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| Malia Zimmerman |
Why Oh Why, Potholes in Paradise
The recent rains that slammed down on the islands throughout the holiday season managed to severely damage the roadways on Oahu, causing the number of potholes to jump an estimated tenfold and calls to the government pothole hotline to rise nearly 600 percent.
That is quite a feat on Oahu, as the island's poorly maintained roadways played a major factor in the state being rated with the worst roads in the nation in Feb. 2003 by the Surface Transportation Policy Project.
Rod Haraga, director of the state Department of Transportation, explained on yesterday's Rick Hamada Morning Show on KHVH 830 AM Radio that potholes are caused by water seeping into cracks in the road, which then expands below the surface. In addition, he says, heavy water also erodes the road's surfaces, causing new cracks to form, which leads to new potholes.
So who is in charge of keeping Oahu's roadways safe and smooth? Data provided by the state Department of Transportation shows that from a total of 1,591 route miles of roads on Oahu, maintenance for 85 percent is the responsibility of the City and County.
One of Hawaii's leading cartoonists, John Pritchett, documented a reason why Oahu may have such poorly maintained roads. In his May 15, 2003 editorial published in Hawaii Reporter, "City's Dramatic Drop in Road Resurfacing Corresponds with Mayor's Campaign Strategy," Pritchett charts the number of lane miles rehabilitated or resurfaced by the City and County of Honolulu from 1986 through 2002. (A lane mile is equal to one mile of roadway 10 feet wide). The data for this chart was provided to the Honolulu City Council by the Department of Facilities Maintenance in October of 2002.
He says what is striking about the chart is it reveals that as soon as Jeremy Harris was elected mayor of Honolulu in 1994, road maintenance took a nosedive. This trend continued, reaching an all-time low of just 35 lane miles resurfaced annually, right around the time of Jeremy's 2000 re-election campaign. Compare this to an average of 250 lane miles resurfaced annually during the eight years before Jeremy became mayor.
Pritchett and other critics, including former Mayor Frank Fasi who prided himself on the number of lane miles he repaired and maintained annually, say Harris diverted city funds away from core city functions such as road maintenance and instead, focused on glamorous construction projects that would promote his political ambitions. They maintain that it is a betrayal of the taxpayers' trust to ignore core city services such as road maintenance and then turn around and spend millions of tax dollars on fancy projects designed to promote the mayor's political career.
Nothing brings that betrayal home more than the head-banging jolt drivers get when landing front car wheels first in the crater-sized potholes that now pave Oahu's roadways. Or the high tab they pay at the auto repair shops, including charges for new tires, alignment and shocks.
Poor road conditions reportedly cost Hawaii drivers around $114 million a year for repair and operating costs, according to a 2001 survey by the Society of Civil Engineers in Hawaii, or around $150 per driver. Other unofficial estimates from auto repair dealers including Costco's tire shop, are higher, with the cost of poor roads on Hawaii's automobiles ranging from $300 to $400 per driver annually. And the fancier the tire rims, the more damage that can be done.
Anyone Wanna Buy an Overgrown Cavity Filler That No Go?
The state Department of Transportation has abandoned its plans to use the $156,000 pothole-patching machine, the "Rosco RA-300," purchased in 2001 by then Director of Transportation Kazu Hayashida with funding from his side kick, former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano.
The pothole filler was never even used because it failed pothole filling tests, meaning the holes the machine filled did not stay in place for even a year.
But rather than return the machine for a better one, or selling it on Amazon.com or eBay, the Cayetano administration let the machine sit and gather rust and dust.
Now, after the recent torrential downpour left DOT officials desperate for a pothole filling machine that works, the new DOT Director Rod Haraga says state will try to sell the machine on the Mainland, where there are less used rural roads and look for other options.
In the meantime, workers will continue to fill the potholes that now plague the state's roadways the old fashioned way – by hand.
If it doesn't sell, what other uses could the overgrown cavity filler offer?
Submit your ideas to Hawaii Reporter at mailto:Malia@HawaiiReporter.com
Back to the Legislative Battlefield a Bit Early
The Hawaii State Legislature has not formerly started its session, but the chairs of the House and Senate finance committees don't seem to mind. They've scheduled an intense series of hearings where state department heads and economists have been asked to testify before committee members on the state of the budget, the executive branch's budget requests and the state of the economy.
The full testimony by Budget Director Georgina Kawamura is published in Hawaii Reporter today. She says the state is maintaining its hiring freeze and continuing to be fiscally conservative, despite disapproval by most Democrats, who are the vast majority on the committtees.
Stay tuned to Olelo for the hearings, which begin at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. It is reality TV.
The official legislative session begins on Wed., Jan. 21, 2004.
Campaign Spending Investigation into Mayor's Campaign/Administration Makes National News
Some of Hawaii's Democrats under investigation by a multitude of agencies in charge of enforcing campaign spending laws, including the Honolulu Police Department, the Honolulu Prosecutors Office and the state Campaign Spending Commission, would like to blame the investigation on a few political enemies. But the national media sees the investigation differently.
CNN.com published an article this week on the investigation into the campaign of Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris entitled "Campaign donation scandal rocks Hawaii: Probe proves embarrassment for state's Democrats"
See http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/01/05/hawaii.corruption.ap/index.html
The story features state Campaign Spending Commission Executive Director Bob Watada as a "soft-spoken man who has managed to shake Hawaii's power structure to its core."
The story reads: "During the past two years, Robert Watada and his staff at the state Campaign Spending Commission have exposed, bit by bit, a scandal in which respected architects and engineers illegally made political donations in the names of their employees, wives and children, allegedly to win government contracts. The results of the investigation so far: nearly $1 million in fines, jail time for a prominent lawyer, community service for business leaders, and the resignation of a Honolulu police commissioner."
The story also points to "The civil and criminal reckoning has also been an embarrassment for some of the state's most influential Democrats and played a role in giving Hawaii its first elected Republican governor in 40 years."
Also documented in the article are the illegal contributions to Democrats such as Harris, former Gov. Ben Cayetano, former Maui County Mayor James Apana and former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono. The article points to some of those implicated in what has come to be known as the "pay to play" system in the state, where those seeking favor with the local government pay up to city officials through campaign contributions and other gifts. Included are former Hawaii Bar Association President Edward Y.C. Chun who is the first to get jail time; Leonard Leong, who resigned as Honolulu police commissioner after being fined for illegal campaign contributions to the mayor, and nearly 20 others who have been arrested.
Watada, who is quoted throughout the article, says his office will support legislation in the 2004 legislative session to make the campaign donation system in Hawaii more transparent and accountable. Two bills his office staff will lobby for include:
- Preventing corporations, unions and banks from directly making contributions to candidates from their bank treasury. They can however make contributions from a Political Action Committee or PAC that employees contribute to voluntarily that is then funneled to candidates.
- Bar those either bidding on, working on or just completing government work from making political contributions to those political candidates who have influence over that contract.
Senate Web Sites Posted: But No First Amendment Here
The Senate Minority Caucus, which assists the minority party in the Senate, the Republicans, proudly announced the posting of its Web site yesterday, now found at http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/senmin/default.asp
The majority caucus in the Senate, which assists the Democrats, already has a Web site. See http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/senmaj/
However some lawmakers on both sides are refusing to post anything on their respective web sites because the approval process is so bureaucratic. The approval process also is extremely partisan in favor of the Democrats, who rule the Senate with 20 of 25 seats.
In order post any information on the Senate Minority web site, Republicans not only have to get permission from the Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings, R-Kailua, but they have to get approval from the Senate Democrat Majority leadership, who can censor, change or prevent the information from being published all together.
What kind of leadership is there in the minority that the Republicans would agree to censorship and no free speech? This is still America, right?
Gov. Wants Safety Improved at Airport, Releases $1.5 Million
Gov. Linda Lingle recently released $1,484,154 to enhance pedestrian and motorist safety at Honolulu International Airport. The work will include improvements to the roadways adjacent to the Interisland and Overseas terminals on both the departure and arrival levels.
Lighting improvements are planned on the ground floor at the Interisland terminal to reduce the visual "tunnel effect" (entering a darker space from a brighter space) that often occurs when cars enter the terminal during the day. Motorists have long complained about the difficulties in seeing pedestrians and vehicles on bright sunny days when they enter the covered roadway.
Another major project will be to analyze and implement changes to the traffic lanes on both levels to improve the ability of motorists to cross between the inner and outer lanes fronting the terminals. The improvements will make it easier and safer for motorists to cross the median island and merge into traffic. In addition to the state funds, federal funding for the project includes $1,731,166.
Acne Covered Bank Robber With Accent Robs City Bank
He is not your every day bank robber. In fact, he is the only robber to come across the wire described as having a slight accent and slight acne.
In case this sounds familiar, the robber is a Chinese/Filipino male in his early 20s, 5'2", 100 to 120 lbs., thin build, brown straight length hair (wig), brown eyes, with a tan complexion, and he robbed the Main Branch of City Bank at 201 Merchant Street, on Wednesday, December 31. He wore a white t-shirt with dark colored 3/4 sleeves and dark colored pants and carried a black messenger bag.
Just before noon, the male suspect presented a demand note for a large sum of money but fled empty handed when the teller could not produce the money. The suspect was last seen running makai on Alakea Street toward Queen Street.
Call CrimeStoppers and the Honolulu Police Department with any information. Detective Derrick Kiyotoki is requesting that anyone with information call him at 529-3436. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, *CRIME on a cellular phone.
Clint Eastwood Shares His 10 Rules a Man Should Live By
Newsmax.com recently published Clint Eastwood's "10 Rules a Man Should Live By" in hopes of inspiring men across America who are making their New Years resolutions this week.
The list is published in the Men's Journal. Eastwood, who is a self-described libertarian, says his rules are:
- 1. Call your own shots.
- 2. Be fearless.
- 3. Keep moving.
- 4. Love your job.
- 5. Speak softly.
- 6. Don't be predictable.
- 7. Find a good woman.
- 8. Learn to play the piano.
- 9. You are what you drive.
- 10. Avoid extreme makeovers.
When asked about "makeovers," Clint says he has misgivings about the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy cast ever getting their hands on Dirty Harry: "Those guys would put me in a pair of Britney Spears jeans - you know, the ones that show the crack in your ass. Maybe throw a tattoo on my tailbone."
Reach Malia Zimmerman, editor and president of Hawaii Reporter, via email at: mailto:Malia@HawaiiReporter.com
