10-13-2012, 10:08 AM
Billy Kenoi is in a runoff with his former boss and our previous Mayor, Harry Kim. Billy was Harry's executive assistant for years, and I find it more than interesting that Harry has decided to re-enter politics by running against his former protege'.
I like the fact that Harry does not accept large campaign donations, but his tenure as mayor saw huge increases in personnel and about a doubling of the total budget. Harry did not have to deal with the budget shortfalls that Billy has had to handle, but he does come across to me as more sincere.
Billy, for his part, comes across as a typical machine operative, with the usual union support and a lot of big off-island financial backers . . . $500,000 or thereabouts the last time I checked. He did manage to get the budget balanced, but only by putting off some pension and retire benefit contributions that will have to be made up someday. Of course compared to the budget tricks of the Federal and some State governments, Billy's pension deferral is manini.
So what do the rest of you think? I tend to favor Harry simply because I can't wrap my mind around Billy's claim that all that money donated will not affect his decisions as Mayor. The old adage of "follow the money" seems to apply yet again.
I like the fact that Harry does not accept large campaign donations, but his tenure as mayor saw huge increases in personnel and about a doubling of the total budget. Harry did not have to deal with the budget shortfalls that Billy has had to handle, but he does come across to me as more sincere.
Billy, for his part, comes across as a typical machine operative, with the usual union support and a lot of big off-island financial backers . . . $500,000 or thereabouts the last time I checked. He did manage to get the budget balanced, but only by putting off some pension and retire benefit contributions that will have to be made up someday. Of course compared to the budget tricks of the Federal and some State governments, Billy's pension deferral is manini.
So what do the rest of you think? I tend to favor Harry simply because I can't wrap my mind around Billy's claim that all that money donated will not affect his decisions as Mayor. The old adage of "follow the money" seems to apply yet again.