Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004

Mayor's trips raise concern about ethics

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Private groups paid for parts of several recent trips Mayor Jeremy Harris made for conferences and speaking engagements, and some City Council members say he should have disclosed the expenditures as gifts to the city and sought council approval.

But Harris' staff said that was never required of any previous mayor, and that Harris' intent has been to reduce the cost of travel to taxpayers.

City Ethics Commission director Chuck Totto said it's not clear whether the mayor needs formal acceptance of the travel assistance. The City Charter, a city ordinance, and an Ethics Commission advisory could all affect such a determination, Totto said.

Harris, who leaves office in early January, has made numerous trips to the Mainland and several other countries during recent months, including China, Australia, Chile and Sweden. He took vacation time for some of the journeys, but made others during work days, and council members have questioned whether all the trips were necessary.

"If he wants to go job hunting on his own time and pay for his job-hunting trips, great," said Councilman Charles Djou. "But if he's going job-hunting on the taxpayers' dime, and accepting contributions for these trips from interested parties, I don't think that's legitimate."

Harris' spokeswoman Carol Costa said the official trips have been to address government leaders about Honolulu's achievements in economic development, tourism and other issues.

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives spent more than $2,000 on Harris' trip to Australia; and, the Global Impacts Institute and Harvard University paid nearly $1,500 for a trip to Salt Lake City, according to Costa. Other groups paid for additional trips, but not all details were immediately available, she said.

The council is typically asked to approve gifts of travel for police training seminars and other official trips. Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi said that requirement should extend to the mayor.

Totto said the issue has never been raised before in a way that would generate an official ruling, and that the city has no explicit guidelines for mayoral travel gifts.

But there are exceptions for gifts from family members and people or groups who clearly have no interest in influencing city decision-making, he said.

The council's Executive Matters Committee yesterday advanced a bill that would require future mayors to give the council advance notice before leaving O'ahu.

Djou, who sponsored the measure, said it's important to know exactly who's in charge of the city when the mayor is away. Councilwoman Barbara Marshall said that's especially important because of concerns about homeland security.

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.