MORE THAN MONEY INVOLVED

The state agreed to put random drug tests into the contract with the
Hawaii State Teachers Association. The contract was negotiated by
members of Gov. Linda Lingle's administration.

The state Department of Education wants $523,723 over and above its
$2.5 billion budget to administer the drug-testing program,
specifically to hire five workers and buy computer equipment to
conduct the tests.

The governor's main money person, Budget Director Georgina Kawamura,
says the DOE already has the money it needs to conduct the testing.
Kawamura said the DOE had $44 million in unspent funds as of June 30
and had $33 million in unspent funds June 30, 2006.

The DOE's chief financial officer, James Brese, told the Board of
Education there's a need to find the money for the drug-testing
program. Kawamura says its just a matter of prioritizing DOE
spending. What's a half-million in a $2.5 billion budget?

The DOE's funds are intended to be spent on education. Taking even
$523,723 might impact the DOE's overall mandate. "We were concerned
that the money shouldn't be taken out of textbooks and other things,"
said Roger Takabayashi, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association.

That might be stretching a point, given the DOE's base budget and
seeming inability to spend what needs to be spent on the classroom
level. Still, Lingle's administration wanted teacher drug testing and
is now reluctant to foot the bill.

The DOE may go to the 2008 Legislature for the drug-testing funds in
order to leave existing spending plans intact. House Finance Chairman
Marcus Oshiro expressed reluctance to come up with the extra cash.
"That's between the governor the DOE," said Oshiro. "The governor
bargained for it."

The governor's refusal to come up with the extra money could be a
form of fiscal tough love. It could also be an example of internal
squabbling prompted by politics. If any subject should be capable of
uniting Hawaii's opposing political forces, it should be education.