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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 5:15 p.m., Thursday, May 7, 2009

Recreational upgrades: Renaissance can start —without a law

Always, but especially during hard economic times, the motto of good government ought to be: Do the best you can with what you've got.

That is what the Department of Land and Natural Resources is doing, despite the fact that state lawmakers refused to approve up to $40 million in bonds aimed at sparking a "renaissance" for state parks and other natural playgrounds.

DLNR was justifiably disappointed. It was a lost opportunity for the state to make major strides in upgrading and maintaining the recreational resources that mean so much to Hawai'i residents and tourists alike — everything from hiking trails to harbors, which provide ideal environments to enjoy Hawai'i's beauty.

Fortunately, DLNR Director Laura Thielen has assembled a never-say-die staff determined to stay the course as much as possible. This means the agency remains committed to a rational schedule of maintenance within existing budgetary limits, as well as considering ways to add some new user fees through the administrative rulemaking process.

That would spark broad public discussion about which resources should be supported with a fee and whether visitors and Isle residents should pay equally.

The renaissance plan will still require financing major improvements with borrowed cash. The state should return to the Legislature next year to make another bid for that bond authority, and lawmakers, seeing that DLNR is committed to improving these important natural resources, should offer more support.

After such a contentious session, it's refreshing to see an agency see legislative rejection as a lemon from which the proverbial lemonade can be made.