What do you think about Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s $200,000 annual payment for monthly meetings on a bank’s board of directors?
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B. Problematic; raises question (1361 Votes)
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A. No problem; fair compensation (459 Votes)
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C. Undecided (80 Votes)
This is not a scientific poll — results reflect only the opinions of those voting.
75 responses to “What do you think about Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s $200,000 annual payment for monthly meetings on a bank’s board of directors?”
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No conflict of interest
How about the approx $1.9 million in Territorial stock & options he has received from them?
Do you have a problem with that?
Or mortgages for the Krakaako apartments being funneled to Territorial????
Mayor has no connection to the buyers. Territorial has to compete for those loans. Buyers can go elsewhere for the loans. There’s no conflict of interest if the buyer has a choice.
The ethics commission said it was not a problem. So what if you were given the same opportunity? Wonder if you would take the same offer?
No.
And you see, this is why KROOKWELL is an obvious self centered, shameless, opportunistic greed monger. He’s the mayor but it wasn’t ENOUGH for him….he wanted MORE. Even had to self raise his “historic home” property taxes AFTER the news EXPOSED the fact that he was skating for so long!
KROOKWELL is no leader. Leaders simply do not do this sort of thing. He is the shallowest snake belly.
leoscott says: “The ethics commission said it was not a problem.”
Which ethics committee is that? The one he harassed and defunded and ran off Chuck Totto from?
The ethics commission addressed his $200K, not the $1.9 million.
The ethics commission addressed conflict of interest. The bank is the only party concerned about how much he should be be paid.
He needs to have a federal prosecutor look at what he has done with the BOONDOGGLE RAIL as well as the Territorial Money trail. No special favors or info——- are we all blind and stupid??
Our wonder is lying…
$200,000 bribe for past favors relating to HART rail project?
Bingo! That and I bet more
Nope, he lies.
Yes, KROOKWELL is a lying P * 0 * S low life. Much like your pal ukuBS
There’s no conflict of interest… sukebe is scratching too much.
An elected official – especially the Mayor – receiving $200K annually from ANYONE has the appearance of creating a conflict of interest. Who advises Hawaii politicians? Looks to me like they all get the same advice – “GET ALL YOU CAN WHILE YOU CAN”.
No one advises them. Or criminals do.
It’s why they have no sense of decency, what’s wrong or right, and have thick skin and no face.
He says “for a couple hours a month”. I doubt they’d be paying him that much if he wasn’t the mayor.
One does have to ask what service he provides in his “couple of hours per month” that is worth all that money.
Who is paying him? Those are the folks that have a problem.
Pay to Play. Does that ring a Bell?
Correction, he said “one to two hours per month” and the compensation range may go as high as $300,000. Let alone the fact that it increased from around $50,000 to the $200,000 low end of the range WHEN he became Mayor. Curious, the timing.
The bank would do just as well with him never showing up.
I think we ALL know what’s gonna happen if he loses re-election. Bye Bye Territorial scam.
Why do you think KROOKWELL so desperately needs to be re-elected? Not to benefit the people of HNL…
It is all about, personal economic survival. Everything these days, is perceived as a conflict of interest.
As long as it is declared and publicly registered, it can’t be in too much conflict, with the general public.
The news media and the general public, will find out, if it is truly a conflict of interest.
Agree!
Keoni, please leave out all the commas next time and your ideas will be easier to read. You only need one in your post. My other concern is that second sentence, the only one that uses a comma correctly, does not account for the idea that sometimes the best place to hide something is out in the open.
How about the APPEARANCE of him being a SERVANT to the People of HNL, ACCEPTING their TAX money in remuneration and then spitting on everyone’s faces by accepting this most obvious payola???
Legalities don’t matter. It’s JUDGEMENT…setting an EXAMPLE…and this is why KROOKWELL cannot continue after November!!!
Although the Mayor indicates that if is “not a job” and is paid for serving on the Board of Directors it is $ compensation that basically buys his influence, etal. Even though he reports Territorial Savings Bank does not contract with the City and tentacles of influence are presence. It is a “pay for play” set up (i.e. HRC). Add this to The Rail contributions…I find his behavior rather unethical. Remember General Election will be soon upon us so get out and vote for change.
