03-07-2016, 10:25 AM
I know a bit about what the transition was from the Kim to the Kenoi administrations. Harry wanted to anoint a successor, and it was between his two aides, Andy Levin and Bill Kenoi. Billy didn't wait for Harrys decision, with his ability to gain political and financial support through his association with Sen Inouye he moved on his own schedule. This was the beginning of the split between mentor and protege. Interpret it how you will, I'll just leave it at Darwinism and survival of the fittest. It was Billy and Andy then didn't even try. As what happened when Harry then decided to challenge Billy's reelection, he lost. Put any asterisk you want on that loss, that BIlly outspent Harry, that Billy had the power of the incumbency, etc. but it came as a great shock to Harry that he lost.
Harry's bided his time since his loss, not really engaged in community accept to do a little grandstanding when available. Now he announces uncharacteristically early. Methinks he recognizes that playing coy is not going to serve him as well as in the past. You can't run for office as many times as he has and keep the illusion that you are reluctant, or being drafted unwillingly, because there is no better choice. I also suspect that he realizes that his name recognition, the "Kim" brand, is not what it was. So we'll see if he modifies his style of campaigning as well, which is to say donations and professionalism. He always had more of a campaign effort than most people recognized, all those bumper stickers came from somewhere, and got distributed somehow.
Something to keep in mind with a career bureaucrat like Harry, he's very mindful of the patronage positions he has to deal with. Some of his appointments got 8 years of County work at a high pay rate, a reappointment means the 10 year minimum and a very good High 3 retirement base. A strong staff presence and push was part of his last campaign against Billy. Expect to see a bunch of old faces, not just Harrys.
Our host Rob has some serious problems with Billy, that much is evident. I don't agree with him at all about the accomplishments of the Kenoi administration, the "corruption" he sees in County government or the failure to accomplish economic development. I see improvement in all 3 areas over the past 30 years, and especially in the last 8. By that I mean more new roads, more maintenance on existing roads, more new parks, better maintained facilities, and a more responsive civil service. My personal experience working as a volunteer to enhance a neglected area that will soon be a new park is that his P&R department was responsive and efficient, and the bidding process was fair and lean.
Harry's bided his time since his loss, not really engaged in community accept to do a little grandstanding when available. Now he announces uncharacteristically early. Methinks he recognizes that playing coy is not going to serve him as well as in the past. You can't run for office as many times as he has and keep the illusion that you are reluctant, or being drafted unwillingly, because there is no better choice. I also suspect that he realizes that his name recognition, the "Kim" brand, is not what it was. So we'll see if he modifies his style of campaigning as well, which is to say donations and professionalism. He always had more of a campaign effort than most people recognized, all those bumper stickers came from somewhere, and got distributed somehow.
Something to keep in mind with a career bureaucrat like Harry, he's very mindful of the patronage positions he has to deal with. Some of his appointments got 8 years of County work at a high pay rate, a reappointment means the 10 year minimum and a very good High 3 retirement base. A strong staff presence and push was part of his last campaign against Billy. Expect to see a bunch of old faces, not just Harrys.
Our host Rob has some serious problems with Billy, that much is evident. I don't agree with him at all about the accomplishments of the Kenoi administration, the "corruption" he sees in County government or the failure to accomplish economic development. I see improvement in all 3 areas over the past 30 years, and especially in the last 8. By that I mean more new roads, more maintenance on existing roads, more new parks, better maintained facilities, and a more responsive civil service. My personal experience working as a volunteer to enhance a neglected area that will soon be a new park is that his P&R department was responsive and efficient, and the bidding process was fair and lean.