ELECTION COMMISSION

ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY MISSING

Gov. Linda Lingle should be saying "I told you so," but it is not her style.

In 2004 when the Legislature unwisely changed the statute that selected Election Commission members, Gov. Lingle issued a strongly worded veto warning that the legislation placed the Office of Elections "outside of the scope of law."

Representation of the voting public in the elections process is now skewed because the power to appoint and oversee the chief elections officer is given to a majority of commissioners who represent only 20 percent of the people of the state. Only three of nine seats represent the island of O'ahu, even though this is where almost 80 percent of the voters reside.

Gov. Lingle also pointed out that the bill deprives the governor of any voice in the appointment of the state's chief elections officer because it denied her the ability to select good members to the Elections Commission, and to ensure they abide by open meetings rules.

Further, the law allows the chief justice of the Supreme Court to fill vacancies on the commission. Yet this is also the body that rules on elections disagreements, blurring the separation of powers set forth in our State Constitution.

The voters have the opportunity to undo the damage created by the current law by voting in favor of a Constitutional Convention. The convention can, in turn, revamp the Elections Commission to reinsert accountability and transparency into that body.

We owe it to the integrity of the election process and the sanctity of democracy to find a way out of this mess.

POLITICS

BAINUM HAS NOT SHOWN DEDICATION TO HAWAI'I

It is unfortunate that Kirk Caldwell has been disqualified to run for the City Council seat vacated by Ann Kobayashi. Caldwell has proven to be an intelligent and capable public servant over the years, someone who would be an asset to the City Council.

His opponent, Duke Bainum, on the other hand, who recently returned to Hawai'i after "licking his wounds" on the Mainland the past few years since losing the mayoral race to Mufi Hannemann, has not shown the dedication to Hawai'i I would want in my councilman. He loses. He bags. He returns home with a Kahala address — but wait, that's not in the district he needs to be in, so he'll move into a convenient Ala Wai property that is.

Where was he the past four years? He certainly could have been doing helpful things in the community despite losing the race. Hannemann remained in Hawai'i to serve the community after losing earlier races, as did Frank Fasi, Neil Abercrombie, and most other local politicians. But Bainum ran out on us — until the next election came up, of course.

And did everyone notice Bainum was in the cheering section when Kobayashi made her big announcement? And did you also notice he turned in his completed paperwork on time? No stressing out at the Office of Elections like all of the other last-minute filers sweating to each tick of the clock. Hmmm...

COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE LURCH

As a resident of City Council District 5, I am dumbfounded and outraged that my neighbors and I will be excluded from a democratic right to vote for a candidate to represent our district.

It still seems uncertain if the same will happen for Manoa's state House seat.

Ann Kobayashi has shown her true colors as a politician by not announcing that she would abandon our entire district for her own personal political ambitions as mayor, thereby not giving the people she represents enough time to find someone from among them to run for this office.

What's worse, we now have Duke Bainum as our only "candidate."

He, too, has shown his true colors because he was rich enough to rent out a mailing address in our district within hours of Kobayashi abandoning us and just before the deadline to run for public office.

Both candidates do not deserve the support of any resident of District 5.

Ms. Kobayashi and Mr. Bainum owe it to the people of District 5 to immediately withdraw from running for mayor and for City Council, respectively.

Their self-serving ambitions have left the public stranded and without democratically vetted representation.

This whole scenario is a mockery of our representative democracy. Can we at least write in a candidate?

If Kirk Caldwell won't run "off-the-ticket," then maybe I or someone else should. The current situation is unacceptable.

SAME-SEX

FULL FAMILY EQUALITY STILL NEEDED IN HAWAI'I

The governor of Massachusetts recently affirmed the right for all families to be treated equally by signing a bill that removes a barrier for same-sex couples. Same-sex couples from across the nation can now get married in Massachusetts. Gov. Deval Patrick said "(the) repeal will confirm a simple truth: that is, in Massachusetts, equal means equal."

Meanwhile, in Hawai'i, equal means equal — except in marriage — where the Legislature in 1998 carved out an exception to the Equal Protection Clause.

Most legislators and the governor prefer to remain silent on this issue of equality, while our tourism industry misses out on the honeymoon bonanza going on in California, Massachusetts, Canada and other destinations.

It has been 10 years since Hawai'i voters addressed the issue of family equality. What have we learned in this time? Have traditional marriages in Hawai'i been weakened by those who married elsewhere (like Canada or Massachusetts) and now live in Hawai'i? Have any of the horrors predicted by the fear mongers for "traditional marriage" come to pass here, in Massachusetts or in Canada? The answer to these questions is a resounding, emphatic no.

If you care about equality, talk to your legislators, especially now when they are asking for your vote. Ask them: "When are you going to provide marriage equality? When are you going to change the law that hurts local couples and their children by denying equal protection and hurts tourism by limiting the prospects of a Hawaiian wedding to couples who are 'one man and one woman'?"

RAIL

TRANSIT TEAM WORKING HARD TO SHARE RAIL INFO

As a member of the public involvement team for the Rail Transit project, I am disappointed to hear public comments about the need for open discussion on the project.

The information that people ask about (ridership, reason for route, capital and operational cost estimates, and much more) has been available for more than two years.

We've held hundreds of public meetings, individual group presentations, and radio shows; we even have a regular 'Olelo TV show. We've had a physical presence at major community events and in malls. If people had questions, there were project engineers and planners standing by to personally answer them.

Sadly, there were many events where we only had a few serious discussions. It's disappointing, because I and most of the project team have stood for hours, waiting to answer questions and now we are being accused of not sharing information.

We are working hard to ensure this project meets the needs of O'ahu's residents and that our work meets the standards of the Federal Transit Administration.

I am truly saddened. People feel they have not had an opportunity to ask serious questions, but we are trying to answer them. Look for us at the next event you attend, or call us and we'll come to you.

MARITIME HISTORY

PLEASE FIND A WAY TO FIX FALLS OF CLYDE, SAVE IT

I have lived with Aunty Lynne Waters and Uncle Clayton Hee all summer. I was shocked when I heard the news about the Falls of Clyde.

When I came to Hawai'i this summer, I wanted to tour the Falls of Clyde. But it was closed.

I like masted ships a lot and I was mad when I found it was closed.

I think the Bishop Museum should put the ship in drydock, fix it and then put it back in the water.

I know the museum doesn't have enough money, but it could be done over time, not right away. Fix it piece by piece.

If you "have" to sink it, sink it on the Atlantis Submarine route off of Waikiki so the people of Hawai'i can look upon it forever along with tourists, and can remember their maritime past.