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Transcript of Meeting of April 29, 2000Page 2 of 64
<br />We’ve reviewed carefully the proposed changes. Now, I haven’t had time to read the most recent
<br />language since I walked in the room, but assuming that the substance of the proposals is much the same
<br />as it has been, there are, from our point of view, really some major problems. And one of the major
<br />problems is the at-large Council elections. We feel very strongly that this removes responsibility and
<br />accountability for representatives to their local electorate. We want government that’s responsible to the
<br />citizenry, and the way we get that is by having locally elected representatives who represent the
<br />diversity of interests in this island. We are not all the same. We do have different interests and at-large
<br />elections have many disadvantages. One, they don’t represent any constituency, and two, to elect them
<br />requires a fair amount of money to run an at-large election island-wide. This disadvantages minority
<br />candidates. It disadvantages candidates who are not backed by special interests willing to contribute
<br />substantial amounts of funds to a campaign. The last thing we want is for more special interests to
<br />influence our politics on this island. So, we would really oppose at-large elections for several reasons.
<br />One being they’re very expensive and would likely attract special interest money, but two, they don’t
<br />really represent the local interests of our diverse community. And three, of course, we fear that the
<br />majority electorate on the East side will, in fact, gather three more votes on Council. We don’t need that.
<br />We really are very concerned about the delegation of authority from the Council, which is elected by the
<br />people, to appointees by the Mayor, or appointees in departments. We do not want to see delegated
<br />authority to those who are not accountable directly to the people. Therefore, we oppose changing the
<br />Planning Department functions to allow them to act without Council authority, on their own, and we
<br />certainly oppose the Planning Commission being able to make decisions about planning, zoning, and the
<br />like. This is very much contrary to making government accountable to people. So, I really don’t
<br />understand - I’ll speak for myself, I don’t understand how you could come to these conclusions that this
<br />would make for better government in Hawaii. I think it makes for worse government in Hawaii.
<br />Finally, I would say that we want the qualifications of Department Heads to be improved, not reduced.
<br />And I haven’t read the details, now, of what have been put forward for the qualifications of Department
<br />Heads when you sought to reduce engineering qualifications and substitute something else. But it seems
<br />to me that we need better qualified people in government, not less qualified people in government, so we
<br />would certainly oppose that.
<br />So, if I may summarize quickly. It is that all of the moves the Commission is proposing, to remove
<br />responsibility from elected officials, to remove representation from local constituencies, to concentrate
<br />power in government at the top, are moves that we oppose vehemently. These are not moves for better
<br />government. These are moves for worse government. So we would very much hope that you would,
<br />between now and the time these proposals are final, take another look at this because we are very
<br />concerned. Thank you.
<br />RAY: Because of all the confusion and misunderstanding, that’s probably going to be the reason to drop
<br />some of these. But just, sort of, to take advantage of Chris being here, and a civics lesson, let him
<br />explain to you, especially in regard to the Planning Commission. These aren’t changes that change
<br />anything in terms of the existing situation. They in no way, shape, or form, give more power to the
<br />Planning Commission, but I’d like Chris to explain that.
<br />SCARR: All right.
<br />RAY: But we’ll probably drop them because people seem so confused about it.
<br />YUEN: From 1968, when the County first had its Charter, until 1998, the section of the Charter that
<br />discusses the Planning Commission said that the Planning Commission shall enact rules and regulations
<br />having the force and effect of law. In 1998, along with some other changes that were made to the
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