While many local residents head of family working more than one job to survive in Hawaii, here we have a Democratic Mayor working at another job for $200,000.00. That’s not loose chain in your pocket.
While this man is taking care of his family, as Mayor he messed with the idea of raising property tax or suggesting a new department for the city and country. Like a true Democrat, he skims the pocket book of the citizen of this State.
We need another mayor, PERIOD!
And don’t forget the wife’s $800,000.00 from another bank that the city does business with. With a D after your name you can do anything. Ask the Clintons
The potential conflicts are too great. Public officials and the major local banks know this as well.
Check out the Territorial filings with the SEC and see how much stock and options Caldwell has. Everyone talks about the $200K. He has so much stock and options from Territorial is was worth about $1.9 million last March. Maybe more now. Follow the money!
So KROOKWELL gets to laugh this off as a “smart move without conflict” while everyone’s getting on Trump’s case for gaming the system and avoiding taxes?
I’m no Trump supporter BUT hey…if you can legally avoid taxes taxes for 18 years, isn’t that the sign of A SMART BUSINESSMAN, as he stated?????
And remember folks…as KROOKWELL said…it’s not a “job”, it’s a “SERVICE”.
And we people of HNL don’t get the benefit of his effort or service…
Wonder if a major corporation currently have a high public official as a corporate director? Most of the stocks in my portfolio do not have any. At $200,000 conflict of interests is certainly questionable. Especially if the Mayor’s salary is less. Which is the master the taxpayer, or the corporate?
EXACTLY. Who does he truly answer to?
KROOKWELL keeps trying to pass himself off as a mayor “for the people” but we losers that can’t get a gig like this sure look like suckas
It will be a very sad day if this inept, dishonest man gets back into office
And it’ll most likely happen.
What gets me is the GALL he has to keep this gig at Territorial with a STRAIGHT FACE and justify it to everyone while trying to pass himself off as some sort of compassionate, caring everyman of the commoners.
It is fixed allready. Remember Nago and PRP.. Same with the president election. Hang on it is going to be a buppy ride for 8 more years.
If Territorial doesn’t have a problem with paying Kirk that amount of money for doing nothing, it not up to us to decide. No money from that is from taxpayers. Maybe Territorial just wanted the name Mayor under their board and is willing to dish out that kind of dough for it.
IT’s not Territorial… it’s the shameless horse hide thick skin of KROOKWELL.
The TAXPAYERS of HNL, who’s he’s constantly trying to shaft, pay him a comfortable salary of over $100k to be MAYOR. For the People. For the city.
Then he ALSO accepts the sweet Territorial gig without even a second thought to appearances, inappropriateness, or as “average locals” say…”SHAME”.
KROOKWELL is a disgusting, opportunistic, selfish, out of touch charlatan.
KROOKWELL fell from the same tree that produced money hungry, opportunistic, shameless Hillary!!
leoscott says: “If Territorial doesn’t have a problem with paying Kirk that amount of money for doing nothing, it not up to us to decide. No money from that is from taxpayers.”
That quite a jump.
If Territirial Savings Bank was in the habit of throwing away hundreds of thousands of dollars like that, they wouldn’t be in business very long. Which makes you think they are getting SOMETHING in return.
And if that “something” is special access, favors, or contracts, then it certainly is costing taxpayers money.
Most concerning, Mr Caldwell was considered nearly as valuable before he became mayor, Sort of like how Nestor Garcia was very much in demand for high paying do-nothing no-show jobs when he was on city council and the swing for rail and persona non grata when he was out of office.
To paraphrase Chris Rock, “You may not be, but you sure are wearing the uniform…”
If the US government started investigating banks for hiring the children of high ranking Chinese communist party officials that got do nothing jobs in companies like Goldman, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, etc in order to curry favor, then they should definitely investigate Territorial for giving the plum gig to KROOKWELL
In our world today “perception is reality”. So if you believe that “something for nothing” is going on we are dealing with some sever political naivety. So what does the bank get for this very generous compensation. I’m sure the board of directors should have some expectations. Has Caldwell ever declared any conflicts of interest?
I’m AMAZED the S-A put this subject out to question!
Maybe someone decent got it through the computer system overnight without the editor’s knowledge?
It’s no problem. Kirk will be getting fired in five weeks and once he’s no longer mayor I’m assuming he’ll coincidentally lose his $200k/year “service” at TSB. Just be patient.
But he’ll keep the stock. That’s where the real money is.
And his property taxes will drop to the bottom of the well again.
It’s a bribe.
These days it is a very fine line [if not invisible] between a bribe and a donation.
Read more about “pay to play” at http://www.civilbeat.org/2016/10/caldwell-aide-works-campaign-for-free-but-gets-city-contracts/
Caldwell is not my favorite, but all this bashing about his income is kinda crazy. Check all of the rest of the politicians and look at their sources of income. I agree Caldwell is substantial but Im willing to bet that there will be shock to see what the rest of the bunch make. Until then Im not gonna pass judgement.
So if other politicians also sell their influence in the same way as Caldwell, it’s ok with you? It’s corruption, no matter how many people do it.
Did he sell his influence? I don’t think that would be right. I don’t condone those things. He has not been indicted.
Good money; who wouldn’t go for it?
$200,000 grand as a legal “bribe” for a city official is a great deal for the bank…
Of course it is a bribe. $200,000 a year and $2 million in stock options. How the ethics let this go is crooked too.
How can a fulltime employee with fulltime benefits and medical for his family make more at his part time job. Do you think if Territorial calls he will make them make an appointment and wait to see him like every other company? OF COURSE NOT, THEY BOUGHT ACCESS AND IT IS A BRIBE OR AN ILLEGAL WAY TO FUNNEL MONEY TO THE MAYOR AND SKIRT FUNDRAISING LIMITS. BRIBE, BRIBE, BRIBE, BRIBE, BRIBE.
He is a fulltime employee with fulltime benefits from the taxpayers.
Not saying who to vote for but this guy is a crook.
Good for him. I mean, what, are some of you just jealous? Just because some folks make big bucks doesn’t necessarily mean they are “corrupt”….that kind of thinking is cretinish and plain silly.
I know, cretinish is not a word. But it should be for some of you.
You mean clintonish
Nothing wrong with making money, problem is he is a trusted elected official who is a civil servant and not a corporate employee, civil servant!!!!! check out his benefit package from the tax payers.
All of the elected officials in this State are taking us for a ride. Can you believe they will receive retirement benefits if they stay in office more than 10 years without contributing to the ERS. Lookout all of them if you want to point fingers.
Yup. Lampreys, every one of them
That is why we need term limits for all. Two three years is all they should. After that get a real job. After their term thats it.
Oh ok…so he can RESIGN as mayor AND keep the Territorial job?
I didn’t think so!
OUT with KROOKWELL!!
Any ‘job’ where you get paid $200,000 a year plus stock options for doing “a couple of hours a month” of work is clearly not a job but a legal method of influence buying. Banks don’t give away money for nothing! I am amazed at the number of people who seem to be okay with the mayor doing this. The Star-Advertiser should take a close look at how the influence Territorial buys is being used.
Good point Lana888, yet Capt. Kirk stated on his debate with Mr. Djou that its “ONE or TWO HOURS per month”. Coupled with the increase from around $50K to $200+K as soon as he became Mayor. All I hear is “quacking” and there surely must be ducks around here.
1,116 votes that KROOKWELL is a scamming, ethically bankrupt P # O * S as of 1400 hours???
Wow…a LOT of usually quiet readers are making themselves heard!
OUT with KROOKWELL in November!!!!
This is common for any and all business people. Kirk was and is an bank attorney. He was on the board prior to becoming Mayor. Have you seen the comp on all other Bank Boards? FHB, BOH, ASB, it is common and acceptable. The only people belly aching, are us, the people who didn’t excel in our business life and weren’t asked to be on a Bank Board. Jealousy is a sad thing, but the big ‘wind’ behind this. Reminds me of all the Jealousy behind June Jones getting paid a million dollars to coach, then we had to pay losing coaching the same amount. We live a free market. stop being jealous for not excelling at capitalism
And the bank customers pay for this sh
That is true, so put your money under your mattress
Think he’d KEEP this gig if he WERE NOT mayor? Simple question.
I think you know the answer
The bank has had a long relationship with Caldwell. He has iirc represented the bank in the past.
I would like our Mayor to spend one hundred percent of his time focused on Honolulu and not working part time somewhere else.