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minutes 8-25-99Page 8 of 60 <br />proposed Charter Amendment to have at-large seats and that was not approved by the <br /> <br />electorate. That was in what year? <br /> <br />ARAKAWA: 1991 - 92. <br />FELIX: 1992, the electorate voted against at-large seats. They liked the concept of <br /> <br />nine councilmanic districts. <br /> <br />YOSHIYAMA: And the term is? <br /> <br />FELIX: Four years. <br /> <br />YOSHIYAMA: Four years and you cannot go for more than two consecutive full terms. <br /> <br />FELIX: Yes, I was a very strong supporter of term limits. <br /> <br />YOSHIYAMA: Has that been in place for a while, the four year? <br /> <br />FELIX: In 1992. <br /> <br />YOSHIYAMA: 1992. <br /> <br />FELIX: So the entire council cannot run for re-election in the upcoming election. <br /> <br />ARAKAWA: Doesn’t that pose a problem though, in continuity? <br />FELIX: No, I don’t think - we did correct that. We did make one mistake in not <br />providing for staggered terms when we initiated that change. However, we have <br />corrected that because in the year 2002, there will be staggered terms. If it ends <br /> <br />with an even number, those even councilmanic <br />districts will have four years and the unevens will have two years and have to run <br /> <br />in two years. We had thought of flipping a coin - Thought of a number of other - <br /> <br />ARAKAWA: That would have been too quick. <br /> <br />FELIX: Or the highest votes. <br /> <br />ARAKAWA: John Henry would win every time. <br /> <br />FELIX: He says the nicest things about me. Thank you. <br /> <br />RAY: Sue. <br />IRVINE: I guess I’d like to play a little bit of devil’s advocate here. I know, Mr <br />Felix, you’re a Republican, who have been kind of nonexistent in the State of Hawaii <br />previously, and you feel you haven’t had a hard time getting along with Democrats, <br />but we do have, in our county, a Green Party as well. Candidates have been elected <br />and they’re feeling very strongly that they won’t find the kind of exposure or <br />representation that they might get if we go nonpartisan rather than having parties. <br />You said it’s cheaper. It levels the playing field for counties not to have parties <br />but I can see where parties could raise money and support candidates whereas you <br /> <br />wouldn’t have to raise the money yourselves. You know what I mean? <br />FELIX: Well, I’ve never received a dime from the Republican Party. Please don’t <br />file://\\coh01\cohweb\council\charter_commission\minutes\minutes 8-25-99.html7/1/2011 <br /> <br />