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We've written here repeatedly in past election years that it is very important that Maui send Rep. Joe Souki back to the state Legislature.
The speaker of the House is the best legislator in the state, and this may be the most important year ever for his leadership. Frankly, Souki and the Maui delegation need to be re-elected to present a united front to press the most important issue facing the county this year -- the successful transition of the Maui Region of the Hawaii Health Services Corp. to a public-private partnership with Kaiser.
The united front is necessary to make other legislators understand that Gov. David Ige is failing spectacularly in getting the partnership to fruition.
If the transition is pushed back to next July -- as Kaiser now estimates -- Maui Memorial Medical Center will be a shell of the hospital it has been. Services now appear likely to be cut, and our hospital may become little more than a conduit for care on Oahu.
A successful re-election of our delegation should result in a push for a special session to deal with the crisis. Big Island legislator and emergency room physician Josh Green's help should be enlisted to get other legislators to understand that Maui's health care is on the line.
Green was the first person we heard suggest a special session to deal with the issue.
If that attempt fails, our delegation must push the Legislature to fund the shortfall.
Unions have to understand that private-sector jobs with Kaiser are a lot better deal than no jobs if a significant number of services are cut. Kaiser needs to understand that a delay could be devastating. And Ige needs to understand that a rope-a-dope approach will not work -- the problem will get worse with every day of delay.
So, re-elect Joe and his team. They got the original public-private legislation passed. Now it is time to make them -- and all the sides involved -- follow through with a timely transition that protects services.
* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.