EDITOR’S NOTE: Message from former Congressmember Ed Case to supporters issued August 23 about his endorsement for Honolulu mayor in upcoming election. Below Panos Prevedouros, a candidate for mayor mentioned in Case’s letter, responds:
In the special election for Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, I support Peter Carlisle.
About a million people (including visitors) are on O‘ahu any given day, and the main job of Honolulu Mayor is to run core municipal services like police, fire, trash, sewage, transportation and water and balance the budget to do so. But the job’s also about preserving O‘ahu’s special qualities and directing smart growth, and projecting Honolulu’s role in the Asia-Pacific region. And, with fully 70% of Hawai‘i’s citizens residing on O‘ahu and Honolulu as Hawai‘i’s economic and political center, our Mayor can be a state leader.
I’ve known Carlisle as a fellow lawyer and worked closely with him as Hawai‘i’s Congressman during his service as Prosecuting Attorney. He’s a clear thinker and straight talker, willing and able to ask tough questions, find better solutions and make hard decisions. He’s independent, works well with diverse folks, and has no political agenda other than making government work. He’ll make a good Mayor as we face up to challenges both ignored and not yet known.
Kirk Caldwell has an attractive resume, but he’s been a follower, not a leader, throughout his political career. He is the product and clear choice of a political machine that must end. As Mayor, he would be captive to the influence of special interests asking only what the City and County of Honolulu can do for them. As a state leader, he would not provide the independent perspective on state government so essential to finding new solutions to statewide challenges.
I like Panos Prevedouros: his energy and enthusiasm; outside-politics base and perspective; and fresh thinking and independence. We need him and many others like him to seek and serve in elective office. In this election, though, he and Carlisle are the change candidates against a status quo Caldwell; I don’t want that vote to be split at the risk of Caldwell prevailing. As well, as a cautious mass transit supporter, I don’t believe rail should be effectively scuttled on this vote. So for me Prevedouros is a yes, but not this one.
This Honolulu Mayor election is unusual: it’s winner-take-all on primary election day to fill out the remaining two years of the four-year term from which former Mayor Hannemann resigned. This means it’s possible our next Mayor could be elected with significantly less than 50%. So if, like me, your goal is good, inclusive government beyond the machine, but you’re undecided between Carlisle and Prevedouros, please consider supporting Carlisle as the best choice to achieve that goal.
Submitted by Ed Case
Statement from Panos Prevedouros on Ed Case’s endorsement of Peter Carlisle for Mayor of Honolulu:
“Mr. Case’s recent newsletter clearly defines the people’s choice for mayor in this upcoming election on September 18th:
“The people can vote for either (A) a machine candidate, or (B) a lawyer who supports a rail project he admits is fiscally irresponsible, OR (C) they can elect a civil engineer who has promised to stop the rail project, repeal the rail tax, reduce congestion, and fix Oahu’s infrastructure.
“We appreciate Mr. Case’s kind words for our candidacy. Though of course we disagree with his endorsement, he has laid out the choice for Honolulu’s voters quite clearly. If voters believe in supporting the political machine, they can vote for Mr. Caldwell.
“If voters believe Honolulu’s future is best served by a lawyer who strongly supports the $5.5 billion rail project which Mr. Carlisle himself admits is fiscally irresponsible because it will cost over $800,000 to remove a single car from the road, then Peter Carlisle is their choice for mayor.
“If however voters believe, as Mr. Case states, that “the main job of Honolulu Mayor is to run core municipal services like police, fire, trash, sewage, transportation and water…” is best served by a civil engineer, not a lawyer, and you believe that a $5.5 billion rail project that will cost over $800,000 to remove a single car from the road is the wrong project at the wrong time for our city, then Panos Prevedouros is the clear choice for Mayor.
“Many agree that this election may be the most important in the history of our city. The voters will have an unprecedented chance to make their voices heard. If you believe it’s time to elect an Engineer and not a Politician, vote for Panos Prevedouros on September 18th. ”
Submitted by Panos Prevedouros. see more at FixOahuNow.com