Off the News: Fundraising during the session not good

Lawmakers and would-be lawmakers like to hold campaign fundraisers when the Legislature is in session, when all the big-money lobbyists and other political influencers are in the same place. It’s simply more convenient, they say.

For obvious reasons, good-government advocates want the practice banned. But lawmakers have steadfastly refused.

Now comes Senate Bill 555, SD 1, which would prohibit such fundraisers altogether. It’s about time. In light of the Kalani English/Ty Cullen bribery scandal, surely lawmakers will put the public interest ahead of their own. Surely.

The bill is scheduled for its first public hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Private businesses, public unions

A tale of two economies was depicted on the pages of Friday’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Struggling, versus booming. Private businesses, versus public sector.

One story line told of local small businesses closing or forced to do online-only retail, due to rising costs but fewer customers. The other plot line was about a United Public Workers unit securing 4%-5% raises annually over the next three years, thanks to an expected $1 billion state budget surplus bolstered by the federal government and a rebounding economy. That latter situation is now spurring other government unions to line up for more — so the plot thickens.