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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:42 p.m., Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Report: Constitutional Convention could cost almost $10 million

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer

A state constitution convention could cost as little as $2 million or almost $10 million, according to a draft report prepared by a task force that's studying the convention price tag.

The cost will depend a number of issues, including the number of delegates, where they meet and for how long, the draft report said.

Today at a task force meeting, state Sen. Gary Hooser, D-7th (Kaua'i, Ni'ihau), said he felt the lower estimate could be unrealistic and suggested further study on the cost to set up and strike down the convention and the cost of facility rental.

"These are my 2 cents," Hooser said. "I'm concerned, though, that the figures are considerably under-represented."

The group plans to make its final decision by Friday.

The task force report summarized these proposals:

• Hold a 25-delegate convention to meet for 90 to 120 days at either the state Capitol or the state Department of Defense 298th Regiment Regional Multifunctional Training Institute in Waimanalo, at a cost of $2.2 million. Delegates would be paid and receive a per diem during the session and a flat fee of $10,000 to hire personal staff for their offices.

• Hold a 102-delegate convention to meet for 120 days at the Neil S. Blaisdell Center or the Hawai'i Convention Center, at a cost of more than $9.4 million. The Blaisdell and Convention centers have never accommodated a four-month convention, but they do have adequate space and parking for the public.

"I think what we have here is a draft that covers all the bases," said task force member Attorney General Mark Bennett. "We're assuming here what the costs are, but the Legislature will decide if the ranges are appropriate and it will settle on an amount in the middle and let the convention itself decided how to spend the money."

Voters are asked every 10 years if they want a Constitutional Convention. The last convention was held in 1978 and cost slightly more than $2 million. That 60-day convention had 102 delegates.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.