For anyone concerned about transparency in political campaigns — and really, that should be all of us — a strong message was sent to both the public and politicians.

Kauai Rep. James Tokioka pleaded no contest Monday for filing an inaccurate and incomplete campaign report, and will pay a $1,000 fine.

It was the first time a campaign spending violation was prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Office, but it’s hardly the first time a lawmaker has gotten in trouble with the Campaign Spending Commission for violations, intentional or otherwise. A few years back, one legislator was even named House majority floor leader despite owing over $6,500 in fines for filing false reports and other problems; she lost her seat in the following election.

Rep. Takai thinks outside the rail

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has come up with what seems to be a good idea for the use of public funds.

The idea is that the funds needed by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to reconstruct Kamehame-

ha and Farrington highways after the elevated rail comes through could come from state Department of Transportation coffers.

Remember, DOT faces a backlog of federal highway dollars it can’t seem to spend fast enough to meet Uncle Sam’s deadlines.

State DOT officials, however, seem loathe to let go of federal dollars, and it’s not clear that they realize some of this work would have been required for highway upkeep anyway, rail or no rail.