Editorial: Governor offers ambitious agenda

The state of the state is, according to its chief executive, at a decision point on state finance and on key educational and housing policy matters.

Gov. David Ige has a long way to go before winning over lawmakers on some proposals, especially those for tinkering with tax distribution. But overall, Ige’s annual State of the State address on Tuesday included promising ideas — especially on early education.

Ige acknowledged the state can’t afford to add all 300 pre-kindergarten classes it needs. Instead, he proposed to restructure elementary schools that still accommodate kindergarten through Grade 6, converting them to pre-K-to-Grade-5 campuses and moving sixth-grade classes to middle schools.

Ige’s program would focus on neighbor island K-6 campuses, although Department of Education (DOE) spokeswoman Nanea Kalani said there are numerous K-6 schools on Oahu as well.

Even so, it makes sense to start with neighbor island schools, where rural communities have less access to preschools.

Further, state agencies have identified zones of critical social-service needs, such as East Hawaii. It’s well established that early education prepares children for academic success, lowering the risk of social problems down the road. Needy communities would clearly benefit.

Corey Rosenlee, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, said he anticipates little resistance from sixth-grade teachers and would like to see public preschool expand as soon as possible.

He said staff turnover in schools is high; that’s unfortunate, but it will allow new staff arrivals to be hired specifically for middle schools, as the program is phased in. Rosenlee added that a number of teachers already are double-certified, also holding an early-education teaching credential, so some expansion wouldn’t have to wait for new hires.

Finally, the DOE is on board, proposing to add 22 new pre-K classes in the next biennium.

There were other major surprises in the governor’s speech:

>> Ige favors lifting the ceiling on how much revenue from the state’s transient accommodations tax (TAT) could go to the counties, basing each county’s share on a simple percentage of the total. The Legislature has capped it in the past to direct excess revenue to other state purposes.

Lawmakers must decide how much of the TAT revenue they can afford to lose — which won’t be much, due to the state’s fiscal burdens. Mayors will have their lobbying work cut out for them: Making the case for more county revenue will be a heavy lift.

>> Housing and homelessness rank high on Ige’s list. The governor has pledged $315 million over the next two years for housing, units the state must deliver to whittle a huge housing deficit.

But the compelling vision this year was his adoption of a Singapore-style condominium development policy, proposing to cut costs for condo buyers by having the units built on state land, under 99-year leases. That one is intriguing and bears watching.

>> Ige is doubling down on the state’s commitment to its Legacy Land Conservation Program, removing the cap on the allowance of conveyance tax that funds it. He needs also to double down on oversight of the fund, addressing problems in its administration by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

>> The governor supports relocating and building a new jail equipped to provide rehabilitation services — a good idea — but has said little about various proposals for reforms that would reduce prison populations altogether. This was a disappointment.

Ige said he hoped that he and lawmakers can “work together” on resolving disagreements over the jail and other issues. Given the past dysfunctional relationship between the executive and legislative branches, let’s hope they pay that more than lip service. Without resolve to deliver on that pledge, the rest of this ambitious and worthy agenda will get left by the wayside.