Editorial: Honolulu’s next mayor faces tough challenges

Honolulu’s mayor is expected to provide the leadership necessary to keep the city moving in a thriving direction. While the holder of this high-profile post should articulate a vision and pursue big-picture goals, much of the job is grounded in everyday administrative matters.

Four years ago, when Mayor Kirk Caldwell was vying for a second term, he listed among his own qualifications: ability to “maintain a high level of services while trying to improve core services” — often less-than-glamorous but necessary work, such as repaving rutted streets, maintaining parks and trash collection.

Fifteen candidates are in the running to succeed Caldwell, who is terming out. If no candidate secures an outright majority of the vote in the Aug. 8 primary election, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff in the Nov. 3 general. Whomever voters hire for the job will find a formidable lineup of challenges, starting on Day 1.

In addition to contending with uncertainty and economic fallout tethered to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new mayor must pick up pre-coronavirus problems, ranging from construction of the cash-strapped and troubled rail project, to addressing Oahu’s affordable housing shortage. And as underscored in this anxious weekend of Hurricane Douglas, the mayor must be able to immediately step up to lead in life-or-death situations when natural disasters threaten the public’s safety.

Voters will chose between two general candidate types: seasoned politicians who maintain that experience in elective office will be key to moving Honolulu forward, and novices countering that an outsider’s perspective is needed to spur a fresh sense of urgency in tackling obstacles on the horizon.

Among the leading newcomers are Rick Blangiardi, retired general manager of Hawaii News Now; and Keith Amemiya, a former senior vice president of Island Holdings, best known for his 12 years as executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.

These two first-timers this month reported having the largest campaign coffers for this mayor’s race. However, the leading political veterans — former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, former Mayor Mufi Hannemann and current City Councilwoman Kym Pine — have also amassed significant campaign collections. Others vying for the office include John Carroll, Choon James, Audrey Keesing and William “Bud” Stonebraker.

In a recent televised debate, when asked about financing of the $9.2 billion 20-mile rail as the pandemic threatens funding, all five top candidates said they would oppose increasing city property taxes to pay for project construction.

But with the dwindling of local funding — largely drawn from general excise and transient accommodations taxes — and the uncertain prospects for a public- private partnership, the new mayor could be forced to push for a tax hike or hit the pause button on the project, which is now slated for completion in 2026.

Successful leadership in rail — Hawaii’s largest-ever public works project — and other pursuits hinge on ability to garner City Council support. Priority issues include enforcing tougher regulations on vacation rentals, making traction against homelessness and providing more affordable rentals, and maintaining quality conditions of roads, parks and wastewater systems.

Among the administrative stumbles that the next mayor should clearly avoid: over-growing government bureaucracy. The city’s post-pandemic economic recovery will likely demand a leaner, faster- working and more efficient Honolulu Hale.

Also, with the mayor holding full control over appointment and removal of administrators and department heads, the public expects compliance with a high standard of ethics. But on Caldwell’s watch, the Ethics Commission fumbled the corruption probe that eventually resulted in ex-police chief Louis Kealoha’s conspiracy conviction. What’s more, some 18 months after Corporation Counsel Donna Leong received a a target letter tied to the Kealoha-focused federal criminal investigation, she’s still on paid leave — raising questions the mayor and his successor should answer about how to properly square the interests of employees with those of taxpayers.

As mayoral candidates tout plans and priorities for Honolulu’s future, voters should weigh them with the loudest public criticism and praise directed at the current administration.

Among the recent eyebrow-raisers: rail-connected transit-oriented development deals that allow far more luxury- or market-priced housing than affordable housing; and a proposed makeover at Ala Moana Regional Park that was out of sync with the priorities of longtime parkgoers.

The to-do list for our next mayor runs the gamut from providing basic public services to addressing complexities in the city’s annual operating budget of nearly $3 billion and working toward post-pandemic economic recovery. With election ballots now arriving in homes, voters are tasked with scouring the candidates’ resumes, then hiring the most capable one to lead this city of nearly 1 million for the next four years.