HONOLULU -- A leasehold reform group is under fire for sending a letter about the mayor candidates' positions on leasehold to its members before last month's election.

A complaint filed with the Campaign Spending Commission said the letter amounted to a political ad for Duke Bainum and so its expenses should be reported as donations.

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The Hale Coalition spent about $6,000 to mail a letter that some people consider to be a political flier in favor of Bainum and against Mufi Hannemann.

The leasehold conversion debate evokes strong emotions. Some Native Hawaiians and landowners want to repeal a city law that forces landowners to sell lessees the land under their apartments.

The lessees' group is called the Hale Coalition. They sent a letter to 15,000 leasehold apartment owners two weeks before the primary election. The letter explains that Bainum supports mandatory leasehold conversion while Hannemann would repeal the leasehold law.

"We hope that they are playing by the rules, because certainly we make that same effort," said LeRoy Akamine of Save Hawaii's Children.

Akamine is a spokesman for Save Hawaii's Children, which wants to repeal the leasehold law.

His group held a protest outside Bainum's headquarters in September. It said the Hale Coalition's letter was a political ad for Bainum.

"It was an information and an action letter," said Jane Sugimura of Hale Coalition. "The letter does not advocate the election or the defeat of any candidate. We just ask them to consider this when they go to the polls. It is not an endorsement."

Akamine said the Hale Coalition should register as a political action committee and disclose all donations over $100, just as Save Hawaii's Children has.

"We've registered with the Campaign Spending Commission and we will be filing our reports," Akamine said.

"I don't think we're required to under the Campaign Spending Commission law and I will wait to hear from the commission to see if that's what we have to do. And if we have to do that, we have to do that," Sugimura said.

The Campaign Spending Commission will consider this complaint at its Nov. 10 meeting, after the general election.

The commission's Executive Director, Bob Watada, said after a "quick review," he believes the letter is an "informational piece" that does not amount to a political ad. However, he said his office will look into the complaint.