For comparison purposes it makes sense to go with the fiscally most conservative...

Or else, to follow the less than conservative fiscal argument, shouldn't this governor have released ALL thefunds that were appropriated by our legislature last session already?

Yeah let’s use small cramped public facilities- like elementary school classrooms when the kids are on break... maybe some non-air-conditioned ones in July? And yes, let’s use existing administration employees because they obviously have lots of extra time and would be the ideal staffers... for the “loyalty first” Lingle Administration

Actually, why give people representation at all- that’s very expensive. Let’s just have four delegates- Lingle, Bennett, Aiona and Fukunaga- and skip the voting on the final document, another big expense... We can let Calvin, Colleen, Kirk and Gary serve them tea... but not too much of that costly sugar and milk.

In fact they could meet in Linda’s office....or for that matter they could phone it in.

A Con-Con is only worth doing if enough preparation goes into it to make it a community-wide discussion. As it was in 1968 and 1978, when both newspapers devoted considrable time to open discussion of the issues, community forums were held to allow expert presentations and community input.

I remember the League of Women Voters in particular playing a valuable role. They seemed to be everywhere helping us idscuss the issues, and in a civic-minded fashion. NOT promoting an ideological, single-issue or special interest view.

(I strongly recommend the League's position paper on Con-Con from 1998, which can be found by clicking on the link below my name. It is a goodstarting point on the issues involved.)

If the Con-Con is done on the cheap, what is to prevent it from being dominated by the special interests and the passionate single-interest groups?

Bennett is wrong to dismiss concerns that that the event be done right. And what Caldwell is suggesting as the features of a good Con-Con is not originating with the politicians.

Here are the suggestions of UH PoliSci professor, Ira Rohter, who has been an influential advocate for holding a new Con-Con:

HOW TO DO IT

Holding a Constitutional Convention takes careful planning. Here are some guidelines.
Elect two delegates per district: Prominent, well-financed candidates have a high probability of being elected. Providing a second choice allows fair representation of district's minority views. The highest two vote-getters are elected.

Pay delegates a living wage: Pay at least $4,000 a month, since we want a representative cross-section of the community running for, and being involved in, the ConCon. Otherwise, only paid lobbyists or paid representatives of entrenched power groups and the well-off or financially independent can be involved for such a long period.

Provide adequate funding for:

» a citizens' committee to handle coordination and publicity, disseminate educational information, create a Web site and run a delegate symposium

» special election mail-in ballots

» salaries for 103 delegates

» ConCon operational costs

» adequate support staff and supplies

» A Legislative Reference Bureau to perform research and provide assistance

» voter's information pamphlets

University of Hawaii role: The university can play a significant role in this preliminary stage. Set up a "Learning Community" series of courses focusing on what constitutional changes would make sense. The ConCon could be tinkering about the edges, or consider fundamental structural questions (such as home rule).

Campaign funding: To provide a level playing field for candidates, minimally set strict campaign spending limits; allow only individual contributions (no corporate or PACs), limited to $250, from registered voters who live in the district.

Use mail-in ballot: To increase voter turnout and reduce the costs of a special election, adopt the Oregon process.


SUGGESTED SCHEDULE

The first steps on the path to a Constitutional Convention in 2010 should be taken next year. A proposed schedule of events leading to a ConCon include:
2008

» November: Ballot proposal on whether to hold a ConCon in 2010.

2009

» January-May: Legislature passes bill to set up and fund pre-convention activities and the ConCon itself.

» July-December: Citizens Committee Working Groups convene about six months prior to Citizens Conference to fully prepare for ConCon.

2010

» Jan. 15: Citizens Committee three-day conference.

» February: Candidate education workshop on campaigning

» February-March: Public information campaign on ConCon issues

» April 1: Special election for ConCon delegates -- mail-in ballots

» Mid-April: Symposium for elected delegates

>> May-July: Constitutional Convention

» August-October: Public education on amendments

» Nov. 5: Regular elections and vote on ConCon amendments

Compiled by Ira Rohter

I'm all for a Con Con. A large scale, highly publicized event has the potential to raise awareness about the crucial role of citizens in our government and inspire folks to get more engaged. Plus it's been an entire generation w/o one. If a ConCon is held, resources should be allocated to do it first class. This includes the meeting space, the published materials, a strong internet presence (online video, message boards, podcasts) and getting high school students involved in some manner.

As a State House staffer who conferred with the Legislative Reference Bureau on drafting the resolution in discussion, I encourage readers to view the link in the blog that connects you to the resolution. We tried to build in some reasonable assumptions in order to calculate costs. But these assumptions are not "Cadillac" as our Attorney General suggested. They are more like a good Toyota. Nor is there an ulterior motive designed to swing the public vote on whether or not to have a Constitutional Convention. This reso is vote-neutral. Its purpose is to give all of us an idea of what costs might be, with time to chew over the numbers (and possibly look at ways to reduce them) before we take a vote in the November General Election. Thus the September 1st deadline for submitting the report on the possible costs. And hey, since when is it a bad idea to get an estimate of what something is going to cost before you vote on it? It beats the November General Election rolling around and the public asking: "Doesn't anyone know how much this Con Con is going to cost us?"

I'm curious to know why people feel there is a need for a con-con. I rarely hear what flaws in the constitution need to be taken care of but rather that it's been 30 years since the last one.

Well, it's been 230 years since a national con-con has been held; that is, one has never taken place since the founding of the republic.

Or I hear some say that it's an exercise in democracy. Ummm .. . aren't elections just that?