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Back ToPage 9 of 60 <br />FELIX: Well, I’ve never received a dime from the Republican Party. Please don’t <br />report that back to headquarters. But I can see your dilemma. You have a rather <br /> <br />unique situation here. <br />IRVINE: I think nationally it’s a bit that way although I have daughters in <br />Portland, Oregon, for example, where the Democratic Party has taken on the <br />environmental issues and makes sure that the crushed glass gets put into the roads <br />and things, for recycling, which we’ve had a problem with here with the Democrats in <br /> <br />control, and somebody needs to represent the environment, as far as I’m concerned. <br />FELIX: And I would agree. I think many of those issues are primarily addressed at <br />the State Legislative level although there are, for example, when we initiated the <br />effort to preserve the Kaiwi shoreline on Oahu, it was an effort that was initiated <br />by now Congressman Neil Abercrombie and myself, so I find myself joining with my <br />fellow Democrats to bring about the preservation and conservation initiatives, <br />leasehold conversion, the preservation of Hanauma Bay and other <br />preservation/conservation efforts. The council, I think, has been very sensitive to <br />those kinds of concerns and it takes on different dynamics based upon different <br /> <br />issues. <br /> <br />IRVINE: Well, I’m glad your council has been sensitive to that. <br /> <br />FELIX: We do have our problems however, the bottom line is I think <br /> <br />we have addressed social and environmental issues very well, on the whole. <br /> <br />RAY: Marni. <br />HERKES: In some of our political parties, they have platforms and they have <br />positions, and they have support from other people who supposedly think the same <br />way. A little bit of what David said of that support and those kinds of issues that <br />are like-minded. When you’re running nonpartisan, you are out there by yourself. You <br />don’t have to abide by them, but on the other side, you don’t have those supports <br />and things. How do you get your message out? It would seem to me it would take much <br />more of a campaign to explain your positions and where you are. Does Honolulu have a <br /> <br />ballot book? Do they put out anything in writing for elections? <br /> <br />ARAKAWA: Yes. <br />HERKES: Because if you had ten candidates running for every council seat, you <br /> <br />wouldn’t be able to keep track of them. Who puts that out? <br /> <br />ARAKAWA: The newspapers. <br />FELIX: The media. They do a very commendable job. They do spreadsheets on all the <br />candidates and we have forums at which we can articulate our positions. We have <br />debates. You see, we have a rather unique system on Oahu. We have Neighborhood <br /> <br />Boards. <br /> <br />HERKES: Well, we’re going to get into that in a minute. <br />FELIX: Neighborhood Boards afford all candidates an opportunity to have a forum <br />within which to articulate their positions. There are 38 of them and there are four <br /> <br />in my district. <br />HERKES: I was going to say, it’s not one district, one Board is it? Of course, you <br /> <br />have more people. <br />file://\\coh01\cohweb\council\charter_commission\minutes\minutes 8-25-99.htm7/1/2011 <br /> <br />