Money and politics
More disclosure sought for contributions to council members
HILO -- Divisiveness during the Punaluu purchase resolution process has prompted a review of county ties between money and politics.A proposal that would require Hawaii County Council members regularly to disclose campaign contribution information to peers and the public will be discussed during a committee meeting on Tuesday.
South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford, who submitted the proposal, said Friday the concept occurred to her after some residents questioned campaign contributions made to some council members during the debate on whether the county should seek to purchase Punaluu Black Sand Beach Park.
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While the state requires that those running for political office in Hawaii report the contributions they receive several times per year, Ford proposes that council members provide campaign contribution information every two weeks.
During one meeting this past summer, Ka'u Preservation attorney Ron Self requested that the council members who received campaign contributions from those connected with Sea Mountain Five to recuse themselves from the vote.
Self didn't state the names of the council members during that meeting, but Ford said it was Ikeda and Higa.
The council recently voted 5-4 to initiate negotiations to purchase a portion of the beach park in an effort to block Sea Mountain Five from buying it, and Higa and Ikeda were among the negative votes.
Ford said council members should recuse themselves from voting on certain issues if they're receiving sizable donations from people or companies that have financial connections in the particular issues.
While state law allows elected officials to vote on such issues regardless if they received campaign contributions, Ford said sometimes council members receive contributions from numerous people connected to a certain project.
The biggest contribution an entity or person can make to a council member's campaign is $2,000, but in Higa's case, he received large contributions from several people with financial stakes in the Punaluu deal, Ford said.
Ford categorized the activity as a "glitch" but not an "illegal glitch."
"The problem is not everybody looks at that," she said. "We all need to do better at full disclosure. It's in the interest of fair and honest government. We need to disclose this stuff."
Higa was unavailable for comment Friday, but Ikeda took offense that his name has come up on the topic.
Ikeda said Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole and Ka'u Councilman Bob Jacobson contributed money to Ka'u Preservation, the volunteer organization against the hotel development, and that nobody complained about that.
"When you contribute to an organization, I think that's even worse," Ikeda said. "I never brought that up because I always thought everyone was above-board. I could dig up dirt ... but that's just not my style."
Regarding campaign contributions Ikeda's received, he said, "Are you telling me my district can't be represented (in a vote) because somebody gave me money?"
"Friendship is even worse than money," Ikeda said. "You can be persuaded by a friend more than money."
He added he doesn't know why Ford is concerned when the council majority has six votes.
Ikeda said everything the majority wants it gets because it usually has six votes it could rely on.
He said Naeole, who he felt in the past was more of an independent vote, has since become part of the majority many feel is comprised of Ford, Jacobson, North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago, Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong and Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann, Kohala.
Naeole was unavailable for comment Friday.
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ken r wrote on Sep 29, 2007 7:41 PM: