Posted on: Thursday, September 9, 2004
Council veterans headline mayor's race
By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Duke Bainum, left, and Mufi Hannemann, the top contenders for Honolulu mayor, differ on condo leasehold conversion and double-decking Nimitz Highway, among other issues.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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The Honolulu mayoral race pits two former City Council members against each other and a former mayor who's running a shoestring campaign.
Mayoral candidates Duke Bainum, Frank Fasi and Mufi Hannemann will participate in a televised debate tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on KHON-TV. People may also see the debate in person at the Hawai'i Theatre. Free tickets will be given on a first-come, first-served basis at the Hawai'i Theatre box office beginning at 6:15 p.m. The debate will be rebroadcast at 10:30 tonight on KHON. Frank Fasi, who spent 22 years as mayor prior to 1994, is running a much quieter campaign but may draw enough votes to force a runoff between Bainum and Hannemann in the Nov. 2 general election.
A runoff will be held if no candidate receives more than half of the vote on Sept. 18. Seven lesser-known candidates are also on the ballot: Daniel H. Cunningham, Theodore W. Gibson, Lillian Lai Lam Wang Hong, Paul Manner, Glenn Pinho, Mike Powers and Terrence Koichi Teruya.
Bainum, 52, is a physician who's originally from Arkansas. He is campaigning on an "honest change" platform and promises to rid City Hall of undue influence he believes special interests have on city contracting and other decision-making.
Hannemann, 50, was born and raised in Honolulu. He says he is a more qualified leader because of his experience running the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism during the administration of Gov. John Waihee, and other experience in Washington, D.C.
Fasi, 84, is originally from Connecticut. He has invoked his past accomplishments as mayor and floated quirky ideas he first proposed years ago, such as setting up a casino on Midway Island.
Bainum represented the City Council district that stretches from Waikiki to Wai'alae Nui, and previously represented the Waikiki area during two terms in the state House. Hannemann represented the council district that extends from Halawa to Pearl City. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2000.
Hannemann favors repealing a 1991 law that allows the city to force landowners to sell condominium owners the fee interest in the land under their units. Bainum supports the law.
Hannemann supports a state plan to add another deck to the Nimitz Highway. Bainum opposes the idea and says the city must improve mass transit.
Bainum was an early supporter of the city's Bus Rapid Transit program, which would dedicate traffic lanes for special buses. He now says he does not agree with the way Mayor Jeremy Harris is starting to implement the idea, and does not believe it will move forward because it lacks federal support. Hannemann is a longtime opponent of the plan.
Reach Johnny Brannon at 525-8070 or jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com.
The top contenders are former councilmen Duke Bainum and Mufi Hannemann, who have each spent hundreds of thousands of dollars aggressively vying for the top city job.
Debate tonight
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| DUKE BAINUM: Issues at a glance: TRAFFIC: An early supporter of the city's plan for a Bus Rapid Transit system of special buses and dedicated lanes, but says he does not agree with the way it's being implemented and does not believe the project will be completed. Says an elevated monorail system is a better option. Does not support state proposal to build a "flyover" elevated viaduct over Nimitz Highway because of visual blight. Says better road maintenance will be a priority. LEASEHOLD CONDOMINIUM CONVERSION: Supports a 1991 law known as Chapter 38 that allows the city to force landowners to sell qualified condominium owners the fee interest in the land under their units. SEWER FEES: Says there's no question sewer fees will have to increase next year, to pay for years' worth of repairs and upgrades that must be completed as soon as possible. LANDFILL: Says he will not allow a landfill anywhere along the Wai'anae Coast or at a quarry near Kailua. Says city should consider shipping garbage to a Mainland dump site. |
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| MUFI HANNEMANN: Issues at a glance: TRAFFIC: Does not support city plans for a Bus Rapid Transit system of special buses with dedicated lanes. Says light rail system is a better option, but that a ferry system linked to buses should be considered in cooperation with the state. Supports state proposal to build a "flyover" elevated viaduct over Nimitz Highway but has concerns about visual impact. LEASEHOLD CONDOMINIUM CONVERSION: Supports efforts to repeal a 1991 law, known as Chapter 38, that allows the city to force landowners to sell qualified condominium owners the fee interest in the land under their units. SEWER FEES: Says he would propose fee increase as a last resort if thorough examination of city finances shows there is no other responsible way to pay for repair and upgrade work that must be done. LANDFILL: Says a landfill will be needed on O'ahu, at least for the immediate future. Has no preferred site, but says surrounding area should be compensated by the city with a package of community benefits. |
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| FRANK FASI: Issues at a glance: TRAFFIC: Would support a tax increase to pay for a rail transit system if the federal government picks up 80 percent of the cost. EXPERIENCE: After serving 22 years as mayor beginning in 1968, says he is "the most experienced, most qualified and with a public record that cannot be matched by any and all of today's would-be mayors." |
