by the law enforcement coalition that include Attorney General Mark Bennett, U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo and Honolulu and Neighbor Island prosecutors and police chiefs.

She said she wants to combat substance abuse, increase public safety and protect young people from falling into the pitfalls of drug addiction.

To address the last of those three points, the governor wants to take up to $5 million in federal dollars to beef up afterschool programs for middle school students in an effort to keep them occupied with "healthy activities."

Lingle also wants more severe penalties for those who manufacture illegal drugs, and those who create illegal drugs in the presence of children. She also called on legislators to make permanent a law that allows for the seizure and forfeiture of cars and other property belonging to convicted drug felons. A law that allows such seizures is now set to expire June 30.

Controversial legislation proposed by the law enforcement coalition such as strengthening the state's electronic surveillance laws are also part of the governor's anti-crime package.

She also is urging the Legislature to allow voters to decide whether to amend the state constitution to legalize so-called "walk and talks," in which officers are allowed to question and sometimes search passengers deemed as "suspicious" at airports and harbors without a search warrant; and "knock and talks," which allow authorities to search homes under suspicion without warrants as long as residents give their consent.

"We need to stop fighting 21st-century crimes with 20th-century laws," Lingle said.

The governor reiterated her supplemental budget request, made earlier this month, that calls for $8.4 million to be spent on emergency repair and maintenance of the state's prisons and jails.

Lingle said she also wants to toughen up laws against sex offenders, allowing public access to their criminal records. She also proposed legislation that would add child pornographers to the registry of sex offenders.

In a separate area, Lingle said she wants legislation that would allow police to enter public-housing projects to remove hostile or disruptive individuals. Currently, the laws treat such projects as private property.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said he supports Lingle's stance to get tough on crime. Carlisle said some of the proposals endorsed by Lingle such as stronger surveillance laws, walk and talk, and stiffer repeat-offender laws, have been proposed by law enforcement officials in recent years without much success.

"It's nice to have somebody who's got renewed energy such as the governor and Attorney General Mark Bennett," Carlisle said. He added that he likes that both the administration and Legislature are focused on tackling the crystal methamphetamine problem.

Lawmakers have proposed spending as much as $21.6 million on various treatment, prevention and education programs. "Both parties are interested in doing something about the ice problem," Carlisle said. "And I think this is a good session to do something about it."

Lingle's speech also focused on a variety of environmental concerns. She called for passage of a bill that would make it mandatory for 20 percent of the electricity sold in 2020 to come from renewable sources. The state is under a guideline to reach 9 percent renewable energy sold by 2010 but is under no obligation to make that goal, said Jeff Mikulina, director of the Sierra Club Hawai'i chapter.

"This is a measure where there should be no question between both economic benefits and the environmental benefits," Mikulina said, adding that his organization has been fighting for such legislation for the past five years. "It's been an uphill battle."

Lingle also said she is supporting a bill that would encourage the use of nonfossil fuels by exempting those that use them from paying the state's fuel tax.

The governor spoke of her capital-improvements package, which will include $14 million in park improvements and $10 million for renovation of the state's small boat harbors, proposals which also were applauded by Mikulina.

The administration is proposing legislation to make illegal dumping of solid waste a felony and is pledging to spend $20 million over four years to fight invasive species that threaten the state's ecosystem.

Mikulina said he is wary of the administration's intentions in several other areas. He said he's worried that $500,000 in proposed improvements to the Moloka'i irrigation system will simply lead the way to more development.

Lingle also spoke of allowing the four counties to make recommendations to the Land Use Commission on what parcels should be identified as "important agricultural lands." Mikulina said he has concerns about "what happens to the lands that aren't designated as important agricultural lands ... do those remaining ag lands simply go to the dogs?"

Lingle also called for a constitutional amendment that would require the Legislature to enact a balanced budget. Say said the Legislature has consistently submitted a balanced budget and that he is not certain such an amendment would be necessary.

The governor made no mention during her address of restoring the public's faith in government — the third of her three initial campaign planks. Later, she told reporters that there will be legislation dealing with campaign financing reform.

Advertiser staff writer Treena Shapiro contributed to this report. Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.