Abercrombie, Ige tangle over policy

Gov. Neil Abercrombie offered a strenuous defense of his first term in a debate Thursday night while state Sen. David Ige insisted there has been a lack of leadership from Washington Place.

Abercrombie described an administration that has presided over an economic turnaround after the recession. But Ige, the governor’s Democratic primary opponent, complained of poor execution by the executive branch that is holding the state back.

Ige said that as a legislator he has "spent many years passing good policy, and I’ve been disappointed the last four years about the execution. There have been so many priorities that we’ve talked about and we’ve funded that just has not happened."

Abercrombie countered that the difference is "that it’s one thing to look at a problem. It’s one thing to talk about a problem. But you have to act on it. And leadership means action. And we’ve taken action in all of these areas."

Ige, who is still unknown to many voters, rejected the idea that he is taking advantage of the governor’s low job approval ratings and running on an "Anybody but Abercrombie" platform.

"Absolutely not," he said, maintaining that "there has been a lack of leadership in many, many instances."

The two Democrats had their feistiest disagreement over the state constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would ask voters whether public money should be spent on private preschool.

Abercrombie views the constitutional amendment as essential for the state to eventually offer preschool to all of the state’s 4-year-olds at public and private preschools. But Ige has questioned the estimated $125 million-a-year cost and whether private preschools can meet the demand.

"How can you possibly turn down the opportunity for 17,000 4-year-olds to begin to get the development and education that they need so that they can go into those elementary schools?" Abercrombie asked.

"I guess, governor, you know, it does cost $125 million," Ige interrupted. "There was no plan to fund it. The private preschools are not in the areas that they need to be."

"Are you criticizing private preschools?" the governor asked.

"I’m criticizing your plan, because your plan was not complete," Ige responded.

Abercrombie faulted Ige and the Legislature for not fully supporting an interim plan to have preschool at 30 public schools. Lawmakers instead approved funding for preschool at 18 public schools. "This is not about numbers. This is not about budget arguments. This is about whether children in this state are going to be served at their most vulnerable," the governor said. "They will never get that fourth year back."

The one-hour debate, moderated by Hawaii News Now’s Tannya Joaquin, was sponsored by Hawaii News Now and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. It was the second — and final — debate between Abercrombie and Ige scheduled to air on television before the August primary. The candidates met July 3 in a forum on PBS Hawaii’s "Insights."

Several community forums — including four sponsored by AARP Hawaii — are scheduled before the primary, however.

The debate Thursday covered familiar ground between Abercrombie and Ige on their differences over the state budget, urban growth in Kakaako and the challenges at the Hawaii Health Connector.

Ige, sharpening his theme about a lack of execution, tweaked Abercrombie for his 2011 appointment of a homeless czar and a 90-day action plan on homelessness. The state senator said state, county and federal agencies have to work together to address the problem, which the governor contends is now happening.

"It’s not something that you appoint a czar and suddenly 90 days later it disappears," Ige said. "It’s something that will take sustained effort."

While both Abercrombie and Ige support marriage equality, Ige said he would not have called the Legislature into special session last year and would have instead dealt with the issue during regular session, where there would have been more time to consider legislative options.

Abercrombie disagreed.

"This is a question of equality. This is a question of leadership," he said, adding that because of the intensity of the issue, it would have been impossible to debate it during a regular session while conducting other legislative business.

Abercrombie also defended his appointment of Brian Schatz, his former lieutenant governor, to replace the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye in December 2012. Inouye had urged Abercrombie to name U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who is now challenging Schatz in the Democratic primary.

Abercrombie said Inouye once told him, "You know what my preference is, but you have to make the best decision as governor as to what you think is in the best interest of Hawaii and its future."

Ige said he has heard from many people that they were "disappointed that the governor did not follow through on Sen. Inouye’s last wish. Many have said, ‘After so many years of dedicated service to the people of Hawaii, how can a simple request be ignored?’"