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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, May 27, 2005

EDITORIAL
Senate ethics panel is only a starting point

The establishment of a bipartisan Senate ethics committee, an idea being circulated around the state Capitol, is a promising notion because it encourages elected leaders to think more systematically about integrity in public service.

Of course, creating a self-policing entity, while an encouraging sign, won't go a long way toward inspiring more public confidence in our Legislature — and the more independent state Ethics Commission plays a similar role here.

Time for a reality check. What's really needed is a consistent pattern of ethical behavior that shows taxpayers that lawmakers do have their best interests at heart. A good start would be more productive legislative sessions that deliver laws geared toward the betterment of our state and its residents — not just special interests, whether it's the unions or big business. And full transparency is in order: Voters elect lawmakers with the expectation of open government.

Sure, there is good work going on at the Capitol. And on balance, most lawmakers do a good job of representing their constituents.

But the Legislature has its moments where partisan bickering and questionable judgment appear to be the order of the day. That's part of the reason Senate President Robert Bunda suggested the bipartisan committee. His initiative arose weeks after a storm of criticism that tagged state Sens. Brian Kanno, Kalani English and Clayton Hee with unethical behavior. The accusations questioned Kanno's use of his influence to intervene on behalf of a fired cruise line employee, English for use of travel benefits and Hee for the way his political fundraising intersected with his committee's review of University of Hawai'i regent nominees.

Probably even more damaging to the reputation of the Senate, however, was its lackluster performance in devising innovative solutions to the problems we face. The Legislature managed to balance the budget after sacrificing tax relief, for example, and gave only a measured response to the call for reforms in campaign spending and other areas. And let's not forget the so-called "handcuff bills" aimed more at reining in the powers of the governor than at crafting meaningful policy.

That performance falls short of inspiring voter confidence in government. These days, that's exactly what is needed.

In at least providing a forum for discussions on ethics, Bunda should be applauded for attempting to address the evident lack of faith in the collective practices of elected leaders. But this trust is something that is earned not by any short-term fixes but through the long-term practice of good lawmaking and ethical behavior.