2021-12-17 Redistricting Commission minutes (10th Session)

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JACOB AKI AKL Aloha. Thank you Chair, Vice Chair, and members of the Reapportionment Commission. My name is Jacob Aki on behalf of Common Cause. We did submit written testimony ahead of today's hearing. But we did want to highlight just a few things from our written testimony. First, given the large number of testifiers at the December 14'h and December 16'h hearings, Common Cause encourages the Commission, and we are confident that you folks will be considering the public testimonies as you folks work to revise the redistricting maps. There were a larger number of testimony regarding the Hawaiian Homestead areas in Hilo, Pana`ewa, as well as other sections on the west side. So, we hope that those comments and those testimony from the public will be taken into consideration as you folks deliberate on the maps. Secondly, we did testify on this previously but, we would recommend that Charter Section 3-17(e) be changed to revise the Commission's public hearing process. While we appreciate the Charter's mandate to hold at least one public hearing in each of the nine council districts prior to a draft coming out, we believe that that these hearings should not be conducted in each of the nine districts until a draft plan has been created and approved by the Commission. So, we hope that as you folks also think about final recommendations, that this recommendation be considered. That's all the testimony that we have for today, Chair. I am here if there are any questions. Thank you. KAUKA: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Mr. Aki. Chair, our only other testifier is Ms. Brenda Ford. Ms. Ford, if you have any comments to offer now, but I know Ms. Ford has also indicated she may want to provide testimony during other parts of the agenda. Ms. Ford? BRENDA FORD FORD: Thank you very much. I would prefer to testify at the end or during the proceeding, should anybody have questions for me. But I'd prefer to talk at the end as far as my personal testimony. I do suggest though, as I'd suggested last Tuesday night, that you clean up the east side. Pana`ewa Hawaiian Homelands needs to be straightened out. I do not think it's necessary to split Hawaiian Paradise Park. I submitted a plan that shows that it could be done without doing that. The west side of my plan is disgusting, and I think we need to work on that. But your plan that is up for the draft, I think has a very good start, but I think you can clean it up a whole lot more. Thank you. KOSSOW: Ms. Ford, this is Bronsten. Would you be available throughout the whole meeting? FORD: I will, Mr. Bronsten. KOSSOW: Okay, thank you. KAUKA: Chair, that completes our testifiers at this time. 3