honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 11, 2007

Retooling land bureau needs to begin soon

StoryChat: Comment on this story

All the recent legislative drama over the state Department of Land and Natural Resources dealt with the future of its director, Peter Young, whose reappointment ultimately was not confirmed.

But there was an important subtext: Part of the problem lies with the virtually unmanageable complexity of the department itself.

Few would argue that the agency, whose reach encompasses the entire state's natural, historical and recreational assets, needs retooling. Lawmakers should think about whether the problems aired during the confirmation hearings — including tempests in the historic preservation and recreational boating divisions — might be addressed through reorganization.

So far, however, the clearest call for action concerns the Bureau of Conveyances, the office that deals with the private ownership of real property. Examining its functioning was key during Senate deliberations, although most of the discussion took place "offstage." Because of an investigation into possible criminal charges against bureau personnel, testimony was taken in executive session.

Although cloaking the testimony in this way was legally necessary, the public doesn't yet know the particulars. But senators do.

For that reason, it's good to see that state Senate officials, in conjunction with House leadership, have decided to try to deal with this issue soon. A joint committee is set to convene this summer to consider restructuring the bureau.

One possibility that deserves serious consideration is that the bureau be removed from the department's purview altogether. Most of the DLNR work concerns public resources, rather than the disposition of private property. This seems more a consumer-protection issue, so reassigning this function to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs seems a rational option worth exploring.

The two houses must work efficiently on organizing this committee so that the panel has ample time to formulate a sensible solution to be enacted next year.