Tough issues face Council hopefuls

The City Council special election to fill the seat of Tulsi Gabbard, now the Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress, surely ranks among the marquee contests to be decided on the ballot Nov. 6.

Although only one candidate, former Councilman Jon Yoshimura, has officially tossed his hat in the ring, there is a lot of tentative interest from other current and former office-holders, including veterans of the campaign process. The crowded field, coupled with the shortened window of time for the race, is likely to turn the next two months into a political wrestling match, and place a heavy responsibility on voters of Council District 6 to cut through the fog and make their best choice.

If anyone wonders why Council seats are so hotly contested, consider: There are only nine members on a legislative body whose decisions have financial impact reckoned in the billions of dollars, and whose votes change the way Oahu’s precious resources are used.

Besides Gabbard’s old district, two other Council seats will be decided in the general: Tom Berg vs. Kymberly Pine in the 1st District (Leeward, Kapolei, Makakilo); and Ann Kobayashi vs. James Hayes in the 5th District (Manoa, Makiki, Kaimuki).

In the coming year in particular, decisions will be consequential. Depending on the way the remaining district races play out, the makeup of the Council could affect the political dynamic of the rail development, the most controversial and expensive public works project Honolulu has undertaken. Even if it clears the biggest hurdle — receiving the federal full funding commitment, expected sometime this fall — transit-oriented development will touch on Gabbard’s former district, too.

And apart from the rail issue, Honolulu is navigating through a period when the post-recessionary recovery of tax revenues still could stall, making decisions on the city’s fiscal health critical. The infrastructure of Gabbard’s district, as in much of Oahu, is deteriorating, and bolstering its basic capacity for sewer, water and road services is an inescapable priority. And the recent uproar over bus route changes and cuts should produce more strategic thinking about this key municipal service than it’s been getting lately in Council chambers.

Moreover, the city is on the brink of striking a final deal on the sale of its affordable rental stock; that, and the persistent problem with homelessness throughout Oahu inarguably remains a front-burner issue demanding careful consideration of elected leaders.

Those are the considerable stakes of the Council election broadly, including this district. The political players are eager to seize the opportunity the vacancy provides — it’s drawing the attention of lawmakers in safe House seats (Karl Rhoads and John Mizuno) as well as those who lost their seat due in part to reapportionment (state Sen. Carol Fukunaga). There’s the added irony that former Capitol aide Esther Kia‘aina, who lost to Gabbard in the primary, is now eyeing this seat as an opening, too.

All of them should be prepared to take a serious grilling on how they propose to deal with the problems of an aging urban center. A full debate among the candidates, once they’re named after the Aug. 31 deadline, would be a helpful public service. But In any case, the challenge of vetting the hopefuls in this winnowed time frame, as well as in the other regular Council races, finally falls to the bosses: the voters. Let’s all hope they pay attention, focus on the needs of their city, and hire the right people.