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the community newspaper for east oahu since 1987
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Governor Linda Lingle hosted an official state reception
for Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Sept. 16th at Washington Place. More than 300 guests attended this invitation-only event. |
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Governor Lingle: tackling the important issues A hands-on leader - accessible, responsive and dedicated to serving by MICHELE VAN HESSEN As a journalist by training and the founder of The Molokai Free Press newspaper, in the 1970s, Linda Lingle formed an opinion about complacency, which she saw all around the islands. "I thought things were really corrupt. I thought people weren't getting fair treatment," she said. "Everyone in power was, for the most part, Democrat. I didn't feel comfortable that I could become one of them." After covering County Council meetings and believing she could do a better job of serving the people of Molokai, Lingle decided to run for County Council herself. That was the start of a successful 26-year career in public service. Linda Lingle served five two-year terms on the Maui County Council, three representing the Island of Molokai, before being elected Maui's youngest Mayor. Serving the maximum two terms as Mayor of Maui, Lingle went on to vie for the Governor's seat. In 2002, she became the state's first Republican Governor to be elected in over 40 years. James R. "Duke" Aiona, Jr., a former District Family Court judge who began his legal career with the City and County of Honolulu's Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, was elected as Lieutenant Governor. Unlike previous administrations where the Governor and Lt. Governor worked independently, Lingle and Aiona drew their strength from teaming up together to tackle important issues facing the state. They are "hands-on" leaders who are highly accessible, responsive and dedicated to serving all the people of Hawaii. Under Governor Lingle's leadership, this administration reaches across party lines to find solutions to ending homelessness while looking for ways to cut taxes. Before her election, Hawaii had suffered from a nine-year recession and a quarter-billion-dollar deficit. Since she has been in office, the economy has dramatically turned around and the state treasury now boasts a $735 million surplus. Over 50,000 jobs have been created and Hawaii has held one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation for nearly two years. Governor Lingle's Administration has embraced a get-tough approach to violent crime and drugs. She cares about getting more Native Hawaiians into housing on Hawaiian Home Lands. The facts show that more Native Hawaiians have gotten housing in the last four years than in the last decade. And the Governor continues to finds ways to help the mentally ill and uninsured. To understand the needs of our military personnel based in Hawaii, especially the National Guard, she traveled to Iraq with five other governors from both parties. She visited with these "citizen soldiers" to understand what was happening on the ground and to express support for their courageous sacrifices. She's a pro-choice, pro-environment, pro-business Governor and a Republican Party celebrity in Hawaii and around the country. She had dedicated her life to public service and looks forward to finishing the job she started in December 2002, with a second term. "Moving Hawaii forward" is not just a campaign slogan for Governor Lingle. It is the foundation of her vision. This year's Republican (G.O.P.) state convention was historic in that it was the first time a sitting Governor addressed the audience. However, given that the Democrats still control all of Hawaii's four congressional seats and 80 percent of both House and Senate state Legislature, Governor Lingle emphasized the importance of a two-party system in Hawaii, and the need to elect more Republicans to office. "The big change that we went through is that we are now the state government," she said. "But we've only just begun." Public Education, in East Honolulu and throughout the islands, remains a priority to Governor Lingle. The Hawaii State Department of Education (D.O.E.) is the most centralized and only statewide public education system in the United States, which was established by Kamehameha III in 1840. There are seven individual school districts that are directly controlled by the D.O.E. Kaimuki High students complain about their "gross" restrooms. Often there is no toilet paper in many of the public schools; and textbooks are nonexistent or shared. A Kaimuki resident said his first grader loves Queen Liliuokalani, yet the D.O.E. tried to shut down the school. "My boy is excelling at learning because it is a smaller school." Thanks to efforts of Republican Representative Barbara Marumoto the school is still in operation. Governor Lingle said she's not finished fulfilling her vision for education reform, vowing to continue efforts to set up local school boards and mandate that 90 cents of every education dollar reaches the classroom. She has stated she intends to push in the 2007 legislative session for a pilot program on a neighbor island. "We spend a lot of money on education but there is zero accountability by the Board of Education," she continued. "No child in this state was ever educated in the central office. They are educated in the classrooms. That's were the money needs to go. The Department of Education does not work, only 13 percent of the population votes for the thirteen people sitting on the Board of Education, and yet we give the D.O.E. $2.5 billion dollars a year of your tax dollars." Governor Lingle is hoping voters' support of her initiatives and the election of more Republican legislators will give her the mandate and ability to accomplish these reforms. The Governor wants a legislative body of people that will help her fulfill her vision of a better Hawaii. The registration deadline to vote for the General Election is Monday, October 9th. The General Election is November 7th. Vote for a better future. |
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Governor Lingle
at a recent University of Hawaii function. photo by MICHELE VAN HESSEN |
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