Council Chair Accuses Mayor of 'Quid Pro Quo' Politics on Sewage Project
06/06/2012
Flickr: smittenkittenorig
Mayor Peter Carlisle tried to smooth things over with the Honolulu City Council as budget deliberations wrapped up for the year. But a behind-the-scenes political gambit fell flat and left Carlisle with egg on his face even as he scored a compromise on what had been the biggest battle in an otherwise quiet process.
Council Chair Ernie Martin on Wednesday accused Carlisle's administration of offering a council member — no one will say who — favorable treatment for infrastructure projects in their district if they voted to remove a budget proviso Carlisle says would delay work on an important sewage system expansion.
Martin called the offer "Politics 101" and said while it's something that's definitely happened before, it's particularly disappointing now because Carlisle has portrayed himself and his administration as being above ordinary politics. The allegation came during deliberations on the city's $620 million capital budget.
