The excellent study group to be chaired by Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona should settle any arguments over the potential costs of a Constitutional Convention if voters decide to call one in the November election.

Legislative Democrats, who are generally skeptical of a ConCon, this session ordered the Legislative Reference Bureau to study the costs.

But Gov. Linda Lingle, who favors the first comprehensive review of the Hawai'i Constitution in 30 years, formed the competing Aiona group after accusing legislators of attempting to run up ConCon costs and turn voters against it by gold-plating its study parameters for salaries, staff, facilities, election costs and voter education.

Aiona took the high road and appointed a balanced 10-member study group that should give voters a fair picture of the range of potential ConCon expenses.

The administration is well-represented by Attorney General Mark Bennett, Comptroller Russ Saito and Budget Director Georgina Kawamura, but so are legislative Democrats with Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser and veteran Rep. Joe Souki, who will make sure the panel doesn't lowball convention costs.

The group is rounded out by House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, Republican Sen. Gordon Trimble, Pi‘ilani Kaopuiki of the League of Women Voters, Kaipo Lum of the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce and the state's Chief Elections Officer Kevin Cronin.

It's difficult to imagine such a diverse group spinning the outcome to favor one side or the other in the ConCon debate, and House and Senate leaders should save taxpayers a few bucks and call off the Legislative Reference Bureau and its far more limited study that can only pale in comparison.

Bowing out. Sorry to see that Waimanalo Rep. Tommy Waters won't seek re-election after three terms to devote himself to raising his family and earning a living.

Waters was Judiciary chairman in the last Legislature, a post that tends to handle a lot of high-profile controversial issues and has eaten up more than one chairman. He got the job at a relatively inexperienced stage of his legislative career and sometimes seemed in a bit over his head.

But he appeared honest and real in his dealings, always saying what was on his mind. It would have been interesting to see how he grew into the job.

Tags: ConCon, James "Duke" Aiona, Legislature, Linda Lingle

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