WAILUKU, Maui — The Maui County mayor's race is shaping up to be a lively one with yesterday's announcement by Councilman Dain Kane that he is in the running to unseat incumbent Alan Arakawa.

Kane is the second council member to declare candidacy in the nonpartisan mayoral race. Also running are Councilwoman Charmaine Tavares, daughter of former mayor Hannibal Tavares, and former Mayor James "Kimo" Apana, who lost to Arakawa in 2002.

Kane, 43, of Wailuku, is in his fourth two-year term on the council and chairs the Budget and Finance Committee. He said he is not ready to go on the offensive against his opponents, but did say there are clear distinctions between the candidates, especially in regard to style.

"I'm respectful of people. Whether I like them or don't like them, I treat them with fairness and dignity," he said.

The council has often been kept out of the loop on administration proposals, Kane said, "and that doesn't reflect a respect for the legislative process."

The candidate identified water as the county's chief concern. Kane has introduced a measure that would require developers, at an early stage in the approval process, to get written verification from the Maui water director that a "long-term reliable source of water" is available for their projects.

He said Arakawa's initiative to acquire Central Maui water sources now held in private hands is a "good concept" but that the mayor held a news conference to announce the plan before investigating its legal and financial ramifications. "There needs to be more due diligence and that was not done," Kane said.

The campaign fallout from Kane's December drunken driving arrest on Kaua'i is unknown, but the councilman said he hopes voters will "look at the whole picture of my performance as a public official." He said it was the result of "poor choice" and that he has made a promise to himself and his family never to drink and drive again.

Maui voters in the past have been willing to overlook such failings. Retired Councilman Wayne Nishiki won re-election in 2002 despite two DUI convictions.

Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.