Grasping at legacy
January 30th, 2008 by David ShapiroI was a bit embarrassed when somebody suggested Gov. Linda Lingle’s proposal to buy Turtle Bay to curtail development on the North Shore was an attempt to duplicate the legacy that former Gov. George Ariyoshi left when he had the state acquire Waiahole-Waikane.
I had to admit that when the subject of Ariyoshi’s legacy came up, Waiahole didn’t exactly leap to the front of my mind. In fact, I had to wrack my brain a bit just to recall the deal.
I had the excuse that I was working on the Big Island and in Washington, D.C., when the purchase went down, but I wasn’t the only one to suffer a memory lapse; Lingle was quoted as saying she wasn’t familiar with Ariyoshi’s Waiahole-Waikane purchase.
It got me thinking about governors and their legacies and I realized that I had no clear visions of the major accomplishments that most of Hawai’i’s chief executives left behind.
In the case of John A. Burns, the answer is pretty obvious — he built a state. But in the cases of Ariyoshi, John Waihee III, Ben Cayetano and now Lingle, the picture gets murkier.
Their accomplishments have been less groundbreaking than those of Burns, and in some cases the memories are negative as much as positive.
Your turn: What strikes you as the major legacies of our governors? What will they be remembered for most in the end?
While you’re pondering that, I have some further thoughts about Lingle’s North Shore initiative in my column in the Opinion section of today’s Advertiser, “Turtle Bay idea should be judged on its merits.”
January 30th, 2008 at 5:31 am
The idea is noble at best…regardless if there is a bail-out for a developer or not….truly the state can barely take care of the parks and lands that they own now - due to lack of funding, lack of people, lack of supervision… DLNR already has too much on it’s plate. Look what happened to the state and c&c beaches on the Waianae Coast!
They’d need to give up a division or two to make room for such an endeavor… Extra monies have already been spoken for before the legislature had begun…(can someone say UH facilities? DOE drug tests? Superferry tug boats? Coach salary?)
Agreement is that we “must keep country country…” any better ideas?
January 30th, 2008 at 5:39 am
The legacy of Gov. Waihee is certainly clear. It was the huge increase in government employees who still today are on the payrolls and the squandering of a huge budget surplus on local pork projects.
Frankly, when I hear the words “Governor” and “legacy” in the same sentence, I grab my wallet and run screaming into the night.
Do we want the government to become a North Shore real estate dealer? Heck no! Government always overspends, messes up the execution of projects, is way too slow and looks on these deals as opportunities to give boons to friends.
Please, please, I beg you, no legacy projects.
January 30th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Thank you Governor Lingle for promoting the idea for the State to purchase Turtle Bay Resort area. I support this sustainable proposal and I ask the Hawaii Legislature to work with the Governor and the Keep the Country Country group to make it happen.
January 30th, 2008 at 7:16 am
I would have preferred this proposal to have come from someone with a strong track record in environmental issues, but it’s on the table now no matter who proposed it.
Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening any time soon because of the unwillingness of any administration or any legislature to take on that kind of long-term debt.
Maybe what we ought to do is create a Turtle Bay Public Land Trust which is owned by the people for which we all commit to buying shares in it over a 30 year period. Don’t know if that would stand a legal test, but it’s an idea worth exploring.
Speaking of that - keep your eyeballs out for the announcement about the formation of the O`ahu Land Trust.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:00 am
You ask about governors’ legacies. It seems that it is easier to remember the bad then the good - but, we do elect people to do good, so good works should be taken for granted.
Lingle’s bad - her refusal to admit State wrongdoing in the Kauai dam failure; the State’s non-EIS pandering to the ferry owners; the State’s lackluster efforts to home the homeless; State surpluses not returned to the taxpayer; a continued to be broken emergency operations system - i.e., the response to the broken bridge on H1; and Hawaii’s climb to the highest tax burdened state in the union. Thank you Gov.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Wow, Guy, you are obviously out of touch.
What ever happened to doing the right things for the right reasons? Lingle’s proposal is genuine. She’s recognizing how our crazy urban sprawl is detracting from the Hawaii we know and love.
As for your other comments regarding Lingle being so “bad,” I’d suggest you start doing your homework. She showed leadership during Ka Loko; the Legislature and most knowledgeable Hawaii residents agreed with the Superferry; she has consistently proposed tax CUTS, as opposed to our mayor and legislature who keep raising them; and her Administration has made incredible strides to house homeless families in this state (you can thank O’ahu’s wonderful mayor for his non-existent role in those efforts).
Would love to hear more from you, once you’ve got your facts straight.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:33 am
As far as “legacies” go Waihee is definitely remembered for increasing government. But don’t forget that it was Cayetano who made severe cuts in social services to make up for the shortfall he inherited. Cayetano is also the only governor to have both public school teachers and UH faculty on strike at the same time. His vindictiveness and bull-headed way of working with others places him, in my mind, as the worst governor yet. I truly believe that Ben Cayetano should be credited with placing a Republican Governor in office.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Kamaaina Chica, you’re the one who is “out of touch”
What happened to Lingle’s campaign pledge during her first run for the Governor’s office: reforming the education system? Nothing.
This holds true for the poor state of the U.H. system as well. Her administration has been one of many promises, few results. It has been one
depending upon a lot of PR types in the Gov’s office.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:13 am
If you’ll check the legislative records from past years, you’ll note that the lack of reform in our abysmal education system is not for lack of trying by the Governor. Instead, it can be explained away as the typical inaction of our state legislature.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Dave’s column in today’s Advertiser is excellent and fair. It establishes that he is not in the pocket of any political party, and he gives Lingle her due. I’ve always sort of liked Lingle, and she even received a mental health award with my mother’s name on it. Her unwavering support of the Bush administration has caused me some problems, even though I wondered if she truly did support the national Republicans all the way, as she seems too intelligent for that. Dave also points out the illogicality of mindless opposition to Lingle when he talks about the “self-defeating mindset in which where an idea comes from is more important than what it’s worth.” This is a great definition of the “ad hominem” logical fallacy,or, arguing to the person (”ad hominem”) rather than to the subject of the argument itself.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Does “Keep the Country Country” mean preserving the gated community for the elite at Kawela Bay? At least, with a hotel unconnected people would have access.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I’m young enough that I only really remember the Cayetano and Lingle years. I didn’t pay much attention to politics earlier on than that.
Like Gimli, the first thing I think about with Cayetano is the concurrent HSTA and UH strikes. I remember my friends attending public schools went to Spring Break and didn’t come back to school for weeks - until it reached the point where any more missed school days would have mandated a summer session for everyone.
For Lingle, it’s always hard to judge what the legacy will be for an incumbent. For better or worse, I think everyone is going to remember the Superferry - especially the islands of Kauai and Maui. Of course if the business bellies up in the next few years, most of the state will forget about the whole ordeal over time.
I think one of the most significant things that’s happened here during the past 7 years has been the Northwest Hawaiian Islands being made a National Monument. But I don’t know how much, (if any), credit you can give Lingle since Bush signed the order.
January 30th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Bush may not allow natives to fish Papahanaumokuakea, and in the process, taking away indigenous rights and a practice there going on centuries. I know Lingle would allow them to fish, but does she really have any say. I mean, the Federal U.S. just gained alot more territory and water jurisdiction in the monument move.
Keep the north shore as open as possible. Realistically-speaking, I don’t know how they could short of a land trust (like Roots mentioned.)
This whole internet blitz idea probably won’t work and may cost just a little less to do it than it could generate. Most large contributors would look at it from an investor’s standpoint (despite the donation designation.) They’d be looking for a return and not to contribute to benefit conservation, cultural preservation, or keeping tourism up (too much buildings = too little tourists), but from what financial gain is to be had (which in this case, is zippo.)
In times like these, I wish I were a billionaire so I could by the land and propagate native fauna on it, and keep it in perpetual preservation status.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:35 am
Weren’t the ZONING LAWS supposed to take care of problems such as this without the spending of TAXPAYER MONEY, which should be going to benefit ALL of HAWAII’S CITIZENS - not just the PRIVILEDGED FEW INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS WHO GREASE THE POLITICAL MACHINE?
February 1st, 2008 at 2:48 pm
50 years from now, she’ll be remembered as the first woman governor…that’s about it.
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
waihee is the person who is most upsetting to me; sure, there are a lot of low life criminals out there but people like waihee are far guiltier of crimes against the people of hawaii for his misuse of power for personal gain. too bad he isn’t in jail with a gang of boyfriends.
in politics, there’s the false surface image of what’s supposed to be and then there’s the reality underneath that veneer